Novel 38594, 57312, 53659, 57250, 63760, 49938, 32146, 57259, 67118, 67067, 62092, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, 67084ALT, FBH58295FL, 57255, and 57255alt molecules and uses therefor

ABSTRACT

The invention provides isolated nucleic acids molecules, designated 38594, 57312, 53659, 57250, 63760, 49938, 32146, 57259, 67118, 67067, 62092, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, 67084ALT, FBH58295FL, 57255, and 57255alt nucleic acid molecules, which encode transporter molecules, including sugar transporters, organic anion transporters, amino acid transporters, and phospholipid transporters. The invention also provides antisense nucleic acid molecules, recombinant expression vectors containing 38594, 57312, 53659, 57250, 63760, 49938, 32146, 57259, 67118, 67067, 62092, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, 67084ALT, FBH58295FL, 57255, and 57255alt nucleic acid molecules, host cells into which the expression vectors have been introduced, and non-human transgenic animals in which a 38594, 57312, 53659, 57250, 63760, 49938, 32146, 57259, 67118, 67067, 62092, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, 67084ALT, FBH58295FL, 57255, and 57255alt gene has been introduced or disrupted. The invention still further provides isolated 38594, 57312, 53659, 57250, 63760, 49938, 32146, 57259, 67118, 67067, 62092, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, 67084ALT, FBH58295FL, 57255, and 57255alt polypeptides, fusion polypeptides, antigenic peptides and anti-38594, 57312, 53659, 57250, 63760, 49938, 32146, 57259, 67118, 67067, 62092, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, 67084ALT, FBH58295FL, 57255, and 57255alt antibodies. Diagnostic and therapeutic methods utilizing compositions of the invention are also provided.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/858,194, filed May 14, 2001 (pending), which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/204,211, filed May 12, 2000.

[0002] This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/895,811, filed Jun. 29, 2001 (pending), which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/215,376, filed Jun. 29, 2000.

[0003] This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/919,781, filed Jul. 31, 2001 (pending), which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/221,769, filed Jul. 31, 2000.

[0004] This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/957,664, filed Sep. 19, 2001 (pending), which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/233,790, filed Sep. 19, 2000.

[0005] This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/964,295, filed Sep. 25, 2001 (pending), which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/235,107, filed Sep. 25, 2000.

[0006] This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/972,724, filed Oct. 5, 2001 (pending), which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/238,336, filed Oct. 5, 2000.

[0007] This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/002,769, filed Nov. 14, 2001 (pending), which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/248,364, filed Nov. 14, 2000, and U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/248,878, filed Nov. 15, 2000.

[0008] This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/024,623, filed Dec. 17, 2001 (pending), which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/256,240, filed Dec. 15, 2000, U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/256,588, filed Dec. 18, 2000, and U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/258,028, filed Dec. 21, 2000.

[0009] This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/055,025, filed Jan. 22, 2002 (pending), which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/263,169, filed Jan. 22, 2001.

[0010] This application also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/324,016, filed Sep. 20, 2001 (pending).

[0011] The entire contents of each of the above-referenced patent applications are incorporated herein by this reference. INDEX Chapter Page Title    I. 2 38594, A NOVEL HUMAN TRANSPORTER AND USES THEREOF  II. 94 57312 AND 53659, NOVEL HUMAN ORGANIC ANION TRANSPORTER MOLECULES AND USES THEREOF   III.  175 57250, A NOVEL HUMAN SUGAR TRANSPORTER FAMILY MEMBER AND USES THEREOF IV. 250 63760, A NOVEL HUMAN TRANSPORTER AND USES THEREOF   V. 328 49938, A NOVEL HUMAN PHOSPHOLIPID TRANSPORTER AND USES THEREFOR VI. 415 32146 AND 57259, NOVEL HUMAN TRANSPORTERS AND USES THEREOF VII.   499 67118, 67067, AND 62092, HUMAN PROTEINS AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF VIII.   603 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, AND 67084ALT, HUMAN PROTEINS AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF IX. 749 FBH58295FL, A NOVEL HUMAN AMINO ACID TRANSPORTER AND USES THEREOF   X. 830 57255 and 57255alt, NOVEL HUMAN SUGAR TRANSPORTERS AND USES THEREFOR

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Cellular membranes serve to differentiate the contents of a cell from the surrounding environment, and may also serve as effective barriers against the unregulated influx of hazardous or unwanted compounds, and the unregulated efflux of desirable compounds. Membranes are by nature impervious to the unfacilitated diffusion of hydrophilic compounds such as proteins, water molecules, and ions due to their structure: a bilayer of lipid molecules in which the polar head groups face outwards (towards the exterior and interior of the cell) and the nonpolar tails face inwards (at the center of bilayer, forming a hydrophobic core). Membranes enable a cell to maintain a relatively higher intracellular concentration of desired compounds and a relatively lower intracellular concentration of undesired compounds than are contained within the surrounding environment.

[0013] However, membranes also present a structural difficulty for cells, in that most desired compounds cannot readily enter the cell, nor can most waste products readily exit the cell through this lipid bilayer. The import and export of such compounds is facilitated by proteins which are embedded (singly or in complexes) in the cellular membrane. There are several general classes of membrane transport proteins: channels/pores, permeases, and transporters. The former are integral membrane proteins which form a regulated passage through a membrane. This regulation, or ‘gating’ is generally specific to the molecules to be transported by the pore or channel, rendering these transmembrane constructs selectively permeable to a specific class of substrates. For example, a calcium channel is constructed such that only ions having a like charge and size to that of calcium may pass through. Channel and pore proteins tend to have discrete hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains, such that the hydrophobic face of the protein may associate with the interior of the membrane while the hydrophilic face lines the interior of the channel, thus providing a sheltered hydrophilic environment through which the selected hydrophilic molecule may pass. This pore/channel-mediated system of facilitated diffusion is limited to ions and other very small molecules, due to the fact that pore or channels sufficiently large to permit the passage of whole proteins by facilitated diffusion would be unable to prevent the simultaneous passage of smaller hydrophilic molecules.

[0014] Transport of larger molecules takes place by the action of ‘permeases’ and ‘transporters’, two other classes of membrane-localized proteins which serve to move charged molecules from one side of a cellular membrane to the other. Unlike channel molecules, which permit diffusion-limited solute movement of a particular solute, these proteins require an energetic input, either in the form of a diffusion gradient (permeases) or through coupling to hydrolysis of an energetic molecule (e.g., ATP or GTP) (transporters). The permeases, integral membrane proteins often having between 6-14 membrane-spanning α-helices) enable the facilitated diffusion of molecules such as glucose or other sugars into the cell when the concentration of these molecules on one side of the membrane is greater than that on the other. Permeases do not form open channels through the membrane, but rather bind to the target molecule at the surface of the membrane and then undergo a conformational shift such that the target molecule is released on the opposite side of the membrane.

[0015] Transporters, in contrast, permit the movement of target molecules across membranes against the existing concentration gradient (active transport), a situation in which facilitated diffusion cannot occur. There are two general mechanisms used by cells for this type of membrane transport: symport/antiport, and energy-coupled transport, such as that mediated by the ABC transporters. Symport and antiport systems couple the movement of two different molecules across the membrane (via molecules having two separate binding sites for the two different molecules); in symport, both molecules are transported in the same direction, while in antiport, one molecule is imported while the other is exported. This is possible energetically because one of the two molecules moves in accordance with a concentration gradient, and this energetically favorable event is permitted only upon concomitant movement of a desired compound against the prevailing concentration gradient.

[0016] Single molecules may also be transported across the membrane against the concentration gradient in an energy-driven process, such as that utilized by the ABC transporters. In this ABC transporter system, the transport protein located in the membrane has an ATP-binding cassette; upon binding of the target molecule, the ATP is converted to ADP and inorganic phosphate (P_(i)), and the resulting release of energy is used to drive the movement of the target molecule to the opposite face of the membrane, facilitated by the transporter.

[0017] Transport molecules are specific for a particular target solute or class of solutes, and are also present in one or more specific membranes. Transport molecules localized to the plasma membrane permit an exchange of solutes with the surrounding environment, while transport molecules localized to intracellular membranes (e.g., membranes of the mitochondrion, peroxisome, lysosome, endoplasmic reticulum, nucleus, or vacuole) permit import and export of molecules from organelle to organelle or to the cytoplasm. For example, in the case of the mitochondrion, transporters in the inner and outer mitochondrial membranes permit the import of sugar molecules, calcium ions, and water (among other molecules) into the organelle and the export of newly synthesized ATP to the cytosol.

[0018] Membrane transport molecules (e.g., channels/pores, permeases, and transporters) play important roles in the ability of the cell to regulate homeostasis, to grow and divide, and to communicate with other cells, e.g., to secrete and receive signaling molecules, such as hormones, reactive oxygen species, ions, neurotransmitters, and cytokines. A wide variety of human diseases and disorders are associated with defects in transporter or other membrane transport molecules, including certain types of liver disorders (e.g., due to defects in transport of long-chain fatty acids (Al Odaib et al. (1998) New Eng. J. Med. 339: 1752-1757)), hyperlysinemia (due to a transport defect of lysine into mitochondria (Oyanagi et al. (1986) Inherit. Metab. Dis. 9:313-316), and cataract (Wintour (1997) Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol 24(1):1-9).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel members of the family of transporter molecules, referred to herein as MTP-1 nucleic acid and protein molecules. The present invention is also based, at least in part, on the realization that MTP-1 molecules are related to ABC transporter molecules, which function in cellular transmembrane lipid transport, and that MTP-1 molecules are preferentially expressed in myelo-lymphatic tissue. As such, the functioning of MTP-1 molecules may be causatively linked to hematopoietic and immunological diseases, or diseases related to lipid metabolism, e.g., atherosclerosis. Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding MTP-1 proteins or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments suitable as primers or hybridization probes for the detection of MTP-1-encoding nucleic acids.

[0020] In one embodiment, an MTP-1 nucleic acid molecule of the invention is at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to the nucleotide sequence (e.g., to the entire length of the nucleotide sequence) shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, or a complement thereof.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule includes the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, or a complement thereof. In another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule includes SEQ ID NO: 3 and nucleotides 1-107 of SEQ ID NO: 1. In yet a further embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule includes SEQ ID NO: 3 and nucleotides 1494-1929 of SEQ ID NO: 1. In another preferred embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3.

[0022] In another embodiment, an MTP-1 nucleic acid molecule includes a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence sufficiently identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2. In a preferred embodiment, an MTP-1 nucleic acid molecule includes a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to the entire length of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2.

[0023] In another preferred embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule encodes the amino acid sequence of human MTP-1. In yet another preferred embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule includes a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2. In yet another preferred embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule is at least 50-100, 100-500, 500-1000, 1000-1500, 1500-2000, 2000-2500, 2500-3000, 3000-3500, 3500-4000, 4000-4500, 4500-5000, 5000-5500, 5500-6000, 6000-6500, 6500-6700, or more nucleotides in length. In a further preferred embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule is at least 50-100, 100-500, 500-1000, 1000-1500, 1500-2000, 2000-2500, 2500-3000, 3000-3500, 3500-4000, 4000-4500, 4500-5000, 5000-5500, 5500-6000, 6000-6500, 6500-6700, or more nucleotides in length and encodes a protein having an MTP-1 activity (as described herein).

[0024] Another embodiment of the invention features nucleic acid molecules, preferably MTP-1 nucleic acid molecules, which specifically detect MTP-1 nucleic acid molecules relative to nucleic acid molecules encoding non-MTP-1 proteins. For example, in one embodiment, such a nucleic acid molecule is at least 50-100, 100-500, 500-1000, 1000-1500, 1500-2000, 2000-2500, 2500-3000, 3000-3500, 3500-4000, 4000-4500, 4500-5000, 5000-5500, 5500-6000, 6000-6500, 6500-6700, or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent conditions to a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1, or a complement thereof.

[0025] In preferred embodiments, the nucleic acid molecules are at least 15 (e.g., 15 contiguous) nucleotides in length and hybridize under stringent conditions to the nucleotide molecules set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1.

[0026] In other preferred embodiments, the nucleic acid molecule encodes a naturally occurring allelic variant of a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein the nucleic acid molecule hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule comprising SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, respectively, under stringent conditions.

[0027] Another embodiment of the invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule which is antisense to an MTP-1 nucleic acid molecule, e.g., the coding strand of an MTP-1 nucleic acid molecule.

[0028] Another aspect of the invention provides a vector comprising an MTP-1 nucleic acid molecule. In certain embodiments, the vector is a recombinant expression vector. In another embodiment, the invention provides a host cell containing a vector of the invention. In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a host cell containing a nucleic acid molecule of the invention. The invention also provides a method for producing a protein, preferably an MTP-1 protein, by culturing in a suitable medium, a host cell, e.g., a mammalian host cell such as a non-human mammalian cell, of the invention containing a recombinant expression vector, such that the protein is produced.

[0029] Another aspect of this invention features isolated or recombinant MTP-1 proteins and polypeptides. In one embodiment, an isolated MTP-1 protein includes at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain, and/or an ABC transporter domain.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, an MTP-1 protein includes at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain, an ABC transporter domain, and has an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 67%, 68%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2. In another preferred embodiment, an MTP-1 protein includes at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain, an ABC transporter domain and has an MTP-1 activity (as described herein).

[0031] In yet another preferred embodiment, an MTP-1 protein includes at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain, an ABC transporter domain, and is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule having a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3.

[0032] In another embodiment, the invention features fragments of the protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein the fragment comprises at least 15 amino acids (e.g., contiguous amino acids) of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2. In another embodiment, an MTP-1 protein has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2.

[0033] In another embodiment, the invention features an MTP-1 protein which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, or a complement thereof. This invention further features an MTP-1 protein which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, or a complement thereof.

[0034] The proteins of the present invention or portions thereof, e.g., biologically active portions thereof, can be operatively linked to a non-MTP-1 polypeptide (e.g., heterologous amino acid sequences) to form fusion proteins. The invention further features antibodies, such as monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies, that specifically bind proteins of the invention, preferably MTP-1 proteins. In addition, the MTP-1 proteins or biologically active portions thereof can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions, which optionally include pharmaceutically acceptable carriers.

[0035] In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for detecting the presence of an MTP-1 nucleic acid molecule, protein, or polypeptide in a biological sample by contacting the biological sample with an agent capable of detecting an MTP-1 nucleic acid molecule, protein, or polypeptide such that the presence of an MTP-1 nucleic acid molecule, protein or polypeptide is detected in the biological sample.

[0036] In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for detecting the presence of MTP-1 activity in a biological sample by contacting the biological sample with an agent capable of detecting an indicator of MTP-1 activity such that the presence of MTP-1 activity is detected in the biological sample.

[0037] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for modulating MTP-1 activity comprising contacting a cell capable of expressing MTP-1 with an agent that modulates MTP-1 activity such that MTP-1 activity in the cell is modulated. In one embodiment, the agent inhibits MTP-1 activity. In another embodiment, the agent stimulates MTP-1 activity. in one embodiment, the agent is an antibody that specifically binds to an MTP-1 protein. In another embodiment, the agent modulates expression of MTP-1 by modulating transcription of an MTP-1 gene or translation of an MTP-1 mRNA. In yet another embodiment, the agent is a nucleic acid molecule having a nucleotide sequence that is antisense to the coding strand of an MTP-1 mRNA or an MTP-1 gene.

[0038] In one embodiment, the methods of the present invention are used to treat a subject having a disorder characterized by aberrant or unwanted MTP-1 protein or nucleic acid expression or activity by administering an agent which is an MTP-1 modulator to the subject. In one embodiment, the MTP-1 modulator is an MTP-1 protein. In another embodiment the MTP-1 modulator is an MTP-1 nucleic acid molecule. In yet another embodiment, the MTP-1 modulator is a peptide, peptidomimetic, or other small molecule. In a preferred embodiment, the disorder characterized by aberrant or unwanted MTP-1 protein or nucleic acid expression is a transporter-associated disorder.

[0039] The present invention also provides diagnostic assays for identifying the presence or absence of a genetic alteration characterized by at least one of (i) aberrant modification or mutation of a gene encoding an MTP-1 protein; (ii) mis-regulation of the gene; and (iii) aberrant post-translational modification of an MTP-1 protein, wherein a wild-type form of the gene encodes a protein with an MTP-1 activity.

[0040] In another aspect the invention provides methods for identifying a compound that binds to or modulates the activity of an MTP-1 protein, by providing an indicator composition comprising an MTP-1 protein having MTP-1 activity, contacting the indicator composition with a test compound, and determining the effect of the test compound on MTP-1 activity in the indicator composition to identify a compound that modulates the activity of an MTP-1 protein.

[0041] Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] FIGS. 1A-1M depict the cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of human MTP-1 (clone Fbh38594). The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 6768 of SEQ ID NO: 1. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 2144 of SEQ ID NO: 2. The coding region without the 3′ untranslated region of the human MTP-1 gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 3.

[0043]FIG. 2 depicts the results of a search which was performed against the MEMSAT database and which resulted in the identification of twelve “transmembrane domains” in the full length human MTP-1 protein (SEQ ID NO: 2).

[0044]FIG. 3 depicts the results of a search which was performed against the HMM database and which resulted in the identification of two “ABC transporter domains.”

[0045] FIGS. 4A-C depict the results of a TaqMan analysis of the relative expression of MTP-1 mRNA in a variety of tissues.

[0046] FIGS. 5A-B depict the nucleotide sequence of the human OAT4 cDNA (clone Fbh57312) and the corresponding amino acid sequence. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleotides 1 to 2206 of SEQ ID NO: 4. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 550 of SEQ ID NO: 5. The coding region without the 5′ or 3′ untranslated regions of the human OAT4 gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 6.

[0047] FIGS. 6A-B depict the coding sequence of the human OAT5 cDNA (clone Fbh53659) and the corresponding amino acid sequence. The coding sequence corresponds to nucleotides 1 to 2172 of SEQ ID NO: 9 and nucleotides 104-2275 of SEQ ID NO: 7. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 724 of SEQ ID NO: 8.

[0048]FIG. 7 depicts the results of a search in the HMM database using the amino acid sequence of human OAT4.

[0049] FIGS. 8A-B depicts the results of a search in the HMM database using the amino acid sequence of human OAT5.

[0050]FIG. 9 depicts an alignment of the human OAT5 gene with the human OATPe gene (GenBank Accession No. AB031051; SEQ ID NO: 10). Identical amino acid residues are indicated by stars.

[0051]FIG. 10 depicts the full-length nucleotide sequence of the human OAT5 cDNA (clone Fbh57312). The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleotides 1 to 2634 of SEQ ID NO: 7.

[0052]FIG. 11 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the human OAT4 protein. The locations of the 12 transmembrane domains are indicated (TM 1, 2, 3, etc.).

[0053]FIG. 12 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the human OAT5 protein. The locations of the 12 transmembrane domains are indicated (TM 1, 2, 3, etc.).

[0054]FIG. 13 depicts the expression levels of human OAT5 mRNA in various human cell types and tissues, as determined by Taqman analysis. Samples: (1) normal artery; (2) diseased aorta; (3) normal vein; (4) coronary smooth muscle cells; (5) human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs); (6) hemangioma; (7) normal heart; (8) heart-congestive heart failure (CHF); (9) kidney; (10) skeletal muscle; (11) normal adipose tissue; (12) pancreas; (13) primary osteoblasts; (14) differentiated osteoclasts; (15) normal skin; (16) normal spinal cord; (17) normal brain cortex; (18) brain-hypothalamus; (19) nerve; (20) dorsal root ganglion (DRG); (21) normal breast; (22) breast tumor; (23) normal ovary; (24) ovary tumor; (25) normal prostate; (26) prostate tumor; (27) salivary gland; (28) normal colon; (29) colon tumor; (30) normal lung; (31) lung tumor; (32) lung-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); (33) colon-inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); (34) normal liver; (35) liver-fibrosis; (36) normal spleen; (37) normal tonsil; (38) normal lymph node; (39) normal small intestine; (40) macrophages; (41) synovium; (42) bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNC); (43) activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs); (44) neutrophils; (45) megakaryocytes; (46) erythroid cells; (47) positive control.

[0055] FIGS. 14A-B depict the cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of human HST-1. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 1917 of SEQ ID NO: 12. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 572 of SEQ ID NO: 13. The coding region without the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of the human HST-1 gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 14.

[0056]FIG. 15 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the human HST-1 polypeptide.

[0057] FIGS. 16A-B depict the results of a search which was performed against the HMM database in PFAM and which resulted in the identification of one “sugar transporter family domain” in the human HST-1 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 13).

[0058]FIG. 17 depicts the results of a search which was performed against the MEMSAT database and which resulted in the identification of twelve “transmembrane domains” in the human HST-1 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 13).

[0059]FIG. 18 depicts an alignment of the human HST-1 amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 13) with the amino acid sequence of a human potent brain type organic ion transporter (Accession No. AB040056) using the CLUSTAL W (1.74) alignment program.

[0060]FIG. 19 is a graph depicting the expression of human HST-1 cDNA (SEQ ID NO: 13) in various human tissues as determined by Taqman analysis.

[0061] FIGS. 20A-B depict the cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of human TP-2. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 1963 of SEQ ID NO: 15. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 474 of SEQ ID NO: 16. The coding region without the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of the human TP-2 gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 17.

[0062]FIG. 21 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the human TP-2 polypeptide.

[0063] FIGS. 22A-C depict the results of a search which was performed against the HMM database in PFAM and which resulted in the identification of one “sugar transporter domain” and one “LacY proton/sugar symporter domain” in the human TP-2 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 16).

[0064]FIG. 23 depicts the results of a search which was performed against the MEMSAT database and which resulted in the identification of twelve “transmembrane domains” in the human TP-2 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 16).

[0065]FIG. 24 depicts an alignment of the human TP-2 amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 16) with the amino acid sequences of the Salmonella typhi tetracycline-6-hydroxylase/oxygenase homolog gene (SEQ ID NO: 18) using the CLUSTAL W™ (1.74) alignment program.

[0066] FIGS. 25A-D depict the nucleotide sequence of the human PLTR-1 cDNA and the corresponding amino acid sequence. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 4693 of SEQ ID NO: 19. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 1190 of SEQ ID NO: 20. The coding region without the 5′ or 3′ untranslated regions of the human PLTR-1 gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 21.

[0067] FIGS. 26A-B depict a Clustal W (1.74) alignment of the human PLTR-1 amino acid sequence (“Fbh49938pat”; SEQ ID NO: 20) with the amino acid sequence of human FIC1 (“hFIC1_AT1C_”; SEQ ID NO: 22). The transmembrane domains (“TM1”, “TM2”, etc.), E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site (“phosphorylation site”), and phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues (“phospholipid transport”) are boxed.

[0068]FIG. 27 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the human PLTR-1 polypeptide. The locations of the 12 transmembrane domains, as well as the E1-E2 ATPase domain, are indicated.

[0069] FIGS. 28A-B depict the cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of human TFM-2. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 3524 of SEQ ID NO: 27. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 392 of SEQ ID NO: 28. The coding region without the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of the human TFM-2 gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 29.

[0070]FIG. 29 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the human TFM-2 polypeptide.

[0071] FIGS. 30A-C depict the results of a search which was performed against the HMM database in PFAM and which resulted in the identification of one “monocarboxylate transporter domain” in the human TFM-2 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 28).

[0072]FIG. 31 depicts the results of a search which was performed against the MEMSAT database and which resulted in the identification of ten “transmembrane domains” in the human TFM-2 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 28).

[0073] FIGS. 32A-B depict the cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of human TFM-3. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 1855 of SEQ ID NO: 30. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 405 of SEQ ID NO: 31. The coding region without the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of the human TFM-3 gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 32.

[0074]FIG. 33 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the human TFM-3 polypeptide.

[0075] FIGS. 34A-B depict the results of a search which was performed against the HMM database in PFAM and which resulted in the identification of one “sugar transporter domain” in the human TFM-3 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 31).

[0076]FIG. 35 depicts the results of a search which was performed against the MEMSAT database and which resulted in the identification of nine “transmembrane domains” in the human TFM-3 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 31).

[0077] FIGS. 36A-E depict the cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of human 67118. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 7745 of SEQ ID NO: 33. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 1134 of SEQ ID NO: 34. The coding region without the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of the human 67118 gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 35.

[0078]FIG. 37 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the human 67118 polypeptide.

[0079] FIGS. 38A-B depict a Clustal W (1.74) alignment of the human 67118 amino acid sequence (“Fbh67118pat”; SEQ ID NO: 34) with the amino acid sequence of mouse Potential Phospholipid-Transporting ATPase IH (mouseAT1H) (GenBank Accession No. P98197; SEQ ID NO: 46). The transmembrane domains (“TM1”, “TM2”, etc.), E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site (“phosphorylation site”), and phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues (“phospholipid transport”) are boxed.

[0080] FIGS. 39A-F depict the cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of human 67067. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 7205 of SEQ ID NO: 36. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 1588 of SEQ ID NO: 37. The coding region without the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of the human 67067 gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 38.

[0081]FIG. 40 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the human 67067 polypeptide.

[0082] FIGS. 41 A-B depict a Clustal W (1.74) alignment of the human 67067 amino acid sequence (“Fbh67067b”; SEQ ID NO: 34) with the amino acid sequence of mouse Potential Phospholipid-Transporting ATPase VA (mouseAT5A) (GenBank Accession No O54827; SEQ ID NO: 47). The transmembrane domains (“TM1”, “TM2”, etc.), E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site (“phosphorylation site”), and phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues (“phospholipid transport”)are boxed.

[0083]FIG. 42 depicts the nucleotide sequence of the human 62092 cDNA and the corresponding amino acid sequence. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 978 of SEQ ID NO: 39. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 163 of SEQ ID NO: 40. The coding region without the 5′ or 3′ untranslated regions of the human 62092 gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 41.

[0084]FIG. 43 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the human 62092 polypeptide.

[0085]FIG. 44 depicts a multiple sequence alignment (MSA) of the amino acid sequences of the human 62092 protein (SEQ ID NO: 40), human HINT (GenBank Accession No. NP_(—)005331; SEQ ID NO: 48), and human FHIT (GenBank Accession No. NP_(—)002003; SEQ ID NO: 49). The HIT family signature motifs are underlined and italicized. The location of the three histidine residues of the histidine triad in human 62092 and human HINT are indicated by stars. The alignment was performed using the Clustal algorithm which is part of the MegAlign™ program (e.g., version 3.1.7), which is part of the DNAStar™ sequence analysis software package. The pairwise alignment parameters are as follows: K-tuple=1; Gap Penalty=3; Window=5; Diagonals saved=5 . The multiple alignment parameters are as follows: Gap Penalty=10; and Gap length penalty=10.

[0086] FIGS. 45A-D depict the cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of human 8099. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 2725 of SEQ ID NO: 51. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 617 of SEQ ID NO: 52. The coding region without the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of the human 8099 gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 53.

[0087]FIG. 46 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the human 8099 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 52).

[0088] FIGS. 47A-G depicts the results of a search which was performed against the HMM database in PFAM.

[0089] FIGS. 48A-B depict an alignment of the human 8099 amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 52) with the amino acid sequence of the E. coli galactose-proton symporter GALP using the CLUSTAL W (1.74) alignment program (having GenBank Accession No. P37021, set forth as SEQ ID NO: 78).

[0090] FIGS. 49A-B depict an alignment of the human 8099 amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 52) with the amino acid sequence of the E. coli arabinose-proton symporter ARAE using the CLUSTAL W (1.74) alignment program (having GenBank Accession No. P09830, set forth as SEQ ID NO: 79).

[0091] FIGS. 50A-C depicts an alignment of the human 8099 amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 52) with the amino acid sequence of E. coli GALP and ARAE using the CLUSTAL W (1.74) alignment program (having GenBank Accession Nos. P37021 and P09830, respectively, set forth as SEQ ID NOs: 78 and 79, respectively).

[0092] FIGS. 51A-B depict an alignment of the human 8099 amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 52) with the amino acid sequence of the H. sapiens facilitative glucose transporter GLUT8 using the CLUSTAL W (1.74) alignment program (having GenBank Accession No. Y02168, set forth as SEQ ID NO: 80).

[0093] FIGS. 52A-D depict the cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of human 46455. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 2230 of SEQ ID NO: 54. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 528 of SEQ ID NO: 55. The coding region without the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of the human 46455 gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 56.

[0094]FIG. 53 depict a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the human 46455 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 55).

[0095] FIGS. 54A-G depicts the results of a search which was performed against the HMM database in PFAM.

[0096] FIGS. 55A-B depict an alignment of the human 46455 amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 55) with the amino acid sequence of C. elegans Z92825 using the CLUSTAL W (1.74) aligmnment program (having GenBank Accession No. Z92825, set forth as SEQ ID NO: 81).

[0097] FIGS. 56A-H depict the nucleotide sequence of the human 54414 cDNA and the corresponding amino acid sequence. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 4632 of SEQ ID NO: 57. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 1118 of SEQ ID NO: 58. The coding region without the 5′ or 3′ untranslated regions of the human 54414 gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 59.

[0098]FIG. 57 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the human 54414 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 58). The locations of the 6 transmembrane domains, as well as the pore domain (P), are indicated.

[0099] FIGS. 58A-B depict the results of a search in the HMM database, using the amino acid sequence of human 54414.

[0100] FIGS. 59A-D depict a Clustal W (1.74) multiple sequence alignment of the human 54414 amino acid sequence (54414.prot; SEQ ID NO: 58) and the amino acid sequence of the Rattus norvegicus Slack potassium channel subunit (AF089730; SEQ ID NO: 82; GenBank Accession No. AAC83350). Amino acid identities are indicated by stars. The six transmembrane domains (TM1, TM2, etc.) are boxed. The pore domain, which contains the potassium channel signature sequence motif, is also boxed.

[0101] FIGS. 60A-D depict the nucleotide sequence of the human 53763 cDNA and the corresponding amino acid sequence. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 2847 of SEQ ID NO: 60. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 638 of SEQ ID NO: 61. The coding region without the 5′ or 3′ untranslated regions of the human 53763 gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 62.

[0102]FIG. 61 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and anti genicity analysis of the human 53763 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 61). The locations of the 6 transmembrane domains, as well as the pore domain (P), are indicated.

[0103] FIGS. 62A-E depict the results of a search in the HMM database, using the amino acid sequence of human 53763.

[0104] FIGS. 63A-B depict a Clustal W (1.74) sequence alignment of the human 53763 amino acid sequence (Fbh53763pat; SEQ ID NO: 61) and the amino acid sequence of the Ratius norvegicus voltage-gated potassium channel protein KV3.2 (KSHIIIA) (ratCIKE; SEQ ID NO: 83; GenBank Accession No. P22462). Amino acid identities are indicated by stars. The six transmembrane domains (TM1, TM2, etc.) are boxed. The pore domain, which contains the potassium channel signature sequence motif, is also boxed. Plus signs (+) at every third position of the fourth transmembrane domain (TM4), indicate the positively charged residues of the voltage sensor.

[0105] FIGS. 64A-H depict the cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of human 67076. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 6582 of SEQ ID NO: 63. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 1129 of SEQ ID NO: 64. The coding region without the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of the human 67076 gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 65.

[0106]FIG. 65 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the human 67076 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 64).

[0107] FIGS. 66A-C depict the results of a search in the HMM database, using the amino acid sequence of human 67076.

[0108] FIGS. 67A-D depict a Clustal W (1.74) alignment of the human 67076 amino acid sequence (“Fbh67076FL”; SEQ ID NO: 64) with the amino acid sequence of mouse Potential Phospholipid-Transporting ATPase IH (mouseAT1H) (GenBank Accession No. P98197) (SEQ ID NO: 84). The transmembrane domains (“TM1”, “TM2”, etc.), E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site (“phosphorylation site”), and phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues (“phospholipid transport”) are boxed.

[0109] FIGS. 68A-I depict the cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of human 67102. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 6074 of SEQ ID NO: 66. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 1426 of SEQ ID NO: 67. The coding region without the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of the human 67102 gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 68.

[0110]FIG. 69 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the human 67102 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 67).

[0111] FIGS. 70A-E depict the results of a search in the HMM database, using the amino acid sequence of human 67102.

[0112] FIGS. 71 A-E depict a Clustal W (1.74) alignment of the human 67102 amino acid sequence (“Fbh67102FL”; SEQ ID NO: 67) with the amino acid sequence of mouse Potential Phospholipid-Transporting ATPase VA (mouseAT5A) (GenBank Accession No. O54827) (SEQ ID NO: 85). The transmembrane domains (“TM1”, “TM2”, etc.), E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site (“phosphorylation site”), and phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues (“phospholipid transport”) are boxed.

[0113] FIGS. 72A-J depict the cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of human 44181. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 7221 of SEQ ID NO: 69. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 1177 of SEQ ID NO: 70. The coding region without the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of the human 44181 gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 71.

[0114]FIG. 73 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the human 44181 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 70).

[0115] FIGS. 74A-D depict the results of a search in the HMM database, using the amino acid sequence of human 44181.

[0116] FIGS. 75A-E depict a Clustal W (1.74) multiple sequence alignment of the human 44181 amino acid sequence (“Fbh44181”; SEQ ID NO: 70) with the amino acid sequence of mouse Potential Phospholipid-Transporting ATPase IH (mouseAT1H) (GenBank Accession No. P98197) (SEQ ID NO: 84) and 67076 (“Fbh67076FL”; SEQ ID NO: 64). The transmembrane domains (“TM1”, “TM2”, etc.), E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site (“phosphorylation site”), and phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues (“phospholipid transport”) are boxed.

[0117] FIGS. 76A-G depict the cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of human 67084FL. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 4198 of SEQ ID NO: 72. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 1084 of SEQ ID NO: 73. The coding region without the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of the human 67084FL gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 74.

[0118]FIG. 77 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the human 67084FL polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 73).

[0119] FIGS. 78A-C depict the results of a search in the HMM database, using the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL.

[0120] FIGS. 79A-C depict a Clustal W (1.74) alignment of the human 67084FL amino acid sequence (“Fbh67084FL”; SEQ ID NO: 73) with the amino acid sequence of mouse Potential Phospholipid-Transporting ATPase IIV (mouseAT2B) (GenBank Accession No.:P98195) (SEQ ID NO: 86). The transmembrane domains (“TM1”, “TM2”, etc.), E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site (“phosphorylation site”), and phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues (“phospholipid transport”) are boxed.

[0121] FIGS. 80A-G depict the cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of human 67084alt. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 4231 of SEQ ID NO: 75. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 1095 of SEQ ID NO: 76. The coding region without the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of the human 67084alt gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 77.

[0122]FIG. 81 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the human 67084alt polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 76).

[0123] FIGS. 82A-C depict the results of a search in the HMM database, using the amino acid sequence of human 67084.

[0124] FIGS. 83A-C depict a Clustal W (1.74) alignment of the human 67084alt amino acid sequence (“Fbh67084alt”; SEQ ID NO: 76) with the amino acid sequence of mouse Potential Phospholipid-Transporting ATPase IIV (mouseAT2B) (GenBank Accession No.:P98195) (SEQ ID NO: 86). The transmembrane domains (“TM1”, “TM2”, etc.), E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site (“phosphorylation site”), and phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues (“phospholipid transport”) are boxed.

[0125] FIGS. 84A-B depict the cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of HAAT. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 2397 of SEQ ID NO: 91. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 485 of SEQ ID NO: 92. The coding region without the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of the HAAT gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 93.

[0126]FIG. 85 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the HAAT polypeptide.

[0127]FIG. 86 depicts a Clustal W (1.74) alignment of the HAAT amino acid sequence (“Fbh58295FL”; SEQ ID NO: 92) with the amino acid sequence of rat amino acid system A transporter (ratATA2). The transmembrane domains (“TM1”, “TM2”, etc.) are boxed.

[0128]FIG. 87 depicts the results of a search which was performed against the MEMSAT database and which resulted in the identification of ten “transmembrane domains” in the HAAT amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 92). An additional predicted transmembrane domain (i.e., TM1) is also shown.

[0129] FIGS. 88A-C depict the results of a search which was performed against the HMM database in PFAM and which resulted in the identification of a transmembrane amino acid transporter protein domain in the HAAT amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 92).

[0130] FIGS. 89A-B depict the cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of human HST-4. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 2565 of SEQ ID NO: 94. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 438 of SEQ ID NO: 95. The coding region without the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of the human HST-4 gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 96.

[0131] FIGS. 90A-B depict the cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of human HST-5. The nucleotide sequence corresponds to nucleic acids 1 to 2558 of SEQ ID NO: 97. The amino acid sequence corresponds to amino acids 1 to 436 of SEQ ID NO: 98. The coding region without the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of the human HST-5 gene is shown in SEQ ID NO: 99.

[0132]FIG. 91 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the human HST-4 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 95).

[0133]FIG. 92 depicts a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis of the human HST-5 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 98).

[0134] FIGS. 93A-C depict the results of a search which was performed against the HMM database in PFAM and which resulted in the identification of a “sugar transporter domain” and a “monocarboxylate transporter family domain” in the human HST-4 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 95)

[0135] FIGS. 94A-C depict the results of a search which was performed against the HMM database in PFAM and which resulted in the identification of a “sugar transporter domain” and a “monocarboxylate transporter family domain” in the human HST-5 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 98)

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0136] The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel molecules, referred to herein as “membrane transporter protein-1 ” or “MTP-1 ” nucleic acid and protein molecules, which are novel members of a family of proteins possessing the ability to shuttle molecules across a lipid bilayer (e.g. to sequester, export or expel a plurality of substances, for example, cytotoxic substances, metabolites, ions, and/or peptides, from the intracellular milieu). These novel molecules are capable of transporting molecules (e.g., ions, proteins, and/or small molecules) across biological membranes and, thus, play a role in or function in a variety of cellular processes, e.g., maintenance of cellular homeostasis.

[0137] As used herein, the term “transporter” includes a protein or molecule (e.g., a membrane-spanning protein or molecule) which is involved in the movement of a biochemical molecule from one side of a lipid bilayer to the other, for example, against a preexisting concentration gradient.

[0138] Exemplary transporters, for example MTP-1 transporters, include at least one, preferably two or three, more preferably four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, more preferably about twelve “transmembrane domains” or more. As used herein, the term “transmembrane domain” includes an amino acid sequence of about 15 amino acid residues in length which spans the plasma membrane. More preferably, a transmembrane domain includes about at least 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, or 45 amino acid residues and spans the plasma membrane. Transmembrane domains are rich in hydrophobic residues, and typically have an alpha-helical structure. In a preferred embodiment, at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or more of the amino acids of a transmembrane domain are hydrophobic, e.g., leucines, isoleucines, tyrosines, or tryptophans. Transmembrane domains are described in, for example, Zagotta W. N. et al., (1996) Annual Rev. Neurosci. 19: 235-263, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Amino acid residues 23-40, 548-564, 588-612, 624-646, 653-675, 1006-1023, 1236-1258, 1534-1556, 1587-1603, 1645-1667, 1732-1749, 1931-1947 of the native MTP-1 protein are predicted to comprise a transmembrane domain (see FIG. 2). Accordingly, MTP-1 proteins having at least one transmembrane domain, preferably two or three, more preferably four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven or twelve transmembrane domains selected from the group consisting of amino acids 23-40, 548-564, 588-612, 624-646, 653-675, 1006-1023, 1236-1258, 1534-1556, 1587-1603, 1645-1667, 1732-1749, 1931-1947 are within the scope of the invention. Also included within the scope of the invention are MTP proteins having at least 50-60% homology, preferably about 60-70%, more preferably about 70-80%, or about 80-90% homology with a transmembrane domain of human MTP-1 are within the scope of the invention.

[0139] Preferably such MTP proteins comprise a family of MTP molecules. The term “family” when referring to the protein and nucleic acid molecules of the invention is intended to mean two or more proteins or nucleic acid molecules having a common structural domain or motif and having sufficient amino acid or nucleotide sequence homology as defined herein. Such family members can be naturally or non-naturally occurring and can be from either the same or different species. For example, a family can contain a first protein of human origin, as well as other, distinct proteins of human origin or alternatively, can contain homologues of non-human origin, e.g., monkey proteins. Members of a family may also have common functional characteristics.

[0140] In another embodiment, an MTP-1 molecule of the present invention is identified based on the presence of at least one “ABC transporter domain” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, the term “ABC transporter domain” includes a protein domain having an amino acid sequence of about 131-232 amino acid residues and a bit score of at least 80 when compared against an ABC transporter Hidden Markov Model (HMM), e.g., PFAM accession number PF00005. In a preferred embodiment, an ABC transporter domain includes a protein domain having an amino acid sequence of about 141-222 amino acid residues and a bit score of at least 100. In another preferred embodiment, an ABC transporter domain includes a protein domain having an amino acid sequence of about 151-212 amino acid residues and a bit score of at least 120. Preferably, an ABC transporter domain includes a protein domain having an amino acid sequence of about 171-192 amino acid residues and a bit score of at least 140 (e.g., 144.2, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200, 206, 210 or more). To identify the presence of an ABC transporter domain in an MTP-1 protein, the amino acid sequence of the protein is used to search a database of known Hidden Markov Models (HMMs e.g., the PFAM HMM database). The ABC transporter HMM has been assigned the PFAM Accession PF00005 (http://pfam.wustl.edu), InterPro accession number IPR0001617 (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/interpro), and Prosite accession number PS00211 (http://www.expasy.ch/prosite). For example, a search was performed against the HMM database using the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 2) of human MTP-1 resulting in the identification of a first ABC transporter domain in the amino acid sequence of human MTP-1 (SEQ ID NO: 2) at about residues 832-1012 having a score of 206.0, and a second ABC transporter domain in the amino acid sequence of human MTP-1 (SEQ ID NO: 2) at about residues 1818-1999 having a score of 144.2. The results of the search are set forth in FIG. 3.

[0141] In a preferred embodiment, an ABC transporter domain as described herein is characterized by the presence of an “ATP/AGP binding motif” and/or an “ABC transporter signature motif.” As used herein, the term “ATP/AGP binding motif” includes a motif having the consensus sequence [AG]-X(4)-G-K-[ST] and is described under Prosite entry number PS00017 (http://www.expasy.ch/prosite). ATP/AGP binding motifs can be found, for example, within the first ABC transporter domains of the MTP-1 protein of SEQ ID NO: 2 at about residues 839-846 and within the second ABC transporter domain of the MTP-1 protein of SEQ ID NO: 2 at about residues 1825-1832. As used herein, the term “ABC transporter signature motif” includes a protein motif having the consensus sequence [LIVMFYC]-[SA]-[SAPGLVFYKQH]-G-[DENQMW]-[KRQASPCLIMFW]-[KRNQSTAVM]-[KRACLVM]-[LIVMFYPAN]-{PHY}-[LIVMFW]-[SAGCLIVP]-{FYWHP}-{KRHP}-[LIVMFYWSTA] and is described under Prosite entry number PS00211 (http://www.expasy.ch/prosite). An ABC transporter signature motif can be found within the first ABC transporter domain of the MTP-1 protein or SEQ ID NO: 2 at about residues 938-952. The consensus sequences described herein are described according to standard Prosite Signature designation (e.g., all amino acids are indicated according to their universal single letter designation; X designates any amino acid; X(n) designates any n amino acids, e.g., X (2) designates any 2 amino acids; [LIVM] indicates any one of the amino acids appearing within the brackets, e.g., any one of L, I, V, or M, in the alternative, any one of Leu, Ile, Val, or Met.); and {LIVM} indicates any amino acid EXCEPT the amino acids appearing within the brackets, e.g., not L, not I, not V, and not M.

[0142] Isolated proteins of the present invention, for example MTP-1 proteins, preferably have an amino acid sequence sufficiently identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, or are encoded by a nucleotide sequence sufficiently identical to SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3. As used herein, the term “sufficiently identical” refers to a first amino acid or nucleotide sequence which contains a sufficient or minimum number of identical or equivalent (e.g., an amino acid residue which has a similar side chain) amino acid residues or nucleotides to a second amino acid or nucleotide sequence such that the first and second amino acid or nucleotide sequences share common structural domains or motifs and/or a common functional activity. For example, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share common structural domains have at least 30%, 40%, or 50% homology, preferably 60% homology, more preferably 70%-80%, and even more preferably 90-95% homology across the amino acid sequences of the domains and contain at least one and preferably two structural domains or motifs, are defined herein as sufficiently identical. Furthermore, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share at least 30%, 40%, or 50%, preferably 60%, more preferably 70-80%, or 90-95% homology and share a common functional activity are defined herein as sufficiently identical.

[0143] As used interchangeably herein, an “MTP-1 activity”, “biological activity of MTP-1” or “functional activity of MTP-1”, refers to an activity exhibited by an MTP-1 protein, polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule (e.g., in an MTP-1 expressing cell or tissue), on an MTP-1 substrate, as determined in vivo, or in vitro, according to standard techniques. In one embodiment, an MTP-1 activity is a direct activity, such as transport of an MTP-1-substrate. As used herein, a “MTP-1 substrate” is a molecule which is transported from one side of a biological membrane to the other. Exemplary substrates include, but are not limited to, cytotoxic substances, ions, peptides (e.g., antigenic peptides, hormones, cytokines, neurotransmitters and the like), and metabolites. Examples of MTP-1 substrates also include non-transported molecules that are essential for MTP-1 function, e.g., ATP or GTP. Alternatively, an MTP-1 activity is an indirect activity, such as a cellular signaling activity mediated by the transport of an MTP-1 substrate by MTP-1. In a preferred embodiment, the MTP-1 proteins of the present invention have one or more of the following activities: 1) modulate the import and/or export of MTP-1 substrates into or from cells, e.g., peptides, ions, and/or metabolites, 2) modulate intra- or intercellular signaling, 3) removal of potentially harmful compounds (e.g., cytotoxic substances) from the cell, or facilitate the compartmentalization of these molecules into a sequestered intracellular space (e.g., the peroxisome), and 4) transport of biological molecules across membranes, e.g., the plasma membrane, or the membrane of the mitochondrion, the peroxisome, the lysosome, the endoplasmic reticulum, the nucleus, or the vacuole.

[0144] Accordingly, another embodiment of the invention features isolated MTP-1 proteins and polypeptides having an MTP-1 activity. Other preferred proteins are MTP-1 proteins having one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain, an ABC transporter domain and, preferably, an MTP-1 activity.

[0145] Additional preferred proteins have at least one transmembrane domain, one ABC transporter domain, and are, preferably, encoded by a nucleic acid molecule having a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3.

[0146] The nucleotide sequence of the isolated human MTP-1 cDNA and the predicted amino acid sequence of the human MTP-1 polypeptide are shown in FIGS. 1A-M and in SEQ ID NOs: 1 and 2, respectively.

[0147] The human MTP-1 gene, which is approximately 6768 nucleotides in length, encodes a protein having a molecular weight of approximately 235.8 kD and which is approximately 2144 amino acid residues in length.

[0148] Various aspects of the invention are described in further detail in the following subsections:

[0149] I. Isolated Nucleic Acid Molecules

[0150] One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated nucleic acid molecules that encode MTP-1 proteins or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments sufficient for use as hybridization probes to identify MTP-1-encoding nucleic acid molecules (e.g., MTP-1 mRNA) and fragments for use as PCR primers for the amplification or mutation of MTP-1 nucleic acid molecules. As used herein, the term “nucleic acid molecule” is intended to include DNA molecules (e.g., cDNA or genomic DNA) and RNA molecules (e.g., mRNA) and analogs of the DNA or RNA generated using nucleotide analogs. The nucleic acid molecule can be single-stranded or double-stranded, but preferably is double-stranded DNA.

[0151] The term “isolated nucleic acid molecule” includes nucleic acid molecules which are separated from other nucleic acid molecules which are present in the natural source of the nucleic acid. For example, with regards to genomic DNA, the term “isolated” includes nucleic acid molecules which are separated from the chromosome with which the genomic DNA is naturally associated. Preferably, an “isolated” nucleic acid is free of sequences which naturally flank the nucleic acid (i.e., sequences located at the 5′ and 3′ ends of the nucleic acid) in the genomic DNA of the organism from which the nucleic acid is derived. For example, in various embodiments, the isolated MTP-1 nucleic acid molecule can contain less than about 5 kb, 4 kb, 3 kb, 2 kb, 1 kb, 0.5 kb or 0.1 kb of nucleotide sequences which naturally flank the nucleic acid molecule in genomic DNA of the cell from which the nucleic acid is derived. Moreover, an “isolated” nucleic acid molecule, such as a cDNA molecule, can be substantially free of other cellular material, or culture medium when produced by recombinant techniques, or substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized.

[0152] A nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, e.g., a nucleic acid molecule having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, or a portion thereof, can be isolated using standard molecular biology techniques and the sequence information provided herein. Using all or portion of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3 as a hybridization probe, MTP-1 nucleic acid molecules can be isolated using standard hybridization and cloning techniques (e.g., as described in Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989).

[0153] Moreover, a nucleic acid molecule encompassing all or a portion of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, can be isolated by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using synthetic oligonucleotide primers designed based upon the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3.

[0154] A nucleic acid of the invention can be amplified using cDNA, mRNA or, alternatively, genomic DNA as a template and appropriate oligonucleotide primers according to standard PCR amplification techniques. The nucleic acid so amplified can be cloned into an appropriate vector and characterized by DNA sequence analysis. Furthermore, oligonucleotides corresponding to MTP-1 nucleotide sequences can be prepared by standard synthetic techniques, e.g., using an automated DNA synthesizer.

[0155] In a preferred embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3. This cDNA may comprise sequences encoding the human MTP-1 protein (i.e., “the coding region”, from nucleotides 165-6599), as well as 5′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1-164) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 6600-6768) of SEQ ID NO: 1. Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 1 (e.g., nucleotides 165-6599, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 3).

[0156] In another preferred embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises a nucleic acid molecule which is a complement of the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, or a portion of any of these nucleotide sequences. A nucleic acid molecule which is complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, is one which is sufficiently complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, such that it can hybridize to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, respectively, thereby forming a stable duplex.

[0157] In still another preferred embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to the entire length of the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, or a portion of any of these nucleotide sequences.

[0158] Moreover, the nucleic acid molecule of the invention can comprise only a portion of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, for example, a fragment which can be used as a probe or primer or a fragment encoding a portion of an MTP-1 protein, e.g., a biologically active portion of an MTP-1 protein. The nucleotide sequence determined from the cloning of the MTP-1 gene allows for the generation of probes and primers designed for use in identifying and/or cloning other MTP-1 family members, as well as MTP-1 homologues from other species. The probe/primer typically comprises substantially purified oligonucleotide. The oligonucleotide typically comprises a region of nucleotide sequence that hybridizes under stringent conditions to at least about 12 or 15, preferably about 20 or 25, more preferably about 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, or 75 consecutive nucleotides of a sense sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, of an anti-sense sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, or of a naturally occurring allelic variant or mutant of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3. In one embodiment, a nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is greater than 50-100, 100-500, 500-1000, 1000-1500, 1500-2000, 2000-2500, 2500-3000, 3000-3500, 3500-4000, 4000-4500, 4500-5000, 5000-5500, 5500-6000, 6000-6500, 6500-6700, or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a nucleic acid molecule of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3.

[0159] Probes based on the MTP-1 nucleotide sequences can be used to detect transcripts or genomic sequences encoding the same or homologous proteins. In preferred embodiments, the probe further comprises a label group attached thereto, e.g., the label group can be a radioisotope, a fluorescent compound, an enzyme, or an enzyme co-factor. Such probes can be used as a part of a diagnostic test kit for identifying cells or tissue which misexpress an MTP-1 protein, such as by measuring a level of an MTP-1-encoding nucleic acid in a sample of cells from a subject e.g., detecting MTP-1 mRNA levels or determining whether a genomic MTP-1 gene has been mutated or deleted.

[0160] A nucleic acid fragment encoding a “biologically active portion of an MTP-1 protein” can be prepared by isolating a portion of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, which encodes a polypeptide having an MTP-1 biological activity (the biological activities of the MTP-1 proteins are described herein), expressing the encoded portion of the MTP-1 protein (e.g., by recombinant expression in vitro) and assessing the activity of the encoded portion of the MTP-1 protein.

[0161] The invention further encompasses nucleic acid molecules that differ from the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, due to degeneracy of the genetic code and thus encode the same MTP-1 proteins as those encoded by the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3. In another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention has a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2.

[0162] In addition to the MTP-1 nucleotide sequences shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that DNA sequence polymorphisms that lead to changes in the amino acid sequences of the MTP-1 proteins may exist within a population (e.g., the human population). Such genetic polymorphism in the MTP-1 genes may exist among individuals within a population due to natural allelic variation. As used herein, the terms “gene” and “recombinant gene” refer to nucleic acid molecules which include an open reading frame encoding an MTP-1 protein, preferably a mammalian MTP-1 protein, and can further include non-coding regulatory sequences, and introns.

[0163] Allelic variants of human MTP-1 include both functional and non-functional MTP-1 proteins. Functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the human MTP-1 protein that maintain the ability to transport an MTP-1 substrate and/or modulate cellular homeostasis. Functional allelic variants will typically contain only conservative substitution of one or more amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 2, or substitution, deletion or insertion of non-critical residues in non-critical regions of the protein.

[0164] Non-functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the human MTP-1 protein that do not have the ability to bind or transport an MTP-1 substrate and/or carry out any of the MTP-1 activities described herein. Non-functional allelic variants will typically contain a non-conservative substitution, a deletion, or insertion or premature truncation of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, or a substitution, insertion or deletion in critical residues or critical regions of the protein.

[0165] The present invention further provides non-human orthologues of the human MTP-1 protein. Orthologues of the human MTP-1 protein are proteins that are isolated from non-human organisms and possess the same MTP-1 substrate binding and/or modulation of membrane excitability activities of the human MTP-1 protein. Orthologues of the human MTP-1 protein can readily be identified as comprising an amino acid sequence that is substantially identical to SEQ ID NO: 2.

[0166] Moreover, nucleic acid molecules encoding other MTP-1 family members and, thus, which have a nucleotide sequence which differs from the MTP-1 sequences of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, another MTP-1 cDNA can be identified based on the nucleotide sequence of human MTP-1. Moreover, nucleic acid molecules encoding MTP-1 proteins from different species, and which, thus, have a nucleotide sequence which differs from the MTP-1 sequences of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, a mouse MTP-1 cDNA can be identified based on the nucleotide sequence of a human MTP-1.

[0167] Nucleic acid molecules corresponding to natural allelic variants and homologues of the MTP-1 cDNAs of the invention can be isolated based on their homology to the MTP-1 nucleic acids disclosed herein using the cDNAs disclosed herein, or a portion thereof, as a hybridization probe according to standard hybridization techniques under stringent hybridization conditions. Nucleic acid molecules corresponding to natural allelic variants and homologues of the MTP-1 cDNAs of the invention can further be isolated by mapping to the same chromosome or locus as the MTP-1 gene.

[0168] Accordingly, in another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention is at least 15, 20, 25, 30 or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3. In other embodiment, the nucleic acid is at least 50-100, 100-500, 500-1000, 1000-1500, 1500-2000, 2000-2500, 2500-3000, 3000-3500, 3500-4000, 4000-4500, 4500-5000, 5000-5500, 5500-6000, 6000-6500, 6500-6700, or more nucleotides in length.

[0169] As used herein, the term “hybridizes under stringent conditions” is intended to describe conditions for hybridization and washing under which nucleotide sequences that are significantly identical or homologous to each other remain hybridized to each other. Preferably, the conditions are such that sequences at least about 70%, more preferably at least about 80%, even more preferably at least about 85% or 90% identical to each other remain hybridized to each other. Such stringent conditions are known to those skilled in the art and can be found in Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Ausubel et al., eds., John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1995), sections 2, 4 and 6. Additional stringent conditions can be found in Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Sambrook et al., Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989), chapters 7, 9 and 11. A preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 4× sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC), at about 65-70° C. (or hybridization in 4× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 42-50° C.) followed by one or more washes in 1× SSC, at about 65-70° C. A preferred, non-limiting example of highly stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 1× SSC, at about 65-70° C. (or hybridization in 1× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 42-50° C.) followed by one or more washes in 0.3× SSC, at about 65-70° C. A preferred, non-limiting example of reduced stringency hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 4× SSC, at about 50-60° C. (or alternatively hybridization in 6× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 40-45° C.) followed by one or more washes in 2× SSC, at about 50-60° C. Ranges intermediate to the above-recited values, e.g., at 65-70° C. or at 42-50° C. are also intended to be encompassed by the present invention. SSPE (1×SSPE is 0.15M NaCl, 10 mM NaH₂PO₄, and 1.25 mM EDTA, pH 7.4) can be substituted for SSC (1×SSC is 0.15M NaCl and 15 mM sodium citrate) in the hybridization and wash buffers; washes are performed for 15 minutes each after hybridization is complete. The hybridization temperature for hybrids anticipated to be less than 50 base pairs in length should be 5-10° C. less than the melting temperature (T_(m)) of the hybrid, where T_(m) is determined according to the following equations. For hybrids less than 18 base pairs in length, T_(m)(° C.)=2(# of A+T bases)+4(# of G+C bases). For hybrids between 18 and 49 base pairs in length, T_(m)(° C.)=81.5+16.6(log₁₀[Na⁺])+0.41(% G+C)−(600/N), where N is the number of bases in the hybrid, and [Na⁺] is the concentration of sodium ions in the hybridization buffer ([Na⁺] for 1×SSC=0.165 M). It will also be recognized by the skilled practitioner that additional reagents may be added to hybridization and/or wash buffers to decrease non-specific hybridization of nucleic acid molecules to membranes, for example, nitrocellulose or nylon membranes, including but not limited to blocking agents (e.g., BSA or salmon or herring sperm carrier DNA), detergents (e.g., SDS), chelating agents (e.g., EDTA), Ficoll, PVP and the like. When using nylon membranes, in particular, an additional preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions is hybridization in 0.25-0.5M NaH₂PO₄, 7% SDS at about 65° C., followed by one or more washes at 0.02M NaH₂PO₄, 1% SDS at 65° C., see e.g., Church and Gilbert (1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:1991-1995, (or alternatively 0.2× SSC, 1% SDS).

[0170] Preferably, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3 and corresponds to a naturally-occurring nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, a “naturally-occurring” nucleic acid molecule refers to an RNA or DNA molecule having a nucleotide sequence that occurs in nature (e.g., encodes a natural protein).

[0171] In addition to naturally-occurring allelic variants of the MTP-1 sequences that may exist in the population, the skilled artisan will further appreciate that changes can be introduced by mutation into the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, thereby leading to changes in the amino acid sequence of the encoded MTP-1 proteins, without altering the functional ability of the MTP-1 proteins. For example, nucleotide substitutions leading to amino acid substitutions at “non-essential” amino acid residues can be made in the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3. A “non-essential” amino acid residue is a residue that can be altered from the wild-type sequence of MTP-1 (e.g., the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2) without altering the biological activity, whereas an “essential” amino acid residue is required for biological activity. For example, amino acid residues that are conserved among the MTP-1 proteins of the present invention, e.g., those present in a transmembrane domain, are predicted to be particularly unamenable to alteration. Furthermore, additional amino acid residues that are conserved between the MTP-1 proteins of the present invention and other members of the MTP-1 family are not likely to be amenable to alteration.

[0172] Accordingly, another aspect of the invention pertains to nucleic acid molecules encoding MTP-1 proteins that contain changes in amino acid residues that are not essential for activity. Such MTP-1 proteins differ in amino acid sequence from SEQ ID NO: 2, yet retain biological activity. In one embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein, wherein the protein comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to SEQ ID NO: 2.

[0173] An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding an MTP-1 protein identical to the protein of SEQ ID NO: 2 can be created by introducing one or more nucleotide substitutions, additions or deletions into the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, such that one or more amino acid substitutions, additions or deletions are introduced into the encoded protein. Mutations can be introduced into SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, by standard techniques, such as site-directed mutagenesis and PCR-mediated mutagenesis. Preferably, conservative amino acid substitutions are made at one or more predicted non-essential amino acid residues. A “conservative amino acid substitution” is one in which the amino acid residue is replaced with an amino acid residue having a similar side chain. Families of amino acid residues having similar side chains have been defined in the art. These families include amino acids with basic side chains (e.g., lysine, arginine, histidine), acidic side chains (e.g., aspartic acid, glutamic acid), uncharged polar side chains (e.g., glycine, asparagine, glutamine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, cysteine), nonpolar side chains (e.g., alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, proline, phenylalanine, methionine, tryptophan), beta-branched side chains (e.g., threonine, valine, isoleucine) and aromatic side chains (e.g., tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, histidine). Thus, a predicted nonessential amino acid residue in an MTP-1 protein is preferably replaced with another amino acid residue from the same side chain family. Alternatively, in another embodiment, mutations can be introduced randomly along all or part of an MTP-1 coding sequence, such as by saturation mutagenesis, and the resultant mutants can be screened for MTP-1 biological activity to identify mutants that retain activity. Following mutagenesis of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, the encoded protein can be expressed recombinantly and the activity of the protein can be determined.

[0174] In a preferred embodiment, a mutant MTP-1 protein can be assayed for the ability to metabolize or catabolize biochemical molecules necessary for energy production or storage, permit intra- or intercellular signaling, metabolize or catabolize metabolically important biomolecules, and to detoxify potentially harmful compounds, or to facilitate the compartmentalization of these molecules into a sequestered intracellular space (e.g., the peroxisome).

[0175] In addition to the nucleic acid molecules encoding MTP-1 proteins described above, another aspect of the invention pertains to isolated nucleic acid molecules which are antisense thereto. An “antisense” nucleic acid comprises a nucleotide sequence which is complementary to a “sense” nucleic acid encoding a protein, e.g., complementary to the coding strand of a double-stranded cDNA molecule or complementary to an mRNA sequence. Accordingly, an antisense nucleic acid can hydrogen bond to a sense nucleic acid. The antisense nucleic acid can be complementary to an entire MTP-1 coding strand, or to only a portion thereof. In one embodiment, an antisense nucleic acid molecule is antisense to a “coding region” of the coding strand of a nucleotide sequence encoding an MTP-1. The term “coding region” refers to the region of the nucleotide sequence comprising codons which are translated into amino acid residues (e.g., the coding region of human MTP-1 corresponds to SEQ ID NO: 3). In another embodiment, the antisense nucleic acid molecule is antisense to a “noncoding region” of the coding strand of a nucleotide sequence encoding MTP-1. The term “noncoding region” refers to 5′ and 3′ sequences which flank the coding region that are not translated into amino acids (i.e., also referred to as 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions).

[0176] Given the coding strand sequences encoding MTP-1 disclosed herein (e.g., SEQ ID NO: 3), antisense nucleic acids of the invention can be designed according to the rules of Watson and Crick base pairing. The antisense nucleic acid molecule can be complementary to the entire coding region of MTP-1 mRNA, but more preferably is an oligonucleotide which is antisense to only a portion of the coding or noncoding region of MTP-1 mRNA. For example, the antisense oligonucleotide can be complementary to the region surrounding the translation start site of MTP-1 mRNA. An antisense oligonucleotide can be, for example, about 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 or 50 nucleotides in length. An antisense nucleic acid of the invention can be constructed using chemical synthesis and enzymatic ligation reactions using procedures known in the art. For example, an antisense nucleic acid (e.g., an antisense oligonucleotide) can be chemically synthesized using naturally occurring nucleotides or variously modified nucleotides designed to increase the biological stability of the molecules or to increase the physical stability of the duplex formed between the antisense and sense nucleic acids, e.g., phosphorothioate derivatives and acridine substituted nucleotides can be used. Examples of modified nucleotides which can be used to generate the antisense nucleic acid include 5-fluorouracil, 5-bromouracil, 5-chlorouracil, 5-iodouracil, hypoxanthine, xantine, 4-acetylcytosine, 5-(carboxyhydroxylmethyl) uracil, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyl-2-thiouridine, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyluracil, dihydrouracil, beta-D-galactosylqueosine, inosine, N6-isopentenyladenine, 1-methylguanine, 1-methylinosine, 2,2-dimethylguanine, 2-methyladenine, 2-methylguanine, 3-methylcytosine, 5-methylcytosine, N6-adenine, 7-methylguanine, 5-methylaminomethyluracil, 5-methoxyaminomethyl-2-thiouracil, beta-D-mannosylqueosine, 5′-methoxycarboxymethyluracil, 5-methoxyuracil, 2-methylthio-N6-isopentenyladenine, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), wybutoxosine, pseudouracil, queosine, 2-thiocytosine, 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 2-thiouracil, 4-thiouracil, 5-methyluracil, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid methylester, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 3-(3-amino-3-N-2-carboxypropyl) uracil, (acp3)w, and 2,6-diaminopurine. Alternatively, the antisense nucleic acid can be produced biologically using an expression vector into which a nucleic acid has been subcloned in an antisense orientation (i.e., RNA transcribed from the inserted nucleic acid will be of an antisense orientation to a target nucleic acid of interest, described further in the following subsection).

[0177] The antisense nucleic acid molecules of the invention are typically administered to a subject or generated in situ such that they hybridize with or bind to cellular mRNA and/or genomic DNA encoding an MTP-1 protein to thereby inhibit expression of the protein, e.g., by inhibiting transcription and/or translation. The hybridization can be by conventional nucleotide complementarity to form a stable duplex, or, for example, in the case of an antisense nucleic acid molecule which binds to DNA duplexes, through specific interactions in the major groove of the double helix. An example of a route of administration of antisense nucleic acid molecules of the invention include direct injection at a tissue site. Alternatively, antisense nucleic acid molecules can be modified to target selected cells and then administered systemically. For example, for systemic administration, antisense molecules can be modified such that they specifically bind to receptors or antigens expressed on a selected cell surface, e.g., by linking the antisense nucleic acid molecules to peptides or antibodies which bind to cell surface receptors or antigens. The antisense nucleic acid molecules can also be delivered to cells using the vectors described herein. To achieve sufficient intracellular concentrations of the antisense molecules, vector constructs in which the antisense nucleic acid molecule is placed under the control of a strong pol II or pol III promoter are preferred.

[0178] In yet another embodiment, the antisense nucleic acid molecule of the invention is an α-anomeric nucleic acid molecule. An α-anomeric nucleic acid molecule forms specific double-stranded hybrids with complementary RNA in which, contrary to the usual β-units, the strands run parallel to each other (Gaultier et al. (1987) Nucleic Acids. Res. 15:6625-6641). The antisense nucleic acid molecule can also comprise a 2′-o-methylribonucleotide (Inoue et al. (1987) Nucleic Acids Res. 15:6131-6148) or a chimeric RNA-DNA analogue (Inoue et al. (1987) FEBS Lett. 215:327-330).

[0179] In still another embodiment, an antisense nucleic acid of the invention is a ribozyme. Ribozymes are catalytic RNA molecules with ribonuclease activity which are capable of cleaving a single-stranded nucleic acid, such as an mRNA, to which they have a complementary region. Thus, ribozymes (e.g., hammerhead ribozymes (described in Haseloff and Gerlach (1988) Nature 334:585-591)) can be used to catalytically cleave MTP-1 mRNA transcripts to thereby inhibit translation of MTP-1 mRNA. A ribozyme having specificity for an MTP-1-encoding nucleic acid can be designed based upon the nucleotide sequence of an MTP-1 cDNA disclosed herein (i.e., SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3). For example, a derivative of a Tetrahymena L-19 IVS RNA can be constructed in which the nucleotide sequence of the active site is complementary to the nucleotide sequence to be cleaved in an MTP-1-encoding mRNA. See, e.g., Cech et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,071; and Cech et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,742. Alternatively, MTP-1 mRNA can be used to select a catalytic RNA having a specific ribonuclease activity from a pool of RNA molecules. See, e.g., Bartel, D. and Szostak, J. W. (1993) Science 261:1411-1418.

[0180] Alternatively, MTP-1 gene expression can be inhibited by targeting nucleotide sequences complementary to the regulatory region of the MTP-1 (e.g., the MTP-1 promoter and/or enhancers; e.g., nucleotides 1-107 of SEQ ID NO: 1) to form triple helical structures that prevent transcription of the MTP-1 gene in target cells. See generally, Helene, C. (1991) Anticancer Drug Des. 6(6): 569-84; Helene, C. et al. (1992) Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 660:27-36; and Maher, L. J. (1992) Bioassays 14(12):807-15.

[0181] In yet another embodiment, the MTP-1 nucleic acid molecules of the present invention can be modified at the base moiety, sugar moiety or phosphate backbone to improve, e.g., the stability, hybridization, or solubility of the molecule. For example, the deoxyribose phosphate backbone of the nucleic acid molecules can be modified to generate peptide nucleic acids (see Hyrup B. et al. (1996) Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry 4 (1): 5-23). As used herein, the terms “peptide nucleic acids” or “PNAs” refer to nucleic acid mimics, e.g., DNA mimics, in which the deoxyribose phosphate backbone is replaced by a pseudopeptide backbone and only the four natural nucleobases are retained. The neutral backbone of PNAs has been shown to allow for specific hybridization to DNA and RNA under conditions of low ionic strength. The synthesis of PNA oligomers can be performed using standard solid phase peptide synthesis protocols as described in Hyrup B. et al. (1996) supra; Perry-O'Keefe et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 93: 14670-675.

[0182] PNAs of MTP-1 nucleic acid molecules can be used in therapeutic and diagnostic applications. For example, PNAs can be used as antisense or antigene agents for sequence-specific modulation of gene expression by, for example, inducing transcription or translation arrest or inhibiting replication. PNAs of MTP-1 nucleic acid molecules can also be used in the analysis of single base pair mutations in a gene, (e.g., by PNA-directed PCR clamping); as ‘artificial restriction enzymes’ when used in combination with other enzymes, (e.g., S1 nucleases (Hyrup B. (1996) supra)); or as probes or primers for DNA sequencing or hybridization (Hyrup B. et al. (1996) supra; Perry-O'Keefe supra).

[0183] In another embodiment, PNAs of MTP-1 can be modified, (e.g., to enhance their stability or cellular uptake), by attaching lipophilic or other helper groups to PNA, by the formation of PNA-DNA chimeras, or by the use of liposomes or other techniques of drug delivery known in the art. For example, PNA-DNA chimeras of MTP-1 nucleic acid molecules can be generated which may combine the advantageous properties of PNA and DNA. Such chimeras allow DNA recognition enzymes, (e.g., RNAse H and DNA polymerases), to interact with the DNA portion while the PNA portion would provide high binding affinity and specificity. PNA-DNA chimeras can be linked using linkers of appropriate lengths selected in terms of base stacking, number of bonds between the nucleobases, and orientation (Hyrup B. (1996) supra). The synthesis of PNA-DNA chimeras can be performed as described in Hyrup B. (1996) supra and Finn P. J. et al. (1996) Nucleic Acids Res. 24 (17): 3357-63. For example, a DNA chain can be synthesized on a solid support using standard phosphoramidite coupling chemistry and modified nucleoside analogs, e.g., 5′-(4-methoxytrityl)amino-5′-deoxy-thymidine phosphoramidite, can be used as a between the PNA and the 5′ end of DNA (Mag, M. et al. (1989) Nucleic Acid Res. 17:5973-88). PNA monomers are then coupled in a stepwise manner to produce a chimeric molecule with a 5′ PNA segment and a 3′ DNA segment (Finn P. J. et al. (1996) supra). Alternatively, chimeric molecules can be synthesized with a 5′ DNA segment and a 3′ PNA segment (Peterser, K. H. et al. (1975) Bioorganic Med. Chem. Lett. 5: 1119-11124).

[0184] In other embodiments, the oligonucleotide may include other appended groups such as peptides (e.g., for targeting host cell receptors in vivo), or agents facilitating transport across the cell membrane (see, e.g., Letsinger et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6553-6556; Lemaitre et al (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:648-652; PCT Publication No. W088/09810) or the blood-brain barrier (see, e.g., PCT Publication No. W089/10134). In addition, oligonucleotides can be modified with hybridization-triggered cleavage agents (See, e.g., Krol et al (1988) Bio-Techniques 6:958-976) or intercalating agents. (See, e.g., Zon (1988) Pharm. Res. 5:539-549). To this end, the oligonucleotide may be conjugated to another molecule, (e.g., a peptide, hybridization triggered cross-linking agent, transport agent, or hybridization-triggered cleavage agent).

[0185] Alternatively, the expression characteristics of an endogenous MTP-1 gene within a cell line or microorganism may be modified by inserting a heterologous DNA regulatory element into the genome of a stable cell line or cloned microorganism such that the inserted regulatory element is operatively linked with the endogenous MTP-1 gene. For example, an endogenous MTP-1 gene which is normally “transcriptionally silent”, i.e., an MTP-1 gene which is normally not expressed, or is expressed only at very low levels in a cell line or microorganism, may be activated by inserting a regulatory element which is capable of promoting the expression of a normally expressed gene product in that cell line or microorganism. Alternatively, a transcriptionally silent, endogenous MTP-1 gene may be activated by insertion of a promiscuous regulatory element that works across cell types.

[0186] A heterologous regulatory element may be inserted into a stable cell line or cloned microorganism, such that it is operatively linked with an endogenous MTP-1 gene, using techniques, such as targeted homologous recombination, which are well known to those of skill in the art, and described, e.g., in Chappel, U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,071; PCT publication No. WO 91/06667, published May 16, 1991.

[0187] II. Isolated MTP-1 Proteins and Anti-MTP-1 Antibodies

[0188] One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated MTP-1 proteins, and biologically active portions thereof, as well as polypeptide fragments suitable for use as immunogens to raise anti-MTP-1 antibodies. In one embodiment, native MTP-1 proteins can be isolated from cells or tissue sources by an appropriate purification scheme using standard protein purification techniques. In another embodiment, MTP-1 proteins are produced by recombinant DNA techniques. Alternative to recombinant expression, an MTP-1 protein or polypeptide can be synthesized chemically using standard peptide synthesis techniques.

[0189] An “isolated” or “purified” protein or biologically active portion thereof is substantially free of cellular material or other contaminating proteins from the cell or tissue source from which the MTP-1 protein is derived, or substantially free from chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized. The language “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of MTP-1 protein in which the protein is separated from cellular components of the cells from which it is isolated or recombinantly produced. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of MTP-1 protein having less than about 30% (by dry weight) of non-MTP-1 protein (also referred to herein as a “contaminating protein”), more preferably less than about 20% of non-MTP-1 protein, still more preferably less than about 10% of non-MTP-1 protein, and most preferably less than about 5% non-MTP-1 protein. When the MTP-1 protein or biologically active portion thereof is recombinantly produced, it is also preferably substantially free of culture medium, i.e., culture medium represents less than about 20%, more preferably less than about 10%, and most preferably less than about 5% of the volume of the protein preparation.

[0190] The language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of MTP-1 protein in which the protein is separated from chemical precursors or other chemicals which are involved in the synthesis of the protein. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of MTP-1 protein having less than about 30% (by dry weight) of chemical precursors or non-MTP-1 chemicals, more preferably less than about 20% chemical precursors or non-MTP-1 chemicals, still more preferably less than about 10% chemical precursors or non-MTP-1 chemicals, and most preferably less than about 5% chemical precursors or non-MTP-1 chemicals.

[0191] As used herein, a “biologically active portion” of an MTP-1 protein includes a fragment of an MTP-1 protein which participates in an interaction between an MTP-1 molecule and a non-MTP-1 molecule. Biologically active portions of an MTP-1 protein include peptides comprising amino acid sequences sufficiently identical to or derived from the amino acid sequence of the MTP-1 protein, e.g., the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, which include less amino acids than the full length MTP-1 protein, and exhibit at least one activity of an MTP-1 protein. Typically, biologically active portions comprise a domain or motif with at least one activity of the MTP-1 protein, e.g., transporting a substrate molecule across a biological membrane. A biologically active portion of an MTP-1 protein can be a polypeptide which is, for example, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 250, 300 or more amino acids in length. Biologically active portions of an MTP-1 protein can be used as targets for developing agents which modulate an MTP-1 mediated activity, e.g., lipid transport.

[0192] In one embodiment, a biologically active portion of an MTP-1 protein comprises at least one transmembrane domain. It is to be understood that a preferred biologically active portion of an MTP-1 protein of the present invention may contain at least one transmembrane domain and one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain, and/or an ABC transporter domain. Moreover, other biologically active portions, in which other regions of the protein are deleted, can be prepared by recombinant techniques and evaluated for one or more of the functional activities of a native MTP-1 protein.

[0193] In a preferred embodiment, the MTP-1 protein has an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2. In other embodiments, the MTP-1 protein is substantially identical to SEQ ID NO: 2, and retains the functional activity of the protein of SEQ ID NO: 2, yet differs in amino acid sequence due to natural allelic variation or mutagenesis, as described in detail in subsection I above. Accordingly, in another embodiment, the MTP-1 protein is a protein which comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to SEQ ID NO: 2.

[0194] To determine the percent identity of two amino acid sequences or of two nucleic acid sequences, the sequences are aligned for optimal comparison purposes (e.g., gaps can be introduced in one or both of a first and a second amino acid or nucleic acid sequence for optimal alignment and non-identical sequences can be disregarded for comparison purposes). In a preferred embodiment, the length of a reference sequence aligned for comparison purposes is at least 30%, preferably at least 40%, more preferably at least 50%, even more preferably at least 60%, and even more preferably at least 70%, 80%, or 90% of the length of the reference sequence (e.g., when aligning a second sequence to the MTP-1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 having 400 amino acid residues, at least 50, preferably at least 100, more preferably at least 150, even more preferably at least 200, and even more preferably at least 300 or more amino acid residues are aligned). The amino acid residues or nucleotides at corresponding amino acid positions or nucleotide positions are then compared. When a position in the first sequence is occupied by the same amino acid residue or nucleotide as the corresponding position in the second sequence, then the molecules are identical at that position (as used herein amino acid or nucleic acid “identity” is equivalent to amino acid or nucleic acid “homology”). The percent identity between the two sequences is a function of the number of identical positions shared by the sequences, taking into account the number of gaps, and the length of each gap, which need to be introduced for optimal alignment of the two sequences.

[0195] The comparison of sequences and determination of percent identity between two sequences can be accomplished using a mathematical algorithm. In a preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid sequences is determined using the Needleman and Wunsch (J. Mol. Biol. (48):444-453 (1970)) algorithm which has been incorporated into the GAP program in the GCG software package (available at http://www.gcg.com), using either a Blosum 62 matrix or a PAM250 matrix, and a gap weight of 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, or 4 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. In yet another preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two nucleotide sequences is determined using the GAP program in the GCG software package (available at http://www.gcg.com), using a NWSgapdna.CMP matrix and a gap weight of 40, 50, 60, 70, or 80 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. In another embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid or nucleotide sequences is determined using the algorithm of E. Meyers and W. Miller (Comput. Appl. Biosci., 4: 11-17 (1988)) which has been incorporated into the ALIGN program (version 2.0), using a PAM120 weight residue table, a gap length penalty of 12 and a gap penalty of 4.

[0196] The nucleic acid and protein sequences of the present invention can further be used as a “query sequence” to perform a search against public databases to, for example, identify other family members or related sequences. Such searches can be performed using the NBLAST and XBLAST programs (version 2.0) of Altschul, et al. (1990) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-10. BLAST nucleotide searches can be performed with the NBLAST program, score=100, wordlength=12 to obtain nucleotide sequences homologous to MTP-1 nucleic acid molecules of the invention. BLAST protein searches can be performed with the XBLAST program, score=100, wordlength=3 to obtain amino acid sequences homologous to MTP-1 protein molecules of the invention. To obtain gapped alignments for comparison purposes, Gapped BLAST can be utilized as described in Altschul et al., (1997) Nucleic Acids Res. 25(17):3389-3402. When utilizing BLAST and Gapped BLAST programs, the default parameters of the respective programs (e.g., XBLAST and NBLAST) can be used. See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

[0197] The invention also provides MTP-1 chimeric or fusion proteins. As used herein, an MTP-1 “chimeric protein” or “fusion protein” comprises an MTP-1 polypeptide operatively linked to a non-MTP-1 polypeptide. An “MTP-1 polypeptide” refers to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to an MTP-1 molecule, whereas a “non-MTP-1 polypeptide” refers to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to a protein which is not substantially homologous to the MTP-1 protein, e.g., a protein which is different from the MTP-1 protein and which is derived from the same or a different organism. Within an MTP-1 fusion protein the MTP-1 polypeptide can correspond to all or a portion of an MTP-1 protein. In a preferred embodiment, an MTP-1 fusion protein comprises at least one biologically active portion of an MTP-1 protein. In another preferred embodiment, an MTP-1 fusion protein comprises at least two biologically active portions of an MTP-1 protein. Within the fusion protein, the term “operatively linked” is intended to indicate that the MTP-1 polypeptide and the non-MTP-1 polypeptide are fused in-frame to each other. The non-MTP-1 polypeptide can be fused to the N-terminus or C-terminus of the MTP-1 polypeptide.

[0198] For example, in one embodiment, the fusion protein is a GST-MTP-1 fusion protein in which the MTP-1 sequences are fused to the C-terminus of the GST sequences. Such fusion proteins can facilitate the purification of recombinant MTP-1.

[0199] In another embodiment, the fusion protein is an MTP-1 protein containing a heterologous signal sequence at its N-terminus. In certain host cells (e.g., mammalian host cells), expression and/or secretion of MTP-1 can be increased through use of a heterologous signal sequence.

[0200] The MTP-1 fusion proteins of the invention can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions and administered to a subject in vivo. The MTP-1 fusion proteins can be used to affect the bioavailability of an MTP-1 substrate. Use of MTP-1 fusion proteins may be useful therapeutically for the treatment of disorders caused by, for example, (i) aberrant modification or mutation of a gene encoding an MTP-1 protein; (ii) mis-regulation of the MTP-1 gene; and (iii) aberrant post-translational modification of an MTP-1 protein.

[0201] Moreover, the MTP-1-fusion proteins of the invention can be used as immunogens to produce anti-MTP-1 antibodies in a subject for use in screening assays to identify molecules which inhibit the interaction of MTP-1 with an MTP-1 substrate.

[0202] Preferably, an MTP-1 chimeric or fusion protein of the invention is produced by standard recombinant DNA techniques. For example, DNA fragments coding for the different polypeptide sequences are ligated together in-frame in accordance with conventional techniques, for example by employing blunt-ended or stagger-ended termini for ligation, restriction enzyme digestion to provide for appropriate termini, filling-in of cohesive ends as appropriate, alkaline phosphatase treatment to avoid undesirable joining, and enzymatic ligation. In another embodiment, the fusion gene can be synthesized by conventional techniques including automated DNA synthesizers. Alternatively, PCR amplification of gene fragments can be carried out using anchor primers which give rise to complementary overhangs between two consecutive gene fragments which can subsequently be annealed and reamplified to generate a chimeric gene sequence (see, for example, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, eds. Ausubel et al. John Wiley & Sons: 1992). Moreover, many expression vectors are commercially available that already encode a fusion moiety (e.g., a GST polypeptide). An MTP-1-encoding nucleic acid can be cloned into such an expression vector such that the fusion moiety is linked in-frame to the MTP-1 protein.

[0203] The present invention also pertains to variants of the MTP-1 proteins which function as either MTP-1 agonists (mimetics) or as MTP-1 antagonists. Variants of the MTP-1 proteins can be generated by mutagenesis, e.g., discrete point mutation or truncation of an MTP-1 protein. An agonist of the MTP-1 proteins can retain substantially the same, or a subset, of the biological activities of the naturally occurring form of an MTP-1 protein. An antagonist of an MTP-1 protein can inhibit one or more of the activities of the naturally occurring form of the MTP-1 protein by, for example, competitively modulating an MTP-1-mediated activity of an MTP-1 protein. Thus, specific biological effects can be elicited by treatment with a variant of limited function. In one embodiment, treatment of a subject with a variant having a subset of the biological activities of the naturally occurring form of the protein has fewer side effects in a subject relative to treatment with the naturally occurring form of the MTP-1 protein.

[0204] In one embodiment, variants of an MTP-1 protein which function as either MTP-1 agonists (mimetics) or as MTP-1 antagonists can be identified by screening combinatorial libraries of mutants, e.g., truncation mutants, of an MTP-1 protein for MTP-1 protein agonist or antagonist activity. In one embodiment, a variegated library of MTP-1 variants is generated by combinatorial mutagenesis at the nucleic acid level and is encoded by a variegated gene library. A variegated library of MTP-1 variants can be produced by, for example, enzymatically ligating a mixture of synthetic oligonucleotides into gene sequences such that a degenerate set of potential MTP-1 sequences is expressible as individual polypeptides, or alternatively, as a set of larger fusion proteins (e.g., for phage display) containing the set of MTP-1 sequences therein. There are a variety of methods which can be used to produce libraries of potential MTP-1 variants from a degenerate oligonucleotide sequence. Chemical synthesis of a degenerate gene sequence can be performed in an automatic DNA synthesizer, and the synthetic gene then ligated into an appropriate expression vector. Use of a degenerate set of genes allows for the provision, in one mixture, of all of the sequences encoding the desired set of potential MTP-1 sequences. Methods for synthesizing degenerate oligonucleotides are known in the art (see, e.g., Narang, S. A. (1983) Tetrahedron 39:3; Itakura et al. (1984) Annu. Rev. Biochem. 53:323; Itakura et al. (1984) Science 198:1056; Ike et al. (1983) Nucleic Acid Res. 11:477.

[0205] In addition, libraries of fragments of an MTP-1 protein coding sequence can be used to generate a variegated population of MTP-1 fragments for screening and subsequent selection of variants of an MTP-1 protein. In one embodiment, a library of coding sequence fragments can be generated by treating a double stranded PCR fragment of an MTP-1 coding sequence with a nuclease under conditions wherein nicking occurs only about once per molecule, denaturing the double stranded DNA, renaturing the DNA to form double stranded DNA which can include sense/antisense pairs from different nicked products, removing single stranded portions from reformed duplexes by treatment with S1 nuclease, and ligating the resulting fragment library into an expression vector. By this method, an expression library can be derived which encodes N-terminal, C-terminal and internal fragments of various sizes of the MTP-1 protein.

[0206] Several techniques are known in the art for screening gene products of combinatorial libraries made by point mutations or truncation, and for screening cDNA libraries for gene products having a selected property. Such techniques are adaptable for rapid screening of the gene libraries generated by the combinatorial mutagenesis of MTP-1 proteins. The most widely used techniques, which are amenable to high through-put analysis, for screening large gene libraries typically include cloning the gene library into replicable expression vectors, transforming appropriate cells with the resulting library of vectors, and expressing the combinatorial genes under conditions in which detection of a desired activity facilitates isolation of the vector encoding the gene whose product was detected. Recursive ensemble mutagenesis (REM), a new technique which enhances the frequency of functional mutants in the libraries, can be used in combination with the screening assays to identify MTP-1 variants (Arkin and Youvan (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:7811-7815; Delagrave et al. (1993) Protein Engineering 6(3): 327-331).

[0207] In one embodiment, cell based assays can be exploited to analyze a variegated MTP-1 library. For example, a library of expression vectors can be transfected into a cell line, e.g., a neuronal cell line, which ordinarily responds to an MTP-1 ligand in a particular MTP-1 ligand-dependent manner. The transfected cells are then contacted with an MTP-1 ligand and the effect of expression of the mutant on, e.g., membrane excitability of MTP-1 can be detected. Plasmid DNA can then be recovered from the cells which score for inhibition, or alternatively, potentiation of signaling by the MTP-1 ligand, and the individual clones further characterized.

[0208] An isolated MTP-1 protein, or a portion or fragment thereof, can be used as an immunogen to generate antibodies that bind MTP-1 using standard techniques for polyclonal and monoclonal antibody preparation. A full-length MTP-1 protein can be used or, alternatively, the invention provides antigenic peptide fragments of MTP-1 for use as immunogens. The antigenic peptide of MTP-1 comprises at least 8 amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 and encompasses an epitope of MTP-1 such that an antibody raised against the peptide forms a specific immune complex with the MTP-1 protein. Preferably, the antigenic peptide comprises at least 10 amino acid residues, more preferably at least 15 amino acid residues, even more preferably at least 20 amino acid residues, and most preferably at least 30 amino acid residues. In a preferred embodiment, portions of the extracellular domains (e.g., extracellular non-transmembrane domains) in the amino acid sequence of MTP-1 are used as immunogens (e.g., at about residues 40-548, at about residues 612-624, at about residue 675-1006, at about residue 1258-1534, at about residues 1603-1645, and at about residues 1749-1931 of SEQ ID NO: 2).

[0209] Preferred epitopes encompassed by the antigenic peptide are regions of MTP-1 that are located on the surface of the protein, e.g., hydrophilic regions, as well as regions with high antigenicity.

[0210] An MTP-1 immunogen typically is used to prepare antibodies by immunizing a suitable subject, (e.g., rabbit, goat, mouse or other mammal) with the immunogen. An appropriate immunogenic preparation can contain, for example, recombinantly expressed MTP-1 protein or a chemically synthesized MTP-1 polypeptide. The preparation can further include an adjuvant, such as Freund's complete or incomplete adjuvant, or similar immunostimulatory agent. Immunization of a suitable subject with an immunogenic MTP-1 preparation induces a polyclonal anti-MTP-1 antibody response.

[0211] Accordingly, another aspect of the invention pertains to anti-MTP-1 antibodies. The term “antibody” as used herein refers to immunoglobulin molecules and immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules, i.e., molecules that contain an antigen binding site which specifically binds (immunoreacts with) an antigen, such as an MTP-1. Examples of immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules include F(ab) and F(ab′)₂ fragments which can be generated by treating the antibody with an enzyme such as pepsin. The invention provides polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies that bind MTP-1 molecules. The term “monoclonal antibody” or “monoclonal antibody composition”, as used herein, refers to a population of antibody molecules that contain only one species of an antigen binding site capable of immunoreacting with a particular epitope of MTP-1. A monoclonal antibody composition thus typically displays a single binding affinity for a particular MTP-1 protein with which it immunoreacts.

[0212] Polyclonal anti-MTP-1 antibodies can be prepared as described above by immunizing a suitable subject with an MTP-1 immunogen. The anti-MTP-1 antibody titer in the immunized subject can be monitored over time by standard techniques, such as with an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using immobilized MTP-1. If desired, the antibody molecules directed against MTP-1 can be isolated from the mammal (e.g., from the blood) and further purified by well known techniques, such as protein A chromatography to obtain the IgG fraction. At an appropriate time after immunization, e.g., when the anti-MTP-1 antibody titers are highest, antibody-producing cells can be obtained from the subject and used to prepare monoclonal antibodies by standard techniques, such as the hybridoma technique originally described by Kohler and Milstein (1975) Nature 256:495-497) (see also, Brown et al. (1981) J. Immunol. 127:539-46; Brown et al. (1980) J. Biol. Chem .255:4980-83; Yeh et al. (1976) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 76:2927-31; and Yeh et al. (1982) Int. J. Cancer 29:269-75), the more recent human B cell hybridoma technique (Kozbor et al. (1983) Immunol Today 4:72), the EBV-hybridoma technique (Cole et al. (1985), Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, Inc., pp. 77-96) or trioma techniques. The technology for producing monoclonal antibody hybridomas is well known (see generally R. H. Kenneth, in Monoclonal Antibodies: A New Dimension In Biological Analyses, Plenum Publishing Corp., New York, N.Y. (1980); E. A. Lemer (1981) Yale J. Biol. Med., 54:387-402; M. L. Gefter et al. (1977) Somatic Cell Genet. 3:231-36). Briefly, an immortal cell line (typically a myeloma) is fused to lymphocytes (typically splenocytes) from a mammal immunized with an MTP-1 immunogen as described above, and the culture supernatants of the resulting hybridoma cells are screened to identify a hybridoma producing a monoclonal antibody that binds MTP-1.

[0213] Any of the many well known protocols used for fusing lymphocytes and immortalized cell lines can be applied for the purpose of generating an anti-MTP-1 monoclonal antibody (see, e.g., G. Galfre et al. (1977) Nature 266:55052; Gefter et al. Somatic Cell Genet., cited supra; Lemer, Yale J. Biol. Med., cited supra; Kenneth, Monoclonal Antibodies, cited supra). Moreover, the ordinarily skilled worker will appreciate that there are many variations of such methods which also would be useful. Typically, the immortal cell line (e.g., a myeloma cell line) is derived from the same mammalian species as the lymphocytes. For example, murine hybridomas can be made by fusing lymphocytes from a mouse immunized with an immunogenic preparation of the present invention with an immortalized mouse cell line. Preferred immortal cell lines are mouse myeloma cell lines that are sensitive to culture medium containing hypoxanthine, aminopterin and thymidine (“HAT medium”). Any of a number of myeloma cell lines can be used as a fusion partner according to standard techniques, e.g., the P3-NS1/1-Ag4-1, P3-×63-Ag8.653 or Sp2/O-Ag14 myeloma lines. These myeloma lines are available from ATCC. Typically, HAT-sensitive mouse mycloma cells are fused to mouse splenocytes using polyethylene glycol (“PEG”). Hybridoma cells resulting from the fusion are then selected using HAT medium, which kills unfused and unproductively fused myeloma cells (unfused splenocytes die after several days because they are not transformed). Hybridoma cells producing a monoclonal antibody of the invention are detected by screening the hybridoma culture supernatants for antibodies that bind MTP-1, e.g., using a standard ELISA assay.

[0214] Alternative to preparing monoclonal antibody-secreting hybridomas, a monoclonal anti-MTP-1 antibody can be identified and isolated by screening a recombinant combinatorial immunoglobulin library (e.g., an antibody phage display library) with MTP-1 to thereby isolate immunoglobulin library members that bind MTP-1. Kits for generating and screening phage display libraries are commercially available (e.g., the Pharmacia Recombinant Phage Antibody System, Catalog No. 27-9400-01; and the Stratagene SurfZAP™ Phage Display Kit, Catalog No. 240612). Additionally, examples of methods and reagents particularly amenable for use in generating and screening antibody display library can be found in, for example, Ladner et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409; Kang et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/18619; Dower et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 91/17271; Winter et al. PCT International Publication WO 92/20791; Markland et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/15679; Breitling et al. PCT International Publication WO 93/01288; McCafferty et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/01047; Garrard et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/09690; Ladner et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 90/02809; Fuchs et al. (1991) Bio/Technology 9:1369-1372; Hay et al. (1992) Hum. Antibod. Hybridomas 3:81-85; Huse et al. (1989) Science 246:1275-1281; Griffiths et al. (1993) EMBO J 12:725-734; Hawkins et al. (1992) J. Mol. Biol. 226:889-896; Clackson et al. (1991) Nature 352:624-628; Gram et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:3576-3580; Garrard et al. (1991) Bio/Technology 9:1373-1377; Hoogenboom et al. (1991) Nuc. Acid Res. 19:4133-4137; Barbas et al. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:7978-7982; and McCafferty et al. Nature (1990) 348:552-554.

[0215] Additionally, recombinant anti-MTP-1 antibodies, such as chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies, comprising both human and non-human portions, which can be made using standard recombinant DNA techniques, are within the scope of the invention. Such chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies can be produced by recombinant DNA techniques known in the art, for example using methods described in Robinson et al. International Application No. PCT/US86/02269; Akira, et al. European Patent Application 184,187; Taniguchi, M., European Patent Application 171,496; Morrison et al. European Patent Application 173,494; Neuberger et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 86/01533; Cabilly et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,567; Cabilly et al. European Patent Application 125,023; Better et al. (1988) Science 240:1041-1043; Liu et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:3439-3443; Liu et al. (1987) J. Immunol. 139:3521-3526; Sun et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:214-218; Nishimura et al. (1987) Canc. Res. 47:999-1005; Wood et al. (1985) Nature 314:446-449; and Shaw et al. (1988) J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 80:1553-1559); Morrison, S. L. (1985) Science 229:1202-1207; Oi et al. (1986) BioTechniques 4:214; Winter U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,539; Jones et al. (1986) Nature 321:552-525; Verhoeyen et al. (1988) Science 239:1534; and Beidler et al. (1988) J. Immunol. 141:4053-4060.

[0216] An anti-MTP-1 antibody (e.g., monoclonal antibody) can be used to isolate MTP-1 by standard techniques, such as affinity chromatography or immunoprecipitation. An anti-MTP-1 antibody can facilitate the purification of natural MTP-1 from cells and of recombinantly produced MTP-1 expressed in host cells. Moreover, an anti-MTP-1 antibody can be used to detect MTP-1 protein (e.g., in a cellular lysate or cell supernatant) in order to evaluate the abundance and pattern of expression of the MTP-1 protein. Anti-MTP-1 antibodies can be used diagnostically to monitor protein levels in tissue as part of a clinical testing procedure, e.g., to, for example, determine the efficacy of a given treatment regimen. Detection can be facilitated by coupling (i.e., physically linking) the antibody to a detectable substance. Examples of detectable substances include various enzymes, prosthetic groups, fluorescent materials, luminescent materials, bioluminescent materials, and radioactive materials. Examples of suitable enzymes include horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, β-galactosidase, or acetylcholinesterase; examples of suitable prosthetic group complexes include streptavidin/biotin and avidin/biotin; examples of suitable fluorescent materials include umbelliferone, fluorescein, fluorescein isothiocyanate, rhodamine, dichlorotriazinylamine fluorescein, dansyl chloride or phycoerythrin; an example of a luminescent material includes luminol; examples of bioluminescent materials include luciferase, luciferin, and aequorin, and examples of suitable radioactive material include ¹²⁵I, ¹³¹I, ³⁵S or ³H.

[0217] III. Recombinant Expression Vectors and Host Cells

[0218] Another aspect of the invention pertains to vectors, preferably expression vectors, containing a nucleic acid encoding an MTP-1 protein (or a portion thereof). As used herein, the term “vector” refers to a nucleic acid molecule capable of transporting another nucleic acid to which it has been linked. One type of vector is a “plasmid”, which refers to a circular double stranded DNA loop into which additional DNA segments can be ligated. Another type of vector is a viral vector, wherein additional DNA segments can be ligated into the viral genome. Certain vectors are capable of autonomous replication in a host cell into which they are introduced (e.g., bacterial vectors having a bacterial origin of replication and episomal mammalian vectors). Other vectors (e.g., non-episomal mammalian vectors) are integrated into the genome of a host cell upon introduction into the host cell, and thereby are replicated along with the host genome. Moreover, certain vectors are capable of directing the expression of genes to which they are operatively linked. Such vectors are referred to herein as “expression vectors”. In general, expression vectors of utility in recombinant DNA techniques are often in the form of plasmids. In the present specification, “plasmid” and “vector” can be used interchangeably as the plasmid is the most commonly used form of vector. However, the invention is intended to include such other forms of expression vectors, such as viral vectors (e.g., replication defective retroviruses, adenoviruses and adeno-associated viruses), which serve equivalent functions.

[0219] The recombinant expression vectors of the invention comprise a nucleic acid of the invention in a form suitable for expression of the nucleic acid in a host cell, which means that the recombinant expression vectors include one or more regulatory sequences, selected on the basis of the host cells to be used for expression, which is operatively linked to the nucleic acid sequence to be expressed. Within a recombinant expression vector, “operably linked” is intended to mean that the nucleotide sequence of interest is linked to the regulatory sequence(s) in a manner which allows for expression of the nucleotide sequence (e.g., in an in vitro transcription/translation system or in a host cell when the vector is introduced into the host cell). The term “regulatory sequence” is intended to include promoters, enhancers and other expression control elements (e.g., polyadenylation signals). Such regulatory sequences are described, for example, in Goeddel; Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990). Regulatory sequences include those which direct constitutive expression of a nucleotide sequence in many types of host cells and those which direct expression of the nucleotide sequence only in certain host cells (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory sequences). It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the design of the expression vector can depend on such factors as the choice of the host cell to be transformed, the level of expression of protein desired, and the like. The expression vectors of the invention can be introduced into host cells to thereby produce proteins or peptides, including fusion proteins or peptides, encoded by nucleic acids as described herein (e.g., MTP-1 proteins, mutant forms of MTP-1 proteins, fusion proteins, and the like).

[0220] The recombinant expression vectors of the invention can be designed for expression of MTP-1 proteins in prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells. For example, MTP-1 proteins can be expressed in bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells (using baculovirus expression vectors) yeast cells or mammalian cells. Suitable host cells are discussed further in Goeddel, Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990). Altematively, the recombinant expression vector can be transcribed and translated in vitro, for example using T7 promoter regulatory sequences and T7 polymerase.

[0221] Expression of proteins in prokaryotes is most often carried out in E. coli with vectors containing constitutive or inducible promoters directing the expression of either fusion or non-fusion proteins. Fusion vectors add a number of amino acids to a protein encoded therein, usually to the amino terminus of the recombinant protein. Such fusion vectors typically serve three purposes: 1) to increase expression of recombinant protein; 2) to increase the solubility of the recombinant protein; and 3) to aid in the purification of the recombinant protein by acting as a ligand in affinity purification. Often, in fusion expression vectors, a proteolytic cleavage site is introduced at the junction of the fusion moiety and the recombinant protein to enable separation of the recombinant protein from the fusion moiety subsequent to purification of the fusion protein. Such enzymes, and their cognate recognition sequences, include Factor Xa, thrombin and enterokinase. Typical fusion expression vectors include pGEX (Pharmacia Biotech Inc; Smith, D. B. and Johnson, K. S. (1988) Gene 67:31-40), pMAL (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.) and pRIT5 (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.) which fuse glutathione S-transferase (GST), maltose E binding protein, or protein A, respectively, to the target recombinant protein.

[0222] Purified fusion proteins can be utilized in MTP-1 activity assays, (e.g., direct assays or competitive assays described in detail below), or to generate antibodies specific for MTP-1 proteins, for example. In a preferred embodiment, an MTP-1 fusion protein expressed in a retroviral expression vector of the present invention can be utilized to infect bone marrow cells which are subsequently transplanted into irradiated recipients. The pathology of the subject recipient is then examined after sufficient time has passed (e.g., six (6) weeks).

[0223] Examples of suitable inducible non-fusion E. coli expression vectors include pTrc (Amann et al., (1988) Gene 69:301-315) and pET 11d (Studier et al, Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990) 60-89). Target gene expression from the pTrc vector relies on host RNA polymerase transcription from a hybrid trp-lac fusion promoter. Target gene expression from the pET 11d vector relies on transcription from a T7 gn10-lac fusion promoter mediated by a coexpressed viral RNA polymerase (T7 gnl). This viral polymerase is supplied by host strains BL21 (DE3) or HMS 174(DE3) from a resident prophage harboring a T7 gn1 gene under the transcriptional control of the lacUV 5 promoter.

[0224] One strategy to maximize recombinant protein expression in E. coli is to express the protein in a host bacteria with an impaired capacity to proteolytically cleave the recombinant protein (Gottesman, S., Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990) 119-128). Another strategy is to alter the nucleic acid sequence of the nucleic acid to be inserted into an expression vector so that the individual codons for each amino acid are those preferentially utilized in E. coli (Wada et al., (1992) Nucleic Acids Res. 20:2111-2118). Such alteration of nucleic acid sequences of the invention can be carried out by standard DNA synthesis techniques.

[0225] In another embodiment, the MTP-1 expression vector is a yeast expression vector. Examples of vectors for expression in yeast S. cerevisiae include pYepSecl (Baldari, et al., (1987) EMBO J. 6:229-234), pMFa (Kuijan and Herskowitz, (1982) Cell 30:933-943), pJRY88 (Schultz et al., (1987) Gene 54:113-123), pYES2 (Invitrogen Corporation, San Diego, Calif.), and picZ (Invitrogen Corporation, San Diego, Calif.).

[0226] Alternatively, MTP-1 proteins can be expressed in insect cells using baculovirus expression vectors. Baculovirus vectors available for expression of proteins in cultured insect cells (e.g., Sf9 cells) include the pAc series (Smith et al. (1983) Mol. Cell Biol. 3:2156-2165) and the pVL series (Lucklow and Summers (1989) Virology 170:31-39).

[0227] In yet another embodiment, a nucleic acid of the invention is expressed in mammalian cells using a mammalian expression vector. Examples of mammalian expression vectors include pCDM8 (Seed, B. (1987) Nature 329:840) and pMT2PC (Kaufimnan et al. (1987) EMBO J. 6:187-195). When used in mammalian cells, the expression vector's control functions are often provided by viral regulatory elements. For example, commonly used promoters are derived from polyoma, Adenovirus 2, cytomegalovirus and Simian Virus 40. For other suitable expression systems for both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells see chapters 16 and 17 of Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989.

[0228] In another embodiment, the recombinant mammalian expression vector is capable of directing expression of the nucleic acid preferentially in a particular cell type (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory elements are used to express the nucleic acid). Tissue-specific regulatory elements are known in the art. Non-limiting examples of suitable tissue-specific promoters include the albumin promoter (liver-specific; Pinkert et al. (1987) Genes Dev. 1:268-277), lymphoid-specific promoters (Calame and Eaton (1988) Adv. Immunol. 43:235-275), in particular promoters of T cell receptors (Winoto and Baltimore (1989) EMBO J 8:729-733) and immunoglobulins (Baneiji et al. (1983) Cell 33:729-740; Queen and Baltimore (1983) Cell 33:741-748), neuron-specific promoters (e.g., the neurofilament promoter; Byrne and Ruddle (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:5473-5477), pancreas-specific promoters (Edlund et al. (1985) Science 230:912-916), and mammary gland-specific promoters (e.g., milk whey promoter; U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,316 and European Application Publication No. 264,166). Developmentally-regulated promoters are also encompassed, for example the murine hox promoters (Kessel and Gruss (1990) Science 249:374-379) and the α-fetoprotein promoter (Campes and Tilghman (1989) Genes Dev. 3:537-546).

[0229] The invention further provides a recombinant expression vector comprising a DNA molecule of the invention cloned into the expression vector in an antisense orientation. That is, the DNA molecule is operatively linked to a regulatory sequence in a manner which allows for expression (by transcription of the DNA molecule) of an RNA molecule which is antisense to MTP-1 mRNA. Regulatory sequences operatively linked to a nucleic acid cloned in the antisense orientation can be chosen which direct the continuous expression of the antisense RNA molecule in a variety of cell types, for instance viral promoters and/or enhancers, or regulatory sequences can be chosen which direct constitutive, tissue specific or cell type specific expression of antisense RNA. The antisense expression vector can be in the form of a recombinant plasmid, phagemid or attenuated virus in which antisense nucleic acids are produced under the control of a high efficiency regulatory region, the activity of which can be determined by the cell type into which the vector is introduced. For a discussion of the regulation of gene expression using antisense genes see Weintraub, H. et al., Antisense RNA as a molecular tool for genetic analysis, Reviews—Trends in Genetics, Vol. 1(1) 1986.

[0230] Another aspect of the invention pertains to host cells into which an MTP-1 nucleic acid molecule of the invention is introduced, e.g., an MTP-1 nucleic acid molecule within a recombinant expression vector or an MTP-1 nucleic acid molecule containing sequences which allow it to homologously recombine into a specific site of the host cell's genome. The terms “host cell” and “recombinant host cell” are used interchangeably herein. It is understood that such terms refer not only to the particular subject cell but to the progeny or potential progeny of such a cell. Because certain modifications may occur in succeeding generations due to either mutation or environmental influences, such progeny may not, in fact, be identical to the parent cell, but are still included within the scope of the term as used herein.

[0231] A host cell can be any prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell. For example, an MTP-1 protein can be expressed in bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells, yeast or mammalian cells (such as Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) or COS cells). Other suitable host cells are known to those skilled in the art.

[0232] Vector DNA can be introduced into prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells via conventional transformation or transfection techniques. As used herein, the terms “transformation” and “transfection” are intended to refer to a variety of art-recognized techniques for introducing foreign nucleic acid (e.g., DNA) into a host cell, including calcium phosphate or calcium chloride co-precipitation, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, lipofection, or electroporation. Suitable methods for transforming or transfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook, et al. (Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), and other laboratory manuals.

[0233] For stable transfection of mammalian cells, it is known that, depending upon the expression vector and transfection technique used, only a small fraction of cells may integrate the foreign DNA into their genome. In order to identify and select these integrants, a gene that encodes a selectable marker (e.g., resistance to antibiotics) is generally introduced into the host cells along with the gene of interest. Preferred selectable markers include those which confer resistance to drugs, such as G418, hygromycin and methotrexate. Nucleic acid encoding a selectable marker can be introduced into a host cell on the same vector as that encoding an MTP-1 protein or can be introduced on a separate vector. Cells stably transfected with the introduced nucleic acid can be identified by drug selection (e.g., cells that have incorporated the selectable marker gene will survive, while the other cells die).

[0234] A host cell of the invention, such as a prokaryotic or eukaryotic host cell in culture, can be used to produce (i.e., express) an MTP-1 protein. Accordingly, the invention further provides methods for producing an MTP-1 protein using the host cells of the invention. In one embodiment, the method comprises culturing the host cell of the invention (into which a recombinant expression vector encoding an MTP-1 protein has been introduced) in a suitable medium such that an MTP-1 protein is produced. In another embodiment, the method further comprises isolating an MTP-1 protein from the medium or the host cell.

[0235] The host cells of the invention can also be used to produce non-human transgenic animals. For example, in one embodiment, a host cell of the invention is a fertilized oocyte or an embryonic stem cell into which MTP-1-coding sequences have been introduced. Such host cells can then be used to create non-human transgenic animals in which exogenous MTP-1 sequences have been introduced into their genome or homologous recombinant animals in which endogenous MTP-1 sequences have been altered. Such animals are useful for studying the function and/or activity of an MTP-1 and for identifying and/or evaluating modulators of MTP-1 activity. As used herein, a “transgenic animal” is a non-human animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a rodent such as a rat or mouse, in which one or more of the cells of the animal includes a transgene. Other examples of transgenic animals include non-human primates, sheep, dogs, cows, goats, chickens, amphibians, and the like. A transgene is exogenous DNA which is integrated into the genome of a cell from which a transgenic animal develops and which remains in the genome of the mature animal, thereby directing the expression of an encoded gene product in one or more cell types or tissues of the transgenic animal. As used herein, a “homologous recombinant animal” is a non-human animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a mouse, in which an endogenous MTP-1 gene has been altered by homologous recombination between the endogenous gene and an exogenous DNA molecule introduced into a cell of the animal, e.g., an embryonic cell of the animal, prior to development of the animal.

[0236] A transgenic animal of the invention can be created by introducing an MTP-1-encoding nucleic acid into the male pronuclei of a fertilized oocyte, e.g., by microinjection, retroviral infection, and allowing the oocyte to develop in a pseudopregnant female foster animal. The MTP-1 cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 can be introduced as a transgene into the genome of a non-human animal. Alternatively, a nonhuman homologue of a human MTP-1 gene, such as a mouse or rat MTP-1 gene, can be used as a transgene. Alternatively, an MTP-1 gene homologue, such as another MTP-1 family member, can be isolated based on hybridization to the MTP-1 cDNA sequences of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, and used as a transgene. Intronic sequences and polyadenylation signals can also be included in the transgene to increase the efficiency of expression of the transgene. A tissue-specific regulatory sequence(s) can be operably linked to an MTP-1 transgene to direct expression of an MTP-1 protein to particular cells. Methods for generating transgenic animals via embryo manipulation and microinjection, particularly animals such as mice, have become conventional in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,736,866 and 4,870,009, both by Leder et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,191 by Wagner et al. and in Hogan, B., Manipulating the Mouse Embryo, (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1986). Similar methods are used for production of other transgenic animals. A transgenic founder animal can be identified based upon the presence of an MTP-1 transgene in its genome and/or expression of MTP-1 mRNA in tissues or cells of the animals. A transgenic founder animal can then be used to breed additional animals carrying the transgene. Moreover, transgenic animals carrying a transgene encoding an MTP-1 protein can further be bred to other transgenic animals carrying other transgenes.

[0237] To create a homologous recombinant animal, a vector is prepared which contains at least a portion of an MTP-1 gene into which a deletion, addition or substitution has been introduced to thereby alter, e.g., functionally disrupt, the MTP-1 gene. The MTP-1 gene can be a human gene (e.g., the cDNA of SEQ ID NO: 3), but more preferably, is a non-human homologue of a human MTP-1 gene (e.g., a cDNA isolated by stringent hybridization with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1). For example, a mouse MTP-1 gene can be used to construct a homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule, e.g., a vector, suitable for altering an endogenous MTP-1 gene in the mouse genome. In a preferred embodiment, the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule is designed such that, upon homologous recombination, the endogenous MTP-1 gene is functionally disrupted (i.e., no longer encodes a functional protein; also referred to as a “knock out” vector). Alternatively, the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule can be designed such that, upon homologous recombination, the endogenous MTP-1 gene is mutated or otherwise altered but still encodes functional protein (e.g., the upstream regulatory region can be altered to thereby alter the expression of the endogenous MTP-1 protein). In the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule, the altered portion of the MTP-1 gene is flanked at its 5′ and 3′ ends by additional nucleic acid sequence of the MTP-1 gene to allow for homologous recombination to occur between the exogenous MTP-1 gene carried by the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule and an endogenous MTP-1 gene in a cell, e.g., an embryonic stem cell. The additional flanking MTP-1 nucleic acid sequence is of sufficient length for successful homologous recombination with the endogenous gene. Typically, several kilobases of flanking DNA (both at the 5′ and 3′ ends) are included in the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule (see, e.g., Thomas, K. R. and Capecchi, M. R. (1987) Cell 51:503 for a description of homologous recombination vectors). The homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule is introduced into a cell, e.g., an embryonic stem cell line (e.g., by electroporation) and cells in which the introduced MTP-1 gene has homologously recombined with the endogenous MTP-1 gene are selected (see e.g., Li, E. et al. (1992) Cell 69:915). The selected cells can then injected into a blastocyst of an animal (e.g., a mouse) to form aggregation chimeras (see e.g., Bradley, A. in Teratocarcinomas and Embryonic Stem Cells: A Practical Approach, E. J. Robertson, ed. (IRL, Oxford, 1987) pp. 113-152). A chimeric embryo can then be implanted into a suitable pseudopregnant female foster animal and the embryo brought to term. Progeny harboring the homologously recombined DNA in their germ cells can be used to breed animals in which all cells of the animal contain the homologously recombined DNA by germline transmission of the transgene. Methods for constructing homologous recombination nucleic acid molecules, e.g., vectors, or homologous recombinant animals are described further in Bradley, A. (1991) Current Opinion in Biotechnology 2:823-829 and in PCT International Publication Nos.: WO 90/11354 by Le Mouellec et al.; WO 91/01140 by Smithies et al.; WO 92/0968 by Zijlstra et al.; and WO 93/04169 by Berns et al.

[0238] In another embodiment, transgenic non-human animals can be produced which contain selected systems which allow for regulated expression of the transgene. One example of such a system is the cre/loxP recombinase system of bacteriophage P1. For a description of the cre/loxP recombinase system, see, e.g., Lakso et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:6232-6236. Another example of a recombinase system is the FLP recombinase system of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (O'Gorman et al. (1991) Science 251:1351-1355. If a cre/loxP recombinase system is used to regulate expression of the transgene, animals containing transgenes encoding both the Cre recombinase and a selected protein are required. Such animals can be provided through the construction of “double” transgenic animals, e.g., by mating two transgenic animals, one containing a transgene encoding a selected protein and the other containing a transgene encoding a recombinase.

[0239] Clones of the non-human transgenic animals described herein can also be produced according to the methods described in Wilmut, I. et al. (1997) Nature 385:810-813 and PCT International Publication Nos. WO 97/07668 and WO 97/07669. In brief, a cell, e.g., a somatic cell, from the transgenic animal can be isolated and induced to exit the growth cycle and enter G₀ phase. The quiescent cell can then be fused, e.g., through the use of electrical pulses, to an enucleated oocyte from an animal of the same species from which the quiescent cell is isolated. The reconstructed oocyte is then cultured such that it develops to morula or blastocyte and then transferred to pseudopregnant female foster animal. The offspring borne of this female foster animal will be a clone of the animal from which the cell, e.g., the somatic cell, is isolated.

[0240] IV. Pharmaceutical Compositions

[0241] The MTP-1 nucleic acid molecules, fragments of MTP-1 proteins, and anti-MTP-1 antibodies (also referred to herein as “active compounds”) of the invention can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions suitable for administration. Such compositions typically comprise the nucleic acid molecule, protein, or antibody and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. As used herein the language “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” is intended to include any and all solvents, dispersion media, coatings, antibacterial and antifungal agents, isotonic and absorption delaying agents, and the like, compatible with pharmaceutical administration. The use of such media and agents for pharmaceutically active substances is well known in the art. Except insofar as any conventional media or agent is incompatible with the active compound, use thereof in the compositions is contemplated. Supplementary active compounds can also be incorporated into the compositions.

[0242] A pharmaceutical composition of the invention is formulated to be compatible with its intended route of administration. Examples of routes of administration include parenteral, e.g., intravenous, intradermal, subcutaneous, oral (e.g., inhalation), transdermal (topical), transmucosal, and rectal administration. Solutions or suspensions used for parenteral, intradermal, or subcutaneous application can include the following components: a sterile diluent such as water for injection, saline solution, fixed oils, polyethylene glycols, glycerine, propylene glycol or other synthetic solvents; antibacterial agents such as benzyl alcohol or methyl parabens; antioxidants such as ascorbic acid or sodium bisulfite; chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; buffers such as acetates, citrates or phosphates and agents for the adjustment of tonicity such as sodium chloride or dextrose. pH can be adjusted with acids or bases, such as hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide. The parenteral preparation can be enclosed in ampoules, disposable syringes or multiple dose vials made of glass or plastic.

[0243] Pharmaceutical compositions suitable for injectable use include sterile aqueous solutions (where water soluble) or dispersions and sterile powders for the extemporaneous preparation of sterile injectable solutions or dispersion. For intravenous administration, suitable carriers include physiological saline, bacteriostatic water, Cremophor EL™ (BASF, Parsippany, N.J.) or phosphate buffered saline (PBS). In all cases, the composition must be sterile and should be fluid to the extent that easy syringeability exists. It must be stable under the conditions of manufacture and storage and must be preserved against the contaminating action of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. The carrier can be a solvent or dispersion medium containing, for example, water, ethanol, polyol (for example, glycerol, propylene glycol, and liquid polyetheylene glycol, and the like), and suitable mixtures thereof. The proper fluidity can be maintained, for example, by the use of a coating such as lecithin, by the maintenance of the required particle size in the case of dispersion and by the use of surfactants. Prevention of the action of microorganisms can be achieved by various antibacterial and antifungal agents, for example, parabens, chlorobutanol, phenol, ascorbic acid, thimerosal, and the like. In many cases, it will be preferable to include isotonic agents, for example, sugars, polyalcohols such as manitol, sorbitol, sodium chloride in the composition. Prolonged absorption of the injectable compositions can be brought about by including in the composition an agent which delays absorption, for example, aluminum monostearate and gelatin.

[0244] Sterile injectable solutions can be prepared by incorporating the active compound (e.g., a fragment of an MTP-1 protein or an anti-MTP-1 antibody) in the required amount in an appropriate solvent with one or a combination of ingredients enumerated above, as required, followed by filtered sterilization. Generally, dispersions are prepared by incorporating the active compound into a sterile vehicle which contains a basic dispersion medium and the required other ingredients from those enumerated above. In the case of sterile powders for the preparation of sterile injectable solutions, the preferred methods of preparation are vacuum drying and freeze-drying which yields a powder of the active ingredient plus any additional desired ingredient from a previously sterile-filtered solution thereof.

[0245] Oral compositions generally include an inert diluent or an edible carrier. They can be enclosed in gelatin capsules or compressed into tablets. For the purpose of oral therapeutic administration, the active compound can be incorporated with excipients and used in the form of tablets, troches, or capsules. Oral compositions can also be prepared using a fluid carrier for use as a mouthwash, wherein the compound in the fluid carrier is applied orally and swished and expectorated or swallowed. Pharmaceutically compatible binding agents, and/or adjuvant materials can be included as part of the composition. The tablets, pills, capsules, troches and the like can contain any of the following ingredients, or compounds of a similar nature: a binder such as microcrystalline cellulose, gum tragacanth or gelatin; an excipient such as starch or lactose, a disintegrating agent such as alginic acid, Primogel, or corn starch; a lubricant such as magnesium stearate or Sterotes; a glidant such as colloidal silicon dioxide; a sweetening agent such as sucrose or saccharin; or a flavoring agent such as peppermint, methyl salicylate, or orange flavoring.

[0246] For administration by inhalation, the compounds are delivered in the form of an aerosol spray from pressured container or dispenser which contains a suitable propellant, e.g., a gas such as carbon dioxide, or a nebulizer.

[0247] Systemic administration can also be by transmucosal or transdermal means. For transmucosal or transdermal administration, penetrants appropriate to the barrier to be permeated are used in the formulation. Such penetrants are generally known in the art, and include, for example, for transmucosal administration, detergents, bile salts, and fusidic acid derivatives. Transmucosal administration can be accomplished through the use of nasal sprays or suppositories. For transdermal administration, the active compounds are formulated into ointments, salves, gels, or creams as generally known in the art.

[0248] The compounds can also be prepared in the form of suppositories (e.g., with conventional suppository bases such as cocoa butter and other glycerides) or retention enemas for rectal delivery.

[0249] In one embodiment, the active compounds are prepared with carriers that will protect the compound against rapid elimination from the body, such as a controlled release formulation, including implants and microencapsulated delivery systems. Biodegradable, biocompatible polymers can be used, such as ethylene vinyl acetate, polyanhydrides, polyglycolic acid, collagen, polyorthoesters, and polylactic acid. Methods for preparation of such formulations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The materials can also be obtained commercially from Alza Corporation and Nova Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Liposomal suspensions (including liposomes targeted to infected cells with monoclonal antibodies to viral antigens) can also be used as pharmaceutically acceptable carriers. These can be prepared according to methods known to those skilled in the art, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,811.

[0250] It is especially advantageous to formulate oral or parenteral compositions in dosage unit form for ease of administration and uniformity of dosage. Dosage unit form as used herein refers to physically discrete units suited as unitary dosages for the subject to be treated; each unit containing a predetermined quantity of active compound calculated to produce the desired therapeutic effect in association with the required pharmaceutical carrier. The specification for the dosage unit forms of the invention are dictated by and directly dependent on the unique characteristics of the active compound and the particular therapeutic effect to be achieved, and the limitations inherent in the art of compounding such an active compound for the treatment of individuals.

[0251] Toxicity and therapeutic efficacy of such compounds can be determined by standard pharmaceutical procedures in cell cultures or experimental animals, e.g., for determining the LD50 (the dose lethal to 50% of the population) and the ED50 (the dose therapeutically effective in 50% of the population). The dose ratio between toxic and therapeutic effects is the therapeutic index and it can be expressed as the ratio LD50/ED50. Compounds which exhibit large therapeutic indices are preferred. While compounds that exhibit toxic side effects may be used, care should be taken to design a delivery system that targets such compounds to the site of affected tissue in order to minimize potential damage to uninfected cells and, thereby, reduce side effects.

[0252] The data obtained from the cell culture assays and animal studies can be used in formulating a range of dosage for use in humans. The dosage of such compounds lies preferably within a range of circulating concentrations that include the ED50 with little or no toxicity. The dosage may vary within this range depending upon the dosage form employed and the route of administration utilized. For any compound used in the method of the invention, the therapeutically effective dose can be estimated initially from cell culture assays. A dose may be formulated in animal models to achieve a circulating plasma concentration range that includes the IC50 (i.e., the concentration of the test compound which achieves a half-maximal inhibition of symptoms) as determined in cell culture. Such information can be used to more accurately determine useful doses in humans. Levels in plasma may be measured, for example, by high performance liquid chromatography.

[0253] As defined herein, a therapeutically effective amount of protein or polypeptide (i.e., an effective dosage) ranges from about 0.001 to 30 mg/kg body weight, preferably about 0.01 to 25 mg/kg body weight, more preferably about 0.1 to 20 mg/kg body weight, and even more preferably about 1 to 10 mg/kg, 2 to 9 mg/kg, 3 to 8 mg/kg, 4 to 7 mg/kg, or 5 to 6 mg/kg body weight. The skilled artisan will appreciate that certain factors may influence the dosage required to effectively treat a subject, including but not limited to the severity of the disease or disorder, previous treatments, the general health and/or age of the subject, and other diseases present. Moreover, treatment of a subject with a therapeutically effective amount of a protein, polypeptide, or antibody can include a single treatment or, preferably, can include a series of treatments.

[0254] In a preferred example, a subject is treated with antibody, protein, or polypeptide in the range of between about 0.1 to 20 mg/kg body weight, one time per week for between about 1 to 10 weeks, preferably between 2 to 8 weeks, more preferably between about 3 to 7 weeks, and even more preferably for about 4, 5, or 6 weeks. It will also be appreciated that the effective dosage of antibody, protein, or polypeptide used for treatment may increase or decrease over the course of a particular treatment. Changes in dosage may result and become apparent from the results of diagnostic assays as described herein.

[0255] The present invention encompasses agents which modulate expression or activity. An agent may, for example, be a small molecule. For example, such small molecules include, but are not limited to, peptides, peptidomimetics, amino acids, amino acid analogs, polynucleotides, polynucleotide analogs, nucleotides, nucleotide analogs, organic or inorganic compounds (i.e., including heteroorganic and organometallic compounds) having a molecular weight less than about 10,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 5,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 1,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 500 grams per mole, and salts, esters, and other pharmaceutically acceptable forms of such compounds. It is understood that appropriate doses of small molecule agents depends upon a number of factors within the ken of the ordinarily skilled physician, veterinarian, or researcher. The dose(s) of the small molecule will vary, for example, depending upon the identity, size, and condition of the subject or sample being treated, further depending upon the route by which the composition is to be administered, if applicable, and the effect which the practitioner desires the small molecule to have upon the nucleic acid or polypeptide of the invention.

[0256] Exemplary doses include milligram or microgram amounts of the small molecule per kilogram of subject or sample weight (e.g., about 1 microgram per kilogram to about 500 milligrams per kilogram, about 100 micrograms per kilogram to about 5 milligrams per kilogram, or about 1 microgram per kilogram to about 50 micrograms per kilogram. It is furthermore understood that appropriate doses of a small molecule depend upon the potency of the small molecule with respect to the expression or activity to be modulated. Such appropriate doses may be determined using the assays described herein. When one or more of these small molecules is to be administered to an animal (e.g., a human) in order to modulate expression or activity of a polypeptide or nucleic acid of the invention, a physician, veterinarian, or researcher may, for example, prescribe a relatively low dose at first, subsequently increasing the dose until an appropriate response is obtained. In addition, it is understood that the specific dose level for any particular animal subject will depend upon a variety of factors including the activity of the specific compound employed, the age, body weight, general health, gender, and diet of the subject, the time of administration, the route of administration, the rate of excretion, any drug combination, and the degree of expression or activity to be modulated.

[0257] Further, an antibody (or fragment thereof) may be conjugated to a therapeutic moiety such as a cytotoxin, a therapeutic agent or a radioactive metal ion. A cytotoxin or cytotoxic agent includes any agent that is detrimental to cells. Examples include taxol, cytochalasin B, gramicidin D, ethidium bromide, emetine, mitomycin, etoposide, tenoposide, vincristine, vinblastine, colchicin, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, dihydroxy anthracin dione, mitoxantrone, mithramycin, actinomycin D, 1-dehydrotestosterone, glucocorticoids, procaine, tetracaine, lidocaine, propranolol, and puromycin and analogs or homologs thereof. Therapeutic agents include, but are not limited to, antimetabolites (e.g., methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, cytarabine, 5-fluorouracil decarbazine), alkylating agents (e.g., mechlorethamine, thioepa chlorambucil, melphalan, carmustine (BSNU) and lomustine (CCNU), cyclothosphamide, busulfan, dibromomannitol, streptozotocin, mitomycin C, and cis-dichlorodiamine platinum (II) (DDP) cisplatin), anthracyclines (e.g., daunorubicin (formerly daunomycin) and doxorubicin), antibiotics (e.g., dactinomycin (formerly actinomycin), bleomycin, mithramycin, and anthramycin (AMC)), and anti-mitotic agents (e.g., vincristine and vinblastine).

[0258] The conjugates of the invention can be used for modifying a given biological response, the drug moiety is not to be construed as limited to classical chemical therapeutic agents. For example, the drug moiety may be a protein or polypeptide possessing a desired biological activity. Such proteins may include, for example, a toxin such as abrin, ricin A, pseudomonas exotoxin, or diphtheria toxin; a protein such as tumor necrosis factor, alpha-interferon, beta-interferon, nerve growth factor, platelet derived growth factor, tissue plasminogen activator; or, biological response modifiers such as, for example, lymphokines, interleukin-1 (“IL-1”), interleukin-2 (“IL-2”), interleukin-6 (“IL-6”), granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (“GM-CSF”), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (“G-CSF”), or other growth factors.

[0259] Techniques for conjugating such therapeutic moiety to antibodies are well known, see, e.g., Arnon et al., “Monoclonal Antibodies For Inmunotargeting Of Drugs In Cancer Therapy”, in Monoclonal Antibodies And Cancer Therapy, Reisfeld et al. (eds.), pp. 243-56 (Alan R. Liss, Inc. 1985); Hellstrom et al., “Antibodies For Drug Delivery”, in Controlled Drug Delivery (2nd Ed.), Robinson et al. (eds.), pp. 623-53 (Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1987); Thorpe, “Antibody Carriers Of Cytotoxic Agents In Cancer Therapy: A Review”, in Monoclonal Antibodies '84: Biological And Clinical Applications, Pinchera et al. (eds.), pp. 475-506 (1985); “Analysis, Results, And Future Prospective Of The Therapeutic Use Of Radiolabeled Antibody In Cancer Therapy”, in Monoclonal Antibodies For Cancer Detection And Therapy, Baldwin et al. (eds.), pp. 303-16 (Academic Press 1985), and Thorpe et al., “The Preparation And Cytotoxic Properties Of Antibody-Toxin Conjugates”, Immunol. Rev., 62:119-58 (1982). Alternatively, an antibody can be conjugated to a second antibody to form an antibody heteroconjugate as described by Segal in U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,980.

[0260] The nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be inserted into vectors and used as gene therapy vectors. Gene therapy vectors can be delivered to a subject by, for example, intravenous injection, local administration (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,470) or by stereotactic injection (see e.g., Chen et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:3054-3057). The pharmaceutical preparation of the gene therapy vector can include the gene therapy vector in an acceptable diluent, or can comprise a slow release matrix in which the gene delivery vehicle is imbedded. Alternatively, where the complete gene delivery vector can be produced intact from recombinant cells, e.g., retroviral vectors, the pharmaceutical preparation can include one or more cells which produce the gene delivery system.

[0261] The pharmaceutical compositions can be included in a container, pack, or dispenser together with instructions for administration.

[0262] V. Uses and Methods of the Invention

[0263] The nucleic acid molecules, proteins, protein homologues, and antibodies described herein can be used in one or more of the following methods: a) screening assays; b) predictive medicine (e.g., diagnostic assays, prognostic assays, monitoring clinical trials, and pharmacogenetics); and c) methods of treatment (e.g., therapeutic and prophylactic). As described herein, an MTP-1 protein of the invention has one or more of the following activities: 1) modulates the import and export of molecules from cells, e.g., lipids, hormones, ions, cytokines, neurotransmitters, and metabolites, 2) modulates intra- or intercellular signaling, 3) modulates removal of potentially harmful compounds from the cell, or facilitate the compartmentalization of these molecules into a sequestered intracellular space (e.g., the peroxisome), and 4) modulates transport of biological molecules across membranes, e.g., the plasma membrane, or the membrane of the mitochondrion, the peroxisome, the lysosome, the endoplasmic reticulum, the nucleus, or the vacuole.

[0264] The isolated nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be used, for example, to express MTP-1 protein (e.g., via a recombinant expression vector in a host cell in gene therapy applications), to detect MTP-1 mRNA (e.g., in a biological sample) or a genetic alteration in an MTP-1 gene, and to modulate MTP-1 activity, as described further below. The MTP-1 proteins can be used to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive production of an MTP-1 substrate or production of MTP-1 inhibitors. In addition, the MTP-1 proteins can be used to screen for naturally occurring MTP-1 substrates, to screen for drugs or compounds which modulate MTP-1 activity, as well as to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive production of MTP-1 protein or production of MTP-1 protein forms which have decreased, aberrant or unwanted activity compared to MTP-1 wild type protein, preferably a transporter-associated disorder. As used herein, a “transporter-associated disorder” includes a disorder, disease or condition which is caused or characterized by a misregulation (e.g., downregulation or upregulation) of a transporter-mediated activity. Transporter-associated disorders can detrimentally affect cellular functions such as inflammation, lipid metabolism, hematopoiesis, cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration, cellular regulation of homeostasis, inter- or intra-cellular communication; tissue function, such as cardiac function or musculoskeletal function; systemic responses in an organism, such as nervous system responses, hormonal responses (e.g., insulin response), or immune responses; and protection of cells from toxic compounds (e.g., carcinogens, toxins, mutagens, and toxic byproducts of metabolic activity (e.g., reactive oxygen species)).

[0265] Since MTP-1 is preferentially expressed in hematopoietic tissue such as bone marrow cells, MTP-1 molecules may be causatively linked to hematopoietic disorders, examples of which include disorders relating to the proliferation, differentiation, and/or function of cells that appear in the bone marrow, e.g., stem cells (e.g., hematopoietic stem cells), and blood cells, e.g., erythrocytes, platelets, and leukocytes. Thus [x] nucleic acids, proteins, and modulators thereof can be used to treat bone marrow, blood, and hematopoietic associated diseases and disorders, e.g., acute myeloid leukemia, hemophilia, leukemia, anemia (e.g., sickle cell anemia), and thalassemia.

[0266] In another example, MTP-1 polypeptides, nucleic acids, and modulators thereof can be used to treat leukocytic disorders, such as leukopenias (e.g., neutropenia, monocytopenia, lymphopenia, and granulocytopenia), leukocytosis (e.g., granulocytosis, lymphocytosis, eosinophilia, monocytosis, acute and chronic lymphadenitis), malignant lymphomas (e.g., Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, Hodgkin's lymphomas, leukemias, agnogenic myeloid metaplasia, multiple myeloma, plasmacytoma, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, heavy-chain disease, monoclonal gammopathy, histiocytoses, eosinophilic granuloma, and angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy).

[0267] Since MTP-1 is homologous to known ABC transporter molecules, which are known to be causatively linked to disorders related to lipid metabolism, MTP-1 molecules may be causatively linked to disorders related to lipid metabolism, adipocyte function and adipocyte-related processes such as, e.g., obesity, regulation of body temperature, lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, body weight regulation, obesity, anorexia nervosa, diabetes mellitus, unusual susceptibility or insensitivity to heat or cold, arteriosclerosis, atherosclerosis, atherogenesis and disorders involving abnormal vascularization, e.g., vascularization of solid tumors.

[0268] Examples of transporter-associated disorders also include immunological disorders such as autoimmune disorders (e.g., arthritis, graft rejection (e.g., allograft rejection), T cell disorders (e.g., AIDS)), immune deficiency disorders, e.g., congenital X-linked infantile hypogammaglobulinemia, transient hypogammaglobulinemia, common variable immunodeficiency, selective IgA deficiency, chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, or severe combined immunodeficiency. Transporter-related disorders also include inflammatory disorders pertaining to, characterized by, causing, resulting from, or becoming affected by inflammation. Examples of inflammatory diseases or disorders include, without limitation, asthma, lung inflammation, chronic granulomatous diseases such as tuberculosis, leprosy, sarcoidosis, silicosis and schistosomiasis, nephritis, amyloidosis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing sponduylitis, chronic bronchitis, scleroderma, lupus, polymyositis, appendicitis, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcers, Sjorgen's syndrome, Reiter's syndrome, psoriasis, pelvic inflammatory disease, orbital inflammatory disease, thrombotic disease, and inappropriate allergic responses to environmental stimuli such as poison ivy, pollen, insect stings and certain foods, including atopic dermatitis and contact dermatitis.

[0269] Examples of transporter-associated disorders also include CNS disorders such as cognitive and neurodegenerative disorders, examples of which include, but are not limited to, Alzheimer's disease, dementias related to Alzheimer's disease (such as Pick's disease), Parkinson's and other Lewy diffuse body diseases, senile dementia, Huntington's disease, Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive supranuclear palsy, epilepsy, and Jakob-Creutzfieldt disease; autonomic function disorders such as hypertension and sleep disorders, and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, korsakoff's psychosis, mania, anxiety disorders, or phobic disorders; learning or memory disorders, e.g., amnesia or age-related memory loss, attention deficit disorder, dysthymic disorder, major depressive disorder, mania, obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychoactive substance use disorders, anxiety, phobias, panic disorder, as well as bipolar affective disorder, e.g., severe bipolar affective (mood) disorder (BP-1), and bipolar affective neurological disorders, e.g., migraine and obesity. Further CNS-related disorders include, for example, those listed in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the most current version of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0270] Further examples of transporter-associated disorders include cardiac-related disorders. Cardiovascular system disorders in which the MTP-1 molecules of the invention may be directly or indirectly involved include arteriosclerosis, ischemia reperfusion injury, restenosis, arterial inflammation, vascular wall remodeling, ventricular remodeling, rapid ventricular pacing, coronary microembolism, tachycardia, bradycardia, pressure overload, aortic bending, coronary artery ligation, vascular heart disease, atrial fibrilation, Jervell syndrome, Lange-Nielsen syndrome, long-QT syndrome, congestive heart failure, sinus node dysfunction, angina, heart failure, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, dilated cardiomyopathy, idiopathic cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, coronary artery spasm, and arrhythmia. MTP-1-mediated or related disorders also include disorders of the musculoskeletal system such as paralysis and muscle weakness, e.g., ataxia, myotonia, and myokymia.

[0271] Transporter disorders also include cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration disorders. Cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration disorders include those disorders that affect cell proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration processes. As used herein, a “cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration process” is a process by which a cell increases in number, size or content, by which a cell develops a specialized set of characteristics which differ from that of other cells, or by which a cell moves closer to or further from a particular location or stimulus. The MTP-1 molecules of the present invention are involved in signal transduction mechanisms, which are known to be involved in cellular growth, differentiation, and migration processes. Thus, the MTP-1 molecules may modulate cellular growth, differentiation, or migration, and may play a role in disorders characterized by aberrantly regulated growth, differentiation, or migration. Such disorders include cancer, e.g., carcinoma, sarcoma, or leukemia; tumor angiogenesis and metastasis; skeletal dysplasia; hepatic disorders; and hematopoietic and/or myeloproliferative disorders.

[0272] MTP-1-associated or related disorders also include hormonal disorders, such as conditions or diseases in which the production and/or regulation of hormones in an organism is aberrant. Examples of such disorders and diseases include type I and type II diabetes mellitus, pituitary disorders (e.g., growth disorders), thyroid disorders (e.g., hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism), and reproductive or fertility disorders (e.g., disorders which affect the organs of the reproductive system, e.g., the prostate gland, the uterus, or the vagina; disorders which involve an imbalance in the levels of a reproductive hormone in a subject; disorders affecting the ability of a subject to reproduce; and disorders affecting secondary sex characteristic development, e.g., adrenal hyperplasia).

[0273] MTP-1-associated or related disorders also include disorders affecting tissues in which MTP-1 protein is expressed.

[0274] A. Screening Assays:

[0275] The invention provides a method (also referred to herein as a “screening assay”) for identifying modulators, i.e., candidate or test compounds or agents (e.g., peptides, peptidomimetics, small molecules (organic or inorganic) or other drugs) which bind to MTP-1 proteins, have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on, for example, MTP-1 expression or MTP-1 activity, or have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on, for example, the transport (e.g., import or export) of an MTP-1 substrate (e.g., cytotoxic substances, ions, peptides, metabolites).

[0276] These assays are designed to identify compounds that bind to a MTP-1 protein, bind to other inter- or extra-cellular proteins that interact with a MTP-1 protein, and/or interfere with the interaction of the MTP-1 protein with other inter- or extra-cellular proteins. For example, in the case of the MTP-1 protein, which is protein that is capable of membrane transport, such techniques can be used to identify ligands for such a protein. A MTP-1 protein modulator can, for example, be used to ameliorate diseases or disorders related to transmembrane lipid transport and/or hematopoietic cells. Such compounds may include, but are not limited to MTP-1 peptides, anti-MTP-1 antibodies, or small organic or inorganic compounds. Such compounds may also include other cellular proteins or peptides.

[0277] Compounds identified via assays such as those described herein may be useful, for example, for ameliorating hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related diseases or disorders. In instances whereby a hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease condition results from an overall lower level of MTP-1 gene expression and/or MTP-1 protein in a cell or tissue, compounds that interact with the MTP-1 protein may include compounds which accentuate or amplify the activity of the bound MTP-1 protein. Such compounds would bring about an effective increase in the level of MTP-1 protein activity, thus ameliorating symptoms.

[0278] In other instances, mutations within the MTP-1 gene may cause aberrant types or excessive amounts of MTP-1 proteins to be made which have a deleterious effect that leads to a hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder. Similarly, physiological conditions may cause an excessive increase in MTP-1 gene expression leading to a hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder. In such cases, compounds that bind to a MTP-1 protein may be identified that inhibit the activity of the MTP-1 protein. Assays for testing the effectiveness of compounds identified by techniques such as those described in this section are discussed herein.

[0279] In one embodiment, the invention provides assays for screening candidate or test compounds which are capable of binding to and/or being transported by an MTP-1 protein or polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof. In another embodiment, the invention provides assays for screening candidate or test compounds which bind to or modulate the activity of an MTP-1 protein or polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof, e.g., which modulate the ability of an MTP-1 protein to transport an MTP-1 substrate (e.g., a cytotoxic substance, an ion, a peptide, a metabolite). The test compounds of the present invention can be obtained using any of the numerous approaches in combinatorial library methods known in the art, including: biological libraries; spatially addressable parallel solid phase or solution phase libraries; synthetic library methods requiring deconvolution; the ‘one-bead one-compound’ library method; and synthetic library methods using affinity chromatography selection. The biological library approach is limited to peptide libraries, while the other four approaches are applicable to peptide, non-peptide oligomer or small molecule libraries of compounds (Lam, K. S. (1997) Anticancer Drug Des. 12:145).

[0280] Examples of methods for the synthesis of molecular libraries can be found in the art, for example in: DeWitt et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90:6909; Erb et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:11422; Zuckermann et al. (1994). J. Med. Chem. 37:2678; Cho et al. (1993) Science 261:1303; Carrell et al. (1994) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 33:2059; Carell et al. (1994) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 33:2061; and in Gallop et al. (1994) J. Med. Chem. 37: 1233.

[0281] Libraries of compounds may be presented in solution (e.g., Houghten (1992) Biotechniques 13:412-421), or on beads (Lam (1991) Nature 354:82-84), chips (Fodor (1993) Nature 364:555-556), bacteria (Ladner U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409), spores (Ladner U.S. Pat. No. '409), plasmids (Cull et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:1865-1869) or on phage (Scott and Smith (1990) Science 249:386-390); (Devlin (1990) Science 249:404-406); (Cwirla et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 87:6378-6382); (Felici (1991) J. Mol. Biol. 222:301-310); (Ladner supra.).

[0282] In one embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay in which a cell which expresses an MTP-1 protein or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate MTP-1 activity is determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate MTP-1 activity can be accomplished by monitoring, for example, the transport of an MTP-1 substrate into or out of a cell which expresses MTP-1. The cell, for example, can be of mammalian origin, e.g., a murine or human cell. The ability of the test compound to modulate MTP-1 transport of a substrate (e.g., cytotoxic substances, ions, peptides, metabolites) or to bind to MTP-1 can also be determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate MTP-1 transport of a substrate (e.g., cytotoxic substances, ions, peptides, metabolites) can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the MTP-1 substrate with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that transport of the MTP-1 substrate by MTP-1 can be determined by detecting the labeled MTP-1 substrate (e.g., in the cell, extracellularly, or intercompartmentally). Determining the ability of the test compound to bind MTP-1 can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the compound with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the compound to MTP-1 can be determined by detecting the labeled MTP-1 compound, for example, complexed to MTP-1 in a cell membrane. For example, compounds (e.g., MTP-1 substrates) can be labeled with ¹²⁵I, ³⁵S, ¹⁴C, or ³H, either directly or indirectly, and the radioisotope detected by direct counting of radioemission or by scintillation counting. Alternatively, compounds can be enzymatically labeled with, for example, horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, or luciferase, and the enzymatic label detected by determination of conversion of an appropriate substrate to product.

[0283] It is also within the scope of this invention to determine the ability of a compound (e.g., an MTP-1 substrate, e.g., cytotoxic substances, ions, peptides, metabolites) to interact with or to be transported by MTP-1 without the labeling of any of the interactants. For example, a microphysiometer can be used to detect the interaction of a compound with MTP-1 without the labeling of either the compound or the MTP-1. McConnell, H. M. et al. (1992) Science 257:1906-1912. As used herein, a “microphysiometer” (e.g., Cytosensor) is an analytical instrument that measures the rate at which a cell acidifies its environment using a light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS). Changes in this acidification rate can be used as an indicator of the interaction between a compound and MTP-1.

[0284] In another embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay comprising contacting a cell which expresses or produces MTP-1 with an MTP-1 substrate (e.g., a cytotoxic substance, an ion, a peptide, a metabolite) and a test compound and determining the ability of the test compound to modulate (e.g., stimulate or inhibit) the activity (e.g., transport) or cellular location of the MTP-1 substrate molecule.

[0285] Determining the ability of the MTP-1 protein, or a biologically active fragment thereof, to bind to, interact with, or transport an MTP-1 substrate (e.g., cytotoxic substances, ions, peptides, metabolites) can be accomplished by one of the methods described above for determining direct binding. In a preferred embodiment, determining the ability of the MTP-1 protein to bind to, interact with, or transport an MTP-1 substrate (e.g., cytotoxic substances, ions, peptides, metabolites) can be accomplished by determining the activity or localization of the substrate molecule. For example, the activity of the substrate can be determined by detecting induction of a cellular response (i.e., changes in intracellular K⁺ levels), detecting a secondary or indirect activity of the substrate on a downstream molecule , detecting the induction of a reporter gene (comprising a substrate-responsive regulatory element operatively linked to a nucleic acid encoding a detectable marker, e.g., luciferase), detecting a substrate-regulated cellular response, or determining the localization of the substrate molecule. In other embodiments, the assays described above are carried out in a cell-free context (e.g., in an artificial membrane, vesicle, or micelle preparation).

[0286] In one embodiment, an assay of the present invention is a cell-free assay in which an MTP-1 protein or biologically active portion thereof (e.g., a portion which possesses the ability to transport or interact with an MTP-1 substrate, e.g., a cytotoxic substance, an ion, a peptide, or a metabolite) is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to bind to the MTP-1 protein or biologically active portion thereof is determined. Preferred biologically active portions of the MTP-1 proteins to be used in assays of the present invention include fragments which participate in interactions with non-MTP-1 molecules, e.g., fragments with high surface probability scores. Binding of the test compound to the MTP-1 protein can be determined either directly or indirectly as described above. In a preferred embodiment, the assay includes contacting the MTP-1 protein or biologically active portion (e.g., a portion which possesses the ability to transport or interact with an MTP-1 substrate, e.g., a cytotoxic substance, an ion, a peptide, or a metabolite) thereof with a known compound which binds MTP-1 to form an assay mixture, contacting the assay mixture with a test compound, and determining the ability of the test compound to interact with an MTP-1 protein, wherein determining the ability of the test compound to interact with an MTP-1 protein comprises determining the ability of the test compound to preferentially bind to MTP-1 or biologically active portion thereof as compared to the known compound.

[0287] In another embodiment, the assay is a cell-free assay in which an MTP-1 protein or biologically active portion thereof (e.g., a portion which possesses the ability to transport or interact with an MTP-1 substrate, e.g., a cytotoxic substance, an ion, a peptide, or a metabolite) is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate (e.g., stimulate or inhibit) the activity of the MTP-1 protein or biologically active portion thereof is determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of an MTP-1 protein can be accomplished, for example, by determining the ability of the MTP-1 protein to transport an MTP-1 substrate as described herein.. Determining the ability of the MTP-1 protein to bind to an MTP-1 substrate (e.g., cytotoxic substances, ions, peptides, metabolites) can also be accomplished using a technology such as real-time Biomolecular Interaction Analysis (BIA). Sjolander, S. and Urbaniczky, C. (1991) Anal. Chem. 63:2338-2345 and Szabo et al. (1995) Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol. 5:699-705. As used herein, “BIA” is a technology for studying biospecific interactions in real time, without labeling any of the interactants (e.g., BIAcore). Changes in the optical phenomenon of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) can be used as an indication of real-time reactions between biological molecules.

[0288] In more than one embodiment of the above assay methods of the present invention, it may be desirable to immobilize MTP-1 (e.g., MTP-1 in a cell, vesicle, or membrane preparation) MTP-1 protein can be immobilized for example on the surface of any vessel suitable for containing reactants. Examples of such vessels include microtitre plates, test tubes, and micro-centrifuge tubes. For example, an MTP-1 protein can be immobilized utilizing conjugation of biotin and streptavidin. Biotinylated MTP-1 protein can be prepared from biotin-NHS (N-hydroxy-succinimide) using techniques known in the art (e.g., biotinylation kit, Pierce Chemicals, Rockford, Ill.), and immobilized in the wells of streptavidin-coated 96 well plates (Pierce Chemical). Alternatively, antibodies reactive with MTP-1 protein or target molecules but which do not interfere with activity of the MTP-1 protein can be derivatized to the wells of the plate, and unbound MTP-1 protein trapped in the wells by antibody conjugation.

[0289] In another embodiment, modulators of MTP-1 expression are identified in a method wherein a cell is contacted with a candidate compound and the expression of MTP-1 mRNA or protein in the cell is determined. The level of expression of MTP-1 mRNA or protein in the presence of the candidate compound is compared to the level of expression of MTP-1 mRNA or protein in the absence of the candidate compound. The candidate compound can then be identified as a modulator of MTP-1 expression based on this comparison. For example, when expression of MTP-1 mRNA or protein is greater (statistically significantly greater) in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as a stimulator of MTP-1 mRNA or protein expression. Alternatively, when expression of MTP-1 mRNA or protein is less (statistically significantly less) in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as an inhibitor of MTP-1 mRNA or protein expression. The level of MTP-1 mRNA or protein expression in the cells can be determined by methods described herein for detecting MTP-1 mRNA or protein.

[0290] In another aspect, the invention pertains to a combination of two or more of the assays described herein. For example, a modulating agent can be identified using a cell-based assay or a cell free assay (e.g., an artificial membrane, micelle, or vesicle preparation), and the ability of the agent to modulate the activity of an MTP-1 protein can be confirmed in vivo, e.g., in an animal such as an animal model for cellular transformation and/or tumorigenesis.

[0291] This invention further pertains to novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays. Accordingly, it is within the scope of this invention to further use an agent identified as described herein in an appropriate animal model. For example, an agent identified as described herein (e.g., an MTP-1 modulating agent, an antisense MTP-1 nucleic acid molecule, an MTP-1-specific antibody, or an MTP-1-binding partner) can be used in an animal model to determine the efficacy, toxicity, or side effects of treatment with such an agent. Alternatively, an agent identified as described herein can be used in an animal model to determine the mechanism of action of such an agent. Furthermore, this invention pertains to uses of novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays for treatments as described herein. In one embodiment, the invention features a method of treating a subject having a hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder that involves administering to the subject a MTP-1 modulator such that treatment occurs. In another embodiment, the invention features a method of treating a subject having a hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease, e.g., atherogenesis, that involves treating a subject with a MTP-1 modulator, such that treatment occurs. Preferred MTP-1 modulators include, but are not limited to, MTP-1 proteins or biologically active fragments, MTP-1 nucleic acid molecules, MTP-1 antibodies, ribozymes, and MTP-1 antisense oligonucleotides designed based on the MTP-1 nucleotide sequences disclosed herein, as well as peptides, organic and non-organic small molecules identified as being capable of modulating MTP-1 expression and/or activity, for example, according to at least one of the screening assays described herein.

[0292] Any of the compounds, including but not limited to compounds such as those identified in the foregoing assay systems, may be tested for the ability to ameliorate immunological disease or disorder symptoms. Cell-based and animal model-based assays for the identification of compounds exhibiting such an ability to ameliorate hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder systems are described herein.

[0293] In one aspect, cell-based systems, as described herein, may be used to identify compounds which may act to ameliorate hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder symptoms. For example, such cell systems may be exposed to a compound, suspected of exhibiting an ability to ameliorate hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder symptoms, at a sufficient concentration and for a time sufficient to elicit such an amelioration of hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder symptoms in the exposed cells. After exposure, the cells are examined to determine whether one or more of the hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder cellular phenotypes has been altered to resemble a more normal or more wild type, non- hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder phenotype. Cellular phenotypes that are associated with hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease states include aberrant proliferation, growth, and migration, anchorage independent growth, and loss of contact inhibition.

[0294] In addition, animal-based hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder systems, such as those described herein, may be used to identify compounds capable of ameliorating hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder symptoms. Such animal models may be used as test substrates for the identification of drugs, pharmaceuticals, therapies, and interventions which may be effective in treating hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disorders or diseases. For example, animal models may be exposed to a compound, suspected of exhibiting an ability to hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder symptoms, at a sufficient concentration and for a time sufficient to elicit such an amelioration of hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder symptoms in the exposed animals. The response of the animals to the exposure may be monitored by assessing the reversal of disorders or symptoms associated with hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease.

[0295] With regard to intervention, any treatments which reverse any aspect of hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder symptoms should be considered as candidates for human hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder therapeutic intervention. Dosages of test agents may be determined by deriving dose-response curves.

[0296] Additionally, gene expression patterns may be utilized to assess the ability of a compound to ameliorate hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease symptoms. For example, the expression pattern of one or more genes may form part of a “gene expression profile” or “transcriptional profile” which may be then be used in such an assessment. “Gene expression profile” or “transcriptional profile”, as used herein, includes the pattern of mRNA expression obtained for a given tissue or cell type under a given set of conditions. Such conditions may include, but are not limited to, cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, transformation, tumorigenesis, metastasis, and carcinogen exposure. Gene expression profiles may be generated, for example, by utilizing a differential display procedure, Northern analysis and/or RT-PCR. In one embodiment, MTP-1 gene sequences may be used as probes and/or PCR primers for the generation and corroboration of such gene expression profiles.

[0297] Gene expression profiles may be characterized for known states within the cell- and/or animal-based model systems. Subsequently, these known gene expression profiles may be compared to ascertain the effect a test compound has to modify such gene expression profiles, and to cause the profile to more closely resemble that of a more desirable profile.

[0298] For example, administration of a compound may cause the gene expression profile of a hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder model system to more closely resemble the control system. Administration of a compound may, alternatively, cause the gene expression profile of a control system to begin to mimic a hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease state. Such a compound may, for example, be used in further characterizing the compound of interest, or may be used in the generation of additional animal models.

[0299] B. Detection Assays

[0300] Portions or fragments of the cDNA sequences identified herein (and the corresponding complete gene sequences) can be used in numerous ways as polynucleotide reagents. For example, these sequences can be used to: (i) map their respective genes on a chromosome; and, thus, locate gene regions associated with genetic disease; (ii) identify an individual from a minute biological sample (tissue typing); and (iii) aid in forensic identification of a biological sample. These applications are described in the subsections below.

[0301] 1. Chromosome Mapping

[0302] Once the sequence (or a portion of the sequence) of a gene has been isolated, this sequence can be used to map the location of the gene on a chromosome. This process is called chromosome mapping. Accordingly, portions or fragments of the MTP-1 nucleotide sequences, described herein, can be used to map the location of the MTP-1 genes on a chromosome. The mapping of the MTP-1 sequences to chromosomes is an important first step in correlating these sequences with genes associated with disease.

[0303] Briefly, MTP-1 genes can be mapped to chromosomes by preparing PCR primers (preferably 15-25 bp in length) from the MTP-1 nucleotide sequences. Computer analysis of the MTP-1 sequences can be used to predict primers that do not span more than one exon in the genomic DNA, thus complicating the amplification process. These primers can then be used for PCR screening of somatic cell hybrids containing individual human chromosomes. Only those hybrids containing the human gene corresponding to the MTP-1 sequences will yield an amplified fragment.

[0304] Somatic cell hybrids are prepared by fusing somatic cells from different mammals (e.g., human and mouse cells). As hybrids of human and mouse cells grow and divide, they gradually lose human chromosomes in random order, but retain the mouse chromosomes. By using media in which mouse cells cannot grow, because they lack a particular enzyme, but human cells can, the one human chromosome that contains the gene encoding the needed enzyme, will be retained. By using various media, panels of hybrid cell lines can be established. Each cell line in a panel contains either a single human chromosome or a small number of human chromosomes, and a full set of mouse chromosomes, allowing easy mapping of individual genes to specific human chromosomes. (D'Eustachio P. et al. (1983) Science 220:919-924). Somatic cell hybrids containing only fragments of human chromosomes can also be produced by using human chromosomes with translocations and deletions.

[0305] PCR mapping of somatic cell hybrids is a rapid procedure for assigning a particular sequence to a particular chromosome. Three or more sequences can be assigned per day using a single thermal cycler. Using the MTP-1 nucleotide sequences to design oligonucleotide primers, sublocalization can be achieved with panels of fragments from specific chromosomes. Other mapping strategies which can similarly be used to map an MTP-1 sequence to its chromosome include in situ hybridization (described in Fan, Y. et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 87:6223-27), pre-screening with labeled flow-sorted chromosomes, and pre-selection by hybridization to chromosome specific cDNA libraries.

[0306] Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of a DNA sequence to a metaphase chromosomal spread can further be used to provide a precise chromosomal location in one step. Chromosome spreads can be made using cells whose division has been blocked in metaphase by a chemical such as colcemid that disrupts the mitotic spindle. The chromosomes can be treated briefly with trypsin, and then stained with Giemsa. A pattern of light and dark bands develops on each chromosome, so that the chromosomes can be identified individually. The FISH technique can be used with a DNA sequence as short as 500 or 600 bases. However, clones larger than 1,000 bases have a higher likelihood of binding to a unique chromosomal location with sufficient signal intensity for simple detection. Preferably 1,000 bases, and more preferably 2,000 bases will suffice to get good results at a reasonable amount of time. For a review of this technique, see Verma et al., Human Chromosomes: A Manual of Basic Techniques (Pergamon Press, New York 1988).

[0307] Reagents for chromosome mapping can be used individually to mark a single chromosome or a single site on that chromosome, or panels of reagents can be used for marking multiple sites and/or multiple chromosomes. Reagents corresponding to noncoding regions of the genes actually are preferred for mapping purposes. Coding sequences are more likely to be conserved within gene families, thus increasing the chance of cross hybridizations during chromosomal mapping.

[0308] Once a sequence has been mapped to a precise chromosomal location, the physical position of the sequence on the chromosome can be correlated with genetic map data. (Such data are found, for example, in V. McKusick, Mendelian Inheritance in Man, available on-line through Johns Hopkins University Welch Medical Library). The relationship between a gene and a disease, mapped to the same chromosomal region, can then be identified through linkage analysis (co-inheritance of physically adjacent genes), described in, for example, Egeland, J. et al. (1987) Nature, 325:783-787.

[0309] Moreover, differences in the DNA sequences between individuals affected and unaffected with a disease associated with the MTP-1 gene can be determined. If a mutation is observed in some or all of the affected individuals but not in any unaffected individuals, then the mutation is likely to be the causative agent of the particular disease. Comparison of affected and unaffected individuals generally involves first looking for structural alterations in the chromosomes, such as deletions or translocations that are visible from chromosome spreads or detectable using PCR based on that DNA sequence. Ultimately, complete sequencing of genes from several individuals can be performed to confirm the presence of a mutation and to distinguish mutations from polymorphisms.

[0310] 2. Tissue Typing

[0311] The MTP-1 sequences of the present invention can also be used to identify individuals from minute biological samples. The United States military, for example, is considering the use of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) for identification of its personnel. In this technique, an individual's genomic DNA is digested with one or more restriction enzymes, and probed on a Southern blot to yield unique bands for identification. This method does not suffer from the current limitations of “Dog Tags” which can be lost, switched, or stolen, making positive identification difficult. The sequences of the present invention are useful as additional DNA markers for RFLP (described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,057).

[0312] Furthermore, the sequences of the present invention can be used to provide an alternative technique which determines the actual base-by-base DNA sequence of selected portions of an individual's genome. Thus, the MTP-1 nucleotide sequences described herein can be used to prepare two PCR primers from the 5′ and 3′ ends of the sequences. These primers can then be used to amplify an individual's DNA and subsequently sequence it.

[0313] Panels of corresponding DNA sequences from individuals, prepared in this manner, can provide unique individual identifications, as each individual will have a unique set of such DNA sequences due to allelic differences. The sequences of the present invention can be used to obtain such identification sequences from individuals and from tissue. The MTP-1 nucleotide sequences of the invention uniquely represent portions of the human genome. Allelic variation occurs to some degree in the coding regions of these sequences, and to a greater degree in the noncoding regions. It is estimated that allelic variation between individual humans occurs with a frequency of about once per each 500 bases. Each of the sequences described herein can, to some degree, be used as a standard against which DNA from an individual can be compared for identification purposes. Because greater numbers of polymorphisms occur in the noncoding regions, fewer sequences are necessary to differentiate individuals. The noncoding sequences of SEQ ID NO: 1 can comfortably provide positive individual identification with a panel of perhaps 10 to 1,000 primers which each yield a noncoding amplified sequence of 100 bases. If predicted coding sequences, such as those in SEQ ID NO: 3 or 6 are used, a more appropriate number of primers for positive individual identification would be 500-2,000.

[0314] If a panel of reagents from MTP-1 nucleotide sequences described herein is used to generate a unique identification database for an individual, those same reagents can later be used to identify tissue from that individual. Using the unique identification database, positive identification of the individual, living or dead, can be made from extremely small tissue samples.

[0315] 3. Use of MTP-1 Sequences in Forensic Biology

[0316] DNA-based identification techniques can also be used in forensic biology. Forensic biology is a scientific field employing genetic typing of biological evidence found at a crime scene as a means for positively identifying, for example, a perpetrator of a crime. To make such an identification, PCR technology can be used to amplify DNA sequences taken from very small biological samples such as tissues, e.g., hair or skin, or body fluids, e.g., blood, saliva, or semen found at a crime scene. The amplified sequence can then be compared to a standard, thereby allowing identification of the origin of the biological sample.

[0317] The sequences of the present invention can be used to provide polynucleotide reagents, e.g., PCR primers, targeted to specific loci in the human genome, which can enhance the reliability of DNA-based forensic identifications by, for example, providing another “identification marker” (i.e. another DNA sequence that is unique to a particular individual). As mentioned above, actual base sequence information can be used for identification as an accurate alternative to patterns formed by restriction enzyme generated fragments. Sequences targeted to noncoding regions of SEQ ID NO: 1 are particularly appropriate for this use as greater numbers of polymorphisms occur in the noncoding regions, making it easier to differentiate individuals using this technique. Examples of polynucleotide reagents include the MTP-1 nucleotide sequences or portions thereof, e.g., fragments derived from the noncoding regions of SEQ ID NO: 1 having a length of at least 20 bases, preferably at least 30 bases.

[0318] The MTP-1 nucleotide sequences described herein can further be used to provide polynucleotide reagents, e.g., labeled or labelable probes which can be used in, for example, an in situ hybridization technique, to identify a specific tissue, e.g., thymus or brain tissue. This can be very useful in cases where a forensic pathologist is presented with a tissue of unknown origin. Panels of such MTP-1 probes can be used to identify tissue by species and/or by organ type.

[0319] In a similar fashion, these reagents, e.g., MTP-1 primers or probes can be used to screen tissue culture for contamination (i.e. screen for the presence of a mixture of different types of cells in a culture).

[0320] C. Predictive Medicine:

[0321] The present invention also pertains to the field of predictive medicine in which diagnostic assays, prognostic assays, and monitoring clinical trials are used for prognostic (predictive) purposes to thereby treat an individual prophylactically. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention relates to diagnostic assays for determining MTP-1 protein and/or nucleic acid expression as well as MTP-1 activity, in the context of a biological sample (e.g., blood, serum, cells, tissue) to thereby determine whether an individual is afflicted with a disease or disorder, or is at risk of developing a disorder, associated with aberrant or unwanted MTP-1 expression or activity. The invention also provides for prognostic (or predictive) assays for determining whether an individual is at risk of developing a disorder associated with MTP-1 protein, nucleic acid expression or activity. For example, mutations in an MTP-1 gene can be assayed in a biological sample. Such assays can be used for prognostic or predictive purpose to thereby prophylactically treat an individual prior to the onset of a disorder characterized by or associated with MTP-1 protein, nucleic acid expression or activity.

[0322] Another aspect of the invention pertains to monitoring the influence of agents (e.g., drugs, compounds) on the expression or activity of MTP-1 in clinical trials.

[0323] These and other agents are described in further detail in the following sections.

[0324] 1. Diagnostic Assays

[0325] The present invention encompasses methods for diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disorders or diseases, e.g., atherogenesis, including, but not limited to colon cancer and lung cancer, and for the identification of subjects exhibiting a predisposition to such conditions.

[0326] An exemplary method for detecting the presence or absence of MTP-1 protein or nucleic acid in a biological sample involves obtaining a biological sample from a test subject and contacting the biological sample with a compound or an agent capable of detecting MTP-1 protein or nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA, or genomic DNA) that encodes MTP-1 protein such that the presence of MTP-1 protein or nucleic acid is detected in the biological sample. A preferred agent for detecting MTP-1 mRNA or genomic DNA is a labeled nucleic acid probe capable of hybridizing to MTP-1 mRNA or genomic DNA. The nucleic acid probe can be, for example, the MTP-1 nucleic acid set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, or a portion thereof, such as an oligonucleotide of at least 15, 30, 50, 100, 250 or 500 nucleotides in length and sufficient to specifically hybridize under stringent conditions to MTP-1 mRNA or genomic DNA. Other suitable probes for use in the diagnostic assays of the invention are described herein.

[0327] A preferred agent for detecting MTP-1 protein is an antibody capable of binding to MTP-1 protein, preferably an antibody with a detectable label. Antibodies can be polyclonal, or more preferably, monoclonal. An intact antibody, or a fragment thereof (e.g., Fab or F(ab′)2) can be used. The term “labeled”, with regard to the probe or antibody, is intended to encompass direct labeling of the probe or antibody by coupling (i.e., physically linking) a detectable substance to the probe or antibody, as well as indirect labeling of the probe or antibody by reactivity with another reagent that is directly labeled. Examples of indirect labeling include detection of a primary antibody using a fluorescently labeled secondary antibody and end-labeling of a DNA probe with biotin such that it can be detected with fluorescently labeled streptavidin. The term “biological sample” is intended to include tissues, cells and biological fluids isolated from a subject, as well as tissues, cells and fluids present within a subject. That is, the detection method of the invention can be used to detect MTP-1 mRNA, protein, or genomic DNA in a biological sample in vitro as well as in vivo. For example, in vitro techniques for detection of MTP-1 mRNA include Northern hybridizations and in situ hybridizations. In vitro techniques for detection of MTP-1 protein include enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), Western blots, immunoprecipitations and immunofluorescence. In vitro techniques for detection of MTP-1 genomic DNA include Southern hybridizations. Furthermore, in vivo techniques for detection of MTP-1 protein include introducing into a subject a labeled anti-MTP-1 antibody. For example, the antibody can be labeled with a radioactive marker whose presence and location in a subject can be detected by standard imaging techniques.

[0328] In one embodiment, the biological sample contains protein molecules from the test subject. Alternatively, the biological sample can contain mRNA molecules from the test subject or genomic DNA molecules from the test subject. A preferred biological sample is a serum sample isolated by conventional means from a subject.

[0329] In another embodiment, the methods further involve obtaining a control biological sample from a control subject, contacting the control sample with a compound or agent capable of detecting MTP-1 protein, mRNA, or genomic DNA, such that the presence of MTP-1 protein, mRNA or genomic DNA is detected in the biological sample, and comparing the presence of MTP-1 protein, mRNA or genomic DNA in the control sample with the presence of MTP-1 protein, mRNA or genomic DNA in the test sample.

[0330] The invention also encompasses kits for detecting the presence of MTP-1 in a biological sample. For example, the kit can comprise a labeled compound or agent capable of detecting MTP-1 protein or mRNA in a biological sample; means for determining the amount of MTP-1 in the sample; and means for comparing the amount of MTP-1 in the sample with a standard. The compound or agent can be packaged in a suitable container. The kit can further comprise instructions for using the kit to detect MTP-1 protein or nucleic acid.

[0331] 2. Prognostic Assays

[0332] The diagnostic methods described herein can furthermore be utilized to identify subjects having or at risk of developing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted MTP-1 expression or activity. As used herein, the term “aberrant” includes an MTP-1 expression or activity which deviates from the wild type MTP-1 expression or activity. Aberrant expression or activity includes increased or decreased expression or activity, as well as expression or activity which does not follow the wild type developmental pattern of expression or the subcellular pattern of expression. For example, aberrant MTP-1 expression or activity is intended to include the cases in which a mutation in the MTP-1 gene causes the MTP-1 gene to be under-expressed or over-expressed and situations in which such mutations result in a non-functional MTP-1 protein or a protein which does not function in a wild-type fashion, e.g., a protein which does not interact with an MTP-1 substrate, or one which interacts with a non-MTP-1 substrate. As used herein, the term “unwanted” includes an unwanted phenomenon involved in a biological response such as inflammation and/or lipid metabolism. For example, the term unwanted includes an MTP-1 expression or activity which is undesirable in a subject.

[0333] The assays described herein, such as the preceding diagnostic assays or the following assays, can be utilized to identify a subject having or at risk of developing a disorder associated with a misregulation in MTP-1 protein activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disorder, a CNS disorder (e.g., a cognitive or neurodegenerative disorder), a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration disorder, a cardiovascular disorder, musculoskeletal disorder, an immune disorder, or a hormonal disorder. Alternatively, the prognostic assays can be utilized to identify a subject having or at risk for developing a disorder associated with a misregulation in MTP-1 protein activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a hematopoietic disorder, an immunological disorder, a lipid metabolism-related disorder, a CNS disorder, a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration disorder, a musculoskeletal disorder, a cardiovascular disorder, an immune disorder, or a hormonal disorder. Thus, the present invention provides a method for identifying a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted MTP-1 expression or activity in which a test sample is obtained from a subject and MTP-1 protein or nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA or genomic DNA) is detected, wherein the presence of MTP-1 protein or nucleic acid is diagnostic for a subject having or at risk of developing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted MTP-1 expression or activity. As used herein, a “test sample” refers to a biological sample obtained from a subject of interest. For example, a test sample can be a biological fluid (e.g., cerebrospinal fluid or serum), cell sample, or tissue.

[0334] Furthermore, the prognostic assays described herein can be used to determine whether a subject can be administered an agent (e.g., an agonist, antagonist, peptidomimetic, protein, peptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or other drug candidate) to treat a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted MTP-1 expression or activity. For example, such methods can be used to determine whether a subject can be effectively treated with an agent for a hematopoietic disorder, an immunological disorder, a lipid metabolism-related disorder, a CNS disorder, a muscular disorder, a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration disorder, an immune disorder, or a hormonal disorder. Thus, the present invention provides methods for determining whether a subject can be effectively treated with an agent for a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted MTP-1 expression or activity in which a test sample is obtained and MTP-1 protein or nucleic acid expression or activity is detected (e.g., wherein the abundance of MTP-1 protein or nucleic acid expression or activity is diagnostic for a subject that can be administered the agent to treat a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted MTP-1 expression or activity).

[0335] The methods of the invention can also be used to detect genetic alterations in an MTP-1 gene, thereby determining if a subject with the altered gene is at risk for a disorder characterized by misregulation in MTP-1 protein activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a hematopoietic disorder, an immunological disorder, a lipid metabolism-related disorder, a CNS disorder, a musculoskeletal disorder, a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration disorder, a cardiovascular disorder, an immune disorder, or a hormonal disorder. In preferred embodiments, the methods include detecting, in a sample of cells from the subject, the presence or absence of a genetic alteration characterized by at least one of an alteration affecting the integrity of a gene encoding an MTP-1-protein, or the mis-expression of the MTP-1 gene. For example, such genetic alterations can be detected by ascertaining the existence of at least one of 1) a deletion of one or more nucleotides from an MTP-1 gene; 2) an addition of one or more nucleotides to an MTP-1 gene; 3) a substitution of one or more nucleotides of an MTP-1 gene, 4) a chromosomal rearrangement of an MTP-1 gene; 5) an alteration in the level of a messenger RNA transcript of an MTP-1 gene, 6) aberrant modification of an MTP-1 gene, such as of the methylation pattern of the genomic DNA, 7) the presence of a non-wild type splicing pattern of a messenger RNA transcript of an MTP-1 gene, 8) a non-wild type level of an MTP-1-protein, 9) allelic loss of an MTP-1 gene, and 10) inappropriate post-translational modification of an MTP-1-protein. As described herein, there are a large number of assays known in the art which can be used for detecting alterations in an MTP-1 gene. A preferred biological sample is a tissue or serum sample isolated by conventional means from a subject.

[0336] In certain embodiments, detection of the alteration involves the use of a probe/primer in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195 and 4,683,202), such as anchor PCR or RACE PCR, or, alternatively, in a ligation chain reaction (LCR) (see, e.g., Landegran et al. (1988) Science 241:1077-1080; and Nakazawa et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:360-364), the latter of which can be particularly useful for detecting point mutations in an MTP-1 gene (see Abravaya et al. (1995) Nucleic Acids Res. 23:675-682). This method can include the steps of collecting a sample of cells from a subject, isolating nucleic acid (e.g., genomic, mRNA or both) from the cells of the sample, contacting the nucleic acid sample with one or more primers which specifically hybridize to an MTP-1 gene under conditions such that hybridization and amplification of the MTP-1 gene (if present) occurs, and detecting the presence or absence of an amplification product, or detecting the size of the amplification product and comparing the length to a control sample. It is anticipated that PCR and/or LCR may be desirable to use as a preliminary amplification step in conjunction with any of the techniques used for detecting mutations described herein.

[0337] Alternative amplification methods include: self sustained sequence replication (Guatelli, J. C. et al., (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:1874-1878), transcriptional amplification system (Kwoh, D. Y. et al., (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:1173-1177), Q-Beta Replicase (Lizardi, P. M. et al. (1988) Bio-Technology 6:1197), or any other nucleic acid amplification method, followed by the detection of the amplified molecules using techniques well known to those of skill in the art. These detection schemes are especially useful for the detection of nucleic acid molecules if such molecules are present in very low numbers.

[0338] In an alternative embodiment, mutations in an MTP-1 gene from a sample cell can be identified by alterations in restriction enzyme cleavage patterns. For example, sample and control DNA is isolated, amplified (optionally), digested with one or more restriction endonucleases, and fragment length sizes are determined by gel electrophoresis and compared. Differences in fragment length sizes between sample and control DNA indicates mutations in the sample DNA. Moreover, the use of sequence specific ribozymes (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,531) can be used to score for the presence of specific mutations by development or loss of a ribozyme cleavage site.

[0339] In other embodiments, genetic mutations in MTP-1 can be identified by hybridizing a sample and control nucleic acids, e.g., DNA or RNA, to high density arrays containing hundreds or thousands of oligonucleotides probes (Cronin, M. T. et al. (1996) Human Mutation 7: 244-255; Kozal, M. J. et al. (1996) Nature Medicine 2: 753-759). For example, genetic mutations in MTP-1 can be identified in two dimensional arrays containing light-generated DNA probes as described in Cronin, M. T. et al. supra. Briefly, a first hybridization array of probes can be used to scan through long stretches of DNA in a sample and control to identify base changes between the sequences by making linear arrays of sequential overlapping probes. This step allows the identification of point mutations. This step is followed by a second hybridization array that allows the characterization of specific mutations by using smaller, specialized probe arrays complementary to all variants or mutations detected. Each mutation array is composed of parallel probe sets, one complementary to the wild-type gene and the other complementary to the mutant gene.

[0340] In yet another embodiment, any of a variety of sequencing reactions known in the art can be used to directly sequence the MTP-1 gene and detect mutations by comparing the sequence of the sample MTP-1 with the corresponding wild-type (control) sequence. Examples of sequencing reactions include those based on techniques developed by Maxam and Gilbert ((1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:560) or Sanger ((1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:5463). It is also contemplated that any of a variety of automated sequencing procedures can be utilized when performing the diagnostic assays ((1995) Biotechniques 19:448), including sequencing by mass spectrometry (see, e.g., PCT International Publication No. WO 94/16101; Cohen et al. (1996) Adv. Chromatogr. 36:127-162; and Griffin et al. (1993) Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 38:147-159).

[0341] Other methods for detecting mutations in the MTP-1 gene include methods in which protection from cleavage agents is used to detect mismatched bases in RNA/RNA or RNA/DNA heteroduplexes (Myers et al. (1985) Science 230:1242). In general, the art technique of “mismatch cleavage” starts by providing heteroduplexes of formed by hybridizing (labeled) RNA or DNA containing the wild-type MTP-1 sequence with potentially mutant RNA or DNA obtained from a tissue sample. The double-stranded duplexes are treated with an agent which cleaves single-stranded regions of the duplex such as which will exist due to basepair mismatches between the control and sample strands. For instance, RNA/DNA duplexes can be treated with RNase and DNA/DNA hybrids treated with S1 nuclease to enzymatically digesting the mismatched regions.’ In other embodiments, either DNA/DNA or RNA/DNA duplexes can be treated with hydroxylamine or osmium tetroxide and with piperidine in order to digest mismatched regions. After digestion of the mismatched regions, the resulting material is then separated by size on denaturing polyacrylamide gels to determine the site of mutation. See, for example, Cotton et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:4397; Saleeba et al. (1992) Methods Enzymol. 217:286-295. In a preferred embodiment, the control DNA or RNA can be labeled for detection.

[0342] In still another embodiment, the mismatch cleavage reaction employs one or more proteins that recognize mismatched base pairs in double-stranded DNA (so called “DNA mismatch repair” enzymes) in defined systems for detecting and mapping point mutations in MTP-1 cDNAs obtained from samples of cells. For example, the mutY enzyme of E. coli cleaves A at G/A mismatches and the thymidine DNA glycosylase from HeLa cells cleaves T at G/T mismatches (Hsu et al. (1994) Carcinogenesis 15:1657-1662). According to an exemplary embodiment, a probe based on an MTP-1 sequence, e.g., a wild-type MTP-1 sequence, is hybridized to a cDNA or other DNA product from a test cell(s). The duplex is treated with a DNA mismatch repair enzyme, and the cleavage products, if any, can be detected from electrophoresis protocols or the like. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,039.

[0343] In other embodiments, alterations in electrophoretic mobility will be used to identify mutations in MTP-1 genes. For example, single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) may be used to detect differences in electrophoretic mobility between mutant and wild type nucleic acids (Orita et al. (1989) Proc Natl. Acad. Sci USA: 86:2766, see also Cotton (1993) Mutat. Res. 285:125-144; and Hayashi (1992) Genet. Anal. Tech. Appl. 9:73-79). Single-stranded DNA fragments of sample and control MTP-1 nucleic acids will be denatured and allowed to renature. The secondary structure of single-stranded nucleic acids varies according to sequence, the resulting alteration in electrophoretic mobility enables the detection of even a single base change. The DNA fragments may be labeled or detected with labeled probes. The sensitivity of the assay may be enhanced by using RNA (rather than DNA), in which the secondary structure is more sensitive to a change in sequence. In a preferred embodiment, the subject method utilizes heteroduplex analysis to separate double stranded heteroduplex molecules on the basis of changes in electrophoretic mobility (Keen et al. (1991) Trends Genet 7:5).

[0344] In yet another embodiment the movement of mutant or wild-type fragments in polyacrylamide gels containing a gradient of denaturant is assayed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) (Myers et al. (1985) Nature 313:495). When DGGE is used as the method of analysis, DNA will be modified to insure that it does not completely denature, for example by adding a GC clamp of approximately 40 bp of high-melting GC-rich DNA by PCR. In a further embodiment, a temperature gradient is used in place of a denaturing gradient to identify differences in the mobility of control and sample DNA (Rosenbaum and Reissner (1987) Biophys Chem 265:12753).

[0345] Examples of other techniques for detecting point mutations include, but are not limited to, selective oligonucleotide hybridization, selective amplification, or selective primer extension. For example, oligonucleotide primers may be prepared in which the known mutation is placed centrally and then hybridized to target DNA under conditions which permit hybridization only if a perfect match is found (Saiki et al. (1986) Nature 324:163); Saiki et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6230). Such allele specific oligonucleotides are hybridized to PCR amplified target DNA or a number of different mutations when the oligonucleotides are attached to the hybridizing membrane and hybridized with labeled target DNA.

[0346] Alternatively, allele specific amplification technology which depends on selective PCR amplification may be used in conjunction with the instant invention. Oligonucleotides used as primers for specific amplification may carry the mutation of interest in the center of the molecule (so that amplification depends on differential hybridization) (Gibbs et al. (1989) Nucleic Acids Res. 17:2437-2448) or at the extreme 3′ end of one primer where, under appropriate conditions, mismatch can prevent, or reduce polymerase extension (Prossner (1993) Tibtech 11:238). In addition it may be desirable to introduce a novel restriction site in the region of the mutation to create cleavage-based detection (Gasparini et al. (1992) Mol. Cell Probes 6:1). It is anticipated that in certain embodiments amplification may also be performed using Taq ligase for amplification (Barany (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 88:189). In such cases, ligation will occur only if there is a perfect match at the 3′ end of the 5′ sequence making it possible to detect the presence of a known mutation at a specific site by looking for the presence or absence of amplification.

[0347] The methods described herein may be performed, for example, by utilizing pre-packaged diagnostic kits comprising at least one probe nucleic acid or antibody reagent described herein, which may be conveniently used, e.g., in clinical settings to diagnose patients exhibiting symptoms or family history of a disease or illness involving an MTP-1 gene.

[0348] Furthermore, any cell type or tissue in which MTP-1 is expressed may be utilized in the prognostic assays described herein.

[0349] 3. Monitoring of Effects During Clinical Trials

[0350] Monitoring the influence of agents (e.g., drugs) on the expression or activity of an MTP-1 protein (e.g., the maintenance of cellular homeostasis) can be applied not only in basic drug screening, but also in clinical trials. For example, the effectiveness of an agent determined by a screening assay as described herein to increase MTP-1 gene expression, protein levels, or upregulate MTP-1 activity, can be monitored in clinical trials of subjects exhibiting decreased MTP-1 gene expression, protein levels, or downregulated MTP-1 activity. Alternatively, the effectiveness of an agent determined by a screening assay to decrease MTP-1 gene expression, protein levels, or downregulate MTP-1 activity, can be monitored in clinical trials of subjects exhibiting increased MTP-1 gene expression, protein levels, or upregulated MTP-1 activity. In such clinical trials, the expression or activity of an MTP-1 gene, and preferably, other genes that have been implicated in, for example, an MTP-1-associated disorder can be used as a “read out” or markers of the phenotype of a particular cell.

[0351] For example, and not by way of limitation, genes, including MTP-1, that are modulated in cells by treatment with an agent (e.g., compound, drug or small molecule) which modulates MTP-1 activity (e.g., identified in a screening assay as described herein) can be identified. Thus, to study the effect of agents on MTP-1-associated disorders (e.g., disorders characterized by deregulated hematopoiesis and/or inflammation and/or lipid metabolism), for example, in a clinical trial, cells can be isolated and RNA prepared and analyzed for the levels of expression of MTP-1 and other genes implicated in the MTP-1-associated disorder, respectively. The levels of gene expression (e.g., a gene expression pattern) can be quantified by northern blot analysis or RT-PCR, as described herein, or alternatively by measuring the amount of protein produced, by one of the methods as described herein, or by measuring the levels of activity of MTP-1 or other genes. In this way, the gene expression pattern can serve as a marker, indicative of the physiological response of the cells to the agent. Accordingly, this response state may be determined before, and at various points during treatment of the individual with the agent.

[0352] In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method for monitoring the effectiveness of treatment of a subject with an agent (e.g., an agonist, antagonist, peptidomimetic, protein, peptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or other drug candidate identified by the screening assays described herein) including the steps of (i) obtaining a pre-administration sample from a subject prior to administration of the agent; (ii) detecting the level of expression of an MTP-1 protein, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the preadministration sample; (iii) obtaining one or more post-administration samples from the subject; (iv) detecting the level of expression or activity of the MTP-1 protein, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the post-administration samples; (v) comparing the level of expression or activity of the MTP-1 protein, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the pre-administration sample with the MTP-1 protein, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the post administration sample or samples; and (vi) altering the administration of the agent to the subject accordingly. For example, increased administration of the agent may be desirable to increase the expression or activity of MTP-1 to higher levels than detected, i.e., to increase the effectiveness of the agent. Alternatively, decreased administration of the agent may be desirable to decrease expression or activity of MTP-1 to lower levels than detected, i.e. to decrease the effectiveness of the agent. According to such an embodiment, MTP-1 expression or activity may be used as an indicator of the effectiveness of an agent, even in the absence of an observable phenotypic response.

[0353] D. Methods of Treatment:

[0354] The present invention provides for both prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treating a subject at risk of (or susceptible to) a disorder or having a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted MTP-1 expression or activity, e.g., a transporter-associated disorder such as a hematopoietic disorder, an immunological disorder, a lipid metabolism-related disorder, a CNS disorder; a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration disorder; a, musculoskeletal disorder; a cardiovascular disorder; an immune disorder; or a hormonal disorder. With regard to both prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treatment, such treatments may be specifically tailored or modified, based on knowledge obtained from the field of pharmacogenomics. “Pharmacogenomics”, as used herein, refers to the application of genomics technologies such as gene sequencing, statistical genetics, and gene expression analysis to drugs in clinical development and on the market. More specifically, the term refers the study of how a patient's genes determine his or her response to a drug (e.g., a patient's “drug response phenotype”, or “drug response genotype”). Thus, another aspect of the invention provides methods for tailoring an individual's prophylactic or therapeutic treatment with either the MTP-1 molecules of the present invention or MTP-1 modulators according to that individual's drug response genotype. Pharmacogenomics allows a clinician or physician to target prophylactic or therapeutic treatments to patients who will most benefit from the treatment and to avoid treatment of patients who will experience toxic drug-related side effects.

[0355] 1. Prophylactic Methods

[0356] In one aspect, the invention provides a method for preventing in a subject, a disease or condition associated with an aberrant or unwanted MTP-1 expression or activity, by administering to the subject an MTP-1 or an agent which modulates MTP-1 expression or at least one MTP-1 activity. Subjects at risk for a disease which is caused or contributed to by aberrant or unwanted MTP-1 expression or activity can be identified by, for example, any or a combination of diagnostic or prognostic assays as described herein. Administration of a prophylactic agent can occur prior to the manifestation of symptoms characteristic of the MTP-1 aberrancy, such that a disease or disorder is prevented or, alternatively, delayed in its progression. Depending on the type of MTP-1 aberrancy, for example, an MTP-1, MTP-1 agonist or MTP-1 antagonist agent can be used for treating the subject. The appropriate agent can be determined based on screening assays described herein.

[0357] 2. Therapeutic Methods

[0358] Another aspect of the invention pertains to methods of modulating MTP-1 expression or activity for therapeutic purposes. Accordingly, in an exemplary embodiment, the modulatory method of the invention involves contacting a cell with an MTP-1 or agent that modulates one or more of the activities of MTP-1 protein activity associated with the cell. An agent that modulates MTP-1 protein activity can be an agent as described herein, such as a nucleic acid or a protein, a naturally-occurring substrate molecule of an MTP-1 protein (e.g., cytotoxic substances, ions, peptides, metabolites), an MTP-1 antibody, an MTP-1 agonist or antagonist, a peptidomimetic of an MTP-1 agonist or antagonist, or other small molecule. In one embodiment, the agent stimulates one or more MTP-1 activities. Examples of such stimulatory agents include active MTP-1 protein and a nucleic acid molecule encoding MTP-1 that has been introduced into the cell. In another embodiment, the agent inhibits one or more MTP-1 activities. Examples of such inhibitory agents include antisense MTP-1 nucleic acid molecules, anti-MTP-1 antibodies, and MTP-1 inhibitors. These modulatory methods can be performed in vitro (e.g., by culturing the cell with the agent) or, alternatively, in vivo (e.g., by administering the agent to a subject). As such, the present invention provides methods of treating an individual afflicted with a disease or disorder characterized by aberrant or unwanted expression or activity of an MTP-1 protein or nucleic acid molecule. In one embodiment, the method involves administering an agent (e.g., an agent identified by a screening assay described herein), or combination of agents that modulates (e.g., upregulates or downregulates) MTP-1 expression or activity. In another embodiment, the method involves administering an MTP-1 protein or nucleic acid molecule as therapy to compensate for reduced, aberrant, or unwanted MTP-1 expression or activity.

[0359] Stimulation of MTP-1 activity is desirable in situations in which MTP-1 is abnormally downregulated and/or in which increased MTP-1 activity is likely to have a beneficial effect. Likewise, inhibition of MTP-1 activity is desirable in situations in which MTP-1 is abnormally upregulated and/or in which decreased MTP-1 activity is likely to have a beneficial effect.

[0360] (i) Methods for Inhibiting Target Gene Expression, Synthesis, or Activity

[0361] As discussed above, genes involved in hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related diseases or disorders may cause such disorders via an increased level of gene activity. In some cases, such up-regulation may have a causative or exacerbating effect on the disease state. A variety of techniques may be used to inhibit the expression, synthesis, or activity of such genes and/or proteins.

[0362] For example, compounds such as those identified through assays described above, which exhibit inhibitory activity, may be used in accordance with the invention to ameliorate hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder symptoms. Such molecules may include, but are not limited to, small organic molecules, peptides, antibodies, and the like.

[0363] For example, compounds can be administered that compete with endogenous ligand for the MTP-1 protein. The resulting reduction in the amount of ligand-bound MTP-1 protein will modulate endothelial cell physiology. Compounds that can be particularly useful for this purpose include, for example, soluble proteins or peptides, such as peptides comprising one or more of the extra-membrane domains, or portions and/or analogs thereof, of the MTP-1 protein, including, for example, soluble fusion proteins such as Ig-tailed fusion proteins. (For a discussion of the production of Ig-tailed fusion proteins, see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,964). Alternatively, compounds, such as ligand analogs or. antibodies, that bind to the MTP-1 active site, but do not activate the protein, can be effective in inhibiting MTP-1 protein activity.

[0364] Further, antisense and ribozyme molecules, as described herein, which inhibit expression of the MTP-1 gene may also be used in accordance with the invention to inhibit aberrant MTP-1 gene activity. Still further, triple helix molecules may be utilized in inhibiting aberrant MTP-1 gene activity.

[0365] Antibodies that are both specific for the MTP-1 protein and interfere with its activity may also be used to modulate or inhibit MTP-1 protein function. Such antibodies may be generated using standard techniques described herein, against the MTP-1 protein itself or against peptides corresponding to portions of the protein. Such antibodies include but are not limited to polyclonal, monoclonal, Fab fragments, single chain antibodies, or chimeric antibodies.

[0366] In instances where the target gene protein is intracellular and whole antibodies are used, internalizing antibodies may be preferred. Lipofectin liposomes may be used to deliver the antibody or a fragment of the Fab region which binds to the target epitope into cells. Where fragments of the antibody are used, the smallest inhibitory fragment which binds to the target protein's binding domain is preferred. For example, peptides having an amino acid sequence corresponding to the domain of the variable region of the antibody that binds to the target gene protein may be used. Such peptides may be synthesized chemically or produced via recombinant DNA technology using methods well known in the art (described in, for example, Creighton (1983), supra; and Sambrook et al. (1989) supra). Single chain neutralizing antibodies which bind to intracellular target gene epitopes may also be administered. Such single chain antibodies may be administered, for example, by expressing nucleotide sequences encoding single-chain antibodies within the target cell population by utilizing, for example, techniques such as those described in Marasco et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:7889-7893).

[0367] Any of the administration techniques described below which are appropriate for peptide administration may be utilized to effectively administer inhibitory target gene antibodies to their site of action.

[0368] (ii) Methods for Restoring or Enhancing Target Gene Activity

[0369] Genes that cause hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related diseases or disorders may be underexpressed within cellular growth or proliferative situations. Alternatively, the activity of the protein products of such genes may be decreased, leading to the development of hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder symptoms. Such down-regulation of gene expression or decrease of protein activity might have a causative or exacerbating effect on the disease state.

[0370] In some cases, genes that are up-regulated in the disease state might be exerting a protective effect. A variety of techniques may be used to increase the expression, synthesis, or activity of genes and/or proteins that exert a protective effect in response to hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder conditions.

[0371] Described in this section are methods whereby the level MTP-1 activity may be increased to levels wherein hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder symptoms are ameliorated. The level of MTP-1 activity may be increased, for example, by either increasing the level of MTP-1 gene expression or by increasing the level of active MTP-1 protein which is present.

[0372] For example, a MTP-1 protein, at a level sufficient to ameliorate hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder symptoms may be administered to a patient exhibiting such symptoms. Any of the techniques discussed below may be used for such administration. One of skill in the art will readily be able to ascertain the concentration of effective, non-toxic doses of the MTP-1 protein, utilizing techniques such as those described above.

[0373] Additionally, RNA sequences encoding a MTP-1 protein may be directly administered to a patient exhibiting hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder symptoms, at a concentration sufficient to produce a level of MTP-1 protein such that hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder symptoms are ameliorated. Any of the techniques discussed below, which achieve intracellular administration of compounds, such as, for example, liposome administration, may be used for the administration of such RNA molecules. The RNA molecules may be produced, for example, by recombinant techniques such as those described herein.

[0374] Further, subjects may be treated by gene replacement therapy. One or more copies of a MTP-1 gene, or a portion thereof, that directs the production of a normal MTP-1 protein with MTP-1 function, may be inserted into cells using vectors which include, but are not limited to adenovirus, adeno-associated virus, and retrovirus vectors, in addition to other particles that introduce DNA into cells, such as liposomes. Additionally, techniques such as those described above may be used for the introduction of MTP-1 gene sequences into human cells.

[0375] Cells, preferably, autologous cells, containing MTP-1 expressing gene sequences may then be introduced or reintroduced into the subject at positions which allow for the amelioration of hematopoietic and/or immunological and/or lipid metabolism-related disease or disorder symptoms. Such cell replacement techniques may be preferred, for example, when the gene product is a secreted, extracellular gene product.

[0376] 3. Pharmacogenomics

[0377] The MTP-1 molecules of the present invention, as well as agents, or modulators which have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on MTP-1 activity (e.g., MTP-1 gene expression) as identified by a screening assay described herein can be administered to individuals to treat (prophylactically or therapeutically) MTP-1-associated disorders (e.g., proliferative disorders, CNS disorders, cardiac disorders, metabolic disorders, or muscular disorders) associated with aberrant or unwanted MTP-1 activity. In conjunction with such treatment, pharmacogenomics (i.e., the study of the relationship between an individual's genotype and that individual's response to a foreign compound or drug) may be considered. Differences in metabolism of therapeutics can lead to severe toxicity or therapeutic failure by altering the relation between dose and blood concentration of the pharmacologically active drug. Thus, a physician or clinician may consider applying knowledge obtained in relevant pharmacogenomics studies in determining whether to administer an MTP-1 molecule or MTP-1 modulator as well as tailoring the dosage and/or therapeutic regimen of treatment with an MTP-1 molecule or MTP-1 modulator.

[0378] Pharmacogenomics deals with clinically significant hereditary variations in the response to drugs due to altered drug disposition and abnormal action in affected persons. See, for example, Eichelbaum, M. et al. (1996) Clin. Fxp. Pharmacol. Physiol. 23(10-11):983-985 and Linder, M. W. et al. (1997) Clin. Chem. 43(2):254-266. In general, two types of pharmacogenetic conditions can be differentiated. Genetic conditions transmitted as a single factor altering the way drugs act on the body (altered drug action) or genetic conditions transmitted as single factors altering the way the body acts on drugs (altered drug metabolism). These pharmacogenetic conditions can occur either as rare genetic defects or as naturally-occurring polymorphisms. For example, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD) is a common inherited enzymopathy in which the main clinical complication is haemolysis after ingestion of oxidant drugs (anti-malarials, sulfonamides, analgesics, nitrofurans) and consumption of fava beans.

[0379] One pharmacogenomics approach to identifying genes that predict drug response, known as “a genome-wide association”, relies primarily on a high-resolution map of the human genome consisting of already known gene-related markers (e.g., a “bi-allelic” gene marker map which consists of 60,000- 100,000 polymorphic or variable sites on the human genome, each of which has two variants.) Such a high-resolution genetic map can be compared to a map of the genome of each of a statistically significant number of patients taking part in a Phase II/III drug trial to identify markers associated with a particular observed drug response or side effect. Alternatively, such a high resolution map can be generated from a combination of some ten-million known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human genome. As used herein, a “SNP” is a common alteration that occurs in a single nucleotide base in a stretch of DNA. For example, a SNP may occur once per every 1000 bases of DNA. A SNP may be involved in a disease process, however, the vast majority may not be disease-associated. Given a genetic map based on the occurrence of such SNPs, individuals can be grouped into genetic categories depending on a particular pattern of SNPs in their individual genome. In such a manner, treatment regimens can be tailored to groups of genetically similar individuals, taking into account traits that may be common among such genetically similar individuals.

[0380] Alternatively, a method termed the “candidate gene approach”, can be utilized to identify genes that predict drug response. According to this method, if a gene that encodes a drug target is known (e.g., an MTP-1 protein of the present invention), all common variants of that gene can be fairly easily identified in the population and it can be determined if having one version of the gene versus another is associated with a particular drug response.

[0381] As an illustrative embodiment, the activity of drug metabolizing enzymes is a major determinant of both the intensity and duration of drug action. The discovery of genetic polymorphisms of drug metabolizing enzymes (e.g., N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT 2) and cytochrome P450 enzymes CYP2D6 and CYP2C19) has provided an explanation as to why some patients do not obtain the expected drug effects or show exaggerated drug response and serious toxicity after taking the standard and safe dose of a drug. These polymorphisms are expressed in two phenotypes in the population, the extensive metabolizer (EM) and poor metabolizer (PM). The prevalence of PM is different among different populations. For example, the gene coding for CYP2D6 is highly polymorphic and several mutations have been identified in PM, which all lead to the absence of functional CYP2D6. Poor metabolizers of CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 quite frequently experience exaggerated drug response and side effects when they receive standard doses. If a metabolite is the active therapeutic moiety, PM show no therapeutic response, as demonstrated for the analgesic effect of codeine mediated by its CYP2D6-formed metabolite morphine. The other extreme are the so called ultra-rapid metabolizers who do not respond to standard doses. Recently, the molecular basis of ultra-rapid metabolism has been identified to be due to CYP2D6 gene amplification.

[0382] Alternatively, a method termed the “gene expression profiling”, can be utilized to identify genes that predict drug response. For example, the gene expression of an animal dosed with a drug (e.g., an MTP-1 molecule or MTP-1 modulator of the present invention) can give an indication whether gene pathways related to toxicity have been turned on.

[0383] Information generated from more than one of the above pharmacogenomics approaches can be used to determine appropriate dosage and treatment regimens for prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of an individual. This knowledge, when applied to dosing or drug selection, can avoid adverse reactions or therapeutic failure and thus enhance therapeutic or prophylactic efficiency when treating a subject with an MTP-1 molecule or MTP-1 modulator, such as a modulator identified by one of the exemplary screening assays described herein.

[0384] 4. Use of MTP-1 Molecules as Surrogate Markers

[0385] The MTP-1 molecules of the invention are also useful as markers of disorders or disease states, as markers for precursors of disease states, as markers for predisposition of disease states, as markers of drug activity, or as markers of the pharmacogenomic profile of a subject. Using the methods described herein, the presence, absence and/or quantity of the MTP-1 molecules of the invention may be detected, and may be correlated with one or more biological states in vivo. For example, the MTP-1 molecules of the invention may serve as surrogate markers for one or more disorders or disease states or for conditions leading up to disease states.

[0386] As used herein, a “surrogate marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates with the absence or presence of a disease or disorder, or with the progression of a disease or disorder. The presence or quantity of such markers is independent of the causation of the disease. Therefore, these markers may serve to indicate whether a particular course of treatment is effective in lessening a disease state or disorder. Surrogate markers are of particular use when the presence or extent of a disease state or disorder is difficult to assess through standard methodologies, or when an assessment of disease progression is desired before a potentially dangerous clinical endpoint is reached (e.g., an assessment of cardiovascular disease may be made using cholesterol levels as a surrogate marker, and an analysis of HIV infection may be made using HIV RNA levels as a surrogate marker, well in advance of the undesirable clinical outcomes of myocardial infarction or fully-developed AIDS). Examples of the use of surrogate markers in the art include: Koomen et al. (2000) J. Mass. Spectrom. 35:258-264; and James (1994) AIDS Treatment News Archive 209.

[0387] The MTP-1 molecules of the invention are also useful as pharmacodynamic markers. As used herein, a “pharmacodynamic marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates specifically with drug effects. The presence or quantity of a pharmacodynamic marker is not related to the disease state or disorder for which the drug is being administered; therefore, the presence or quantity of the marker is indicative of the presence or activity of the drug in a subject. For example, a pharmacodynamic marker may be indicative of the concentration of the drug in a biological tissue, in that the marker is either expressed or transcribed or not expressed or transcribed in that tissue in relationship to the level of the drug. In this fashion, the distribution or uptake of the drug may be monitored by the pharmacodynamic marker. Similarly, the presence or quantity of the pharmacodynamic marker may be related to the presence or quantity of the metabolic product of a drug, such that the presence or quantity of the marker is indicative of the relative breakdown rate of the drug in vivo. Pharmacodynamic markers are of particular use in increasing the sensitivity of detection of drug effects, particularly when the drug is administered in low doses. Since even a small amount of a drug may be sufficient to activate multiple rounds of marker (e.g., a MTP-1 marker) transcription or expression, the amplified marker may be in a quantity which is more readily detectable than the drug itself. Also, the marker may be more easily detected due to the nature of the marker itself; for example, using the methods described herein, anti-MTP-1 antibodies may be employed in an immune-based detection system for a MTP-1 protein marker, or MTP-1-specific radiolabeled probes may be used to detect a MTP-1 mRNA marker. Furthermore, the use of a pharmacodynamic marker may offer mechanism-based prediction of risk due to drug treatment beyond the range of possible direct observations. Examples of the use of pharmacodynamic markers in the art include: Matsuda et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,862; Hattis et al. (1991) Env. Health Perspect. 90:229-238; Schentag (1999) Am. J. Health-Syst. Pharm. 56 Suppl. 3:S21-S24; and Nicolau (1999) Am. J. Health-Syst. Pharm. 56 Suppl. 3:S16-S20.

[0388] The MTP-1 molecules of the invention are also useful as pharmacogenomic markers. As used herein, a “pharmacogenomic marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates with a specific clinical drug response or susceptibility in a subject (see, e.g., McLeod et al. (1999) Eur. J. Cancer 35(12):1650-1652). The presence or quantity of the pharmacogenomic marker is related to the predicted response of the subject to a specific drug or class of drugs prior to administration of the drug. By assessing the presence or quantity of one or more pharmacogenomic markers in a subject, a drug therapy which is most appropriate for the subject, or which is predicted to have a greater degree of success, may be selected. For example, based on the presence or quantity of RNA, or protein (e.g., MTP-1 protein or RNA) for specific tumor markers in a subject, a drug or course of treatment may be selected that is optimized for the treatment of the specific tumor likely to be present in the subject. Similarly, the presence or absence of a specific sequence mutation in MTP-1 DNA may correlate MTP-1 drug response. The use of pharmacogenomic markers therefore permits the application of the most appropriate treatment for each subject without having to administer the therapy.

[0389] 5. Electronic Apparatus Readable Media and Arrays

[0390] Electronic apparatus readable media comprising MTP-1 sequence information is also provided. As used herein, “MTP-1 sequence information” refers to any nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence information particular to the MTP-1 molecules of the present invention, including but not limited to full-length nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, partial nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, polymorphic sequences including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), epitope sequences, and the like. Moreover, information “related to” said MTP-1 sequence information includes detection of the presence or absence of a sequence (e.g., detection of expression of a sequence, fragment, polymorphism, etc.), determination of the level of a sequence (e.g., detection of a level of expression, for example, a quantitative detection), detection of a reactivity to a sequence (e.g., detection of protein expression and/or levels, for example, using a sequence-specific antibody), and the like. As used herein, “electronic apparatus readable media” refers to any suitable medium for storing, holding, or containing data or information that can be read and accessed directly by an electronic apparatus. Such media can include, but are not limited to: magnetic storage media, such as floppy discs, hard disc storage medium, and magnetic tape; optical storage media such as compact discs; electronic storage media such as RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM and the like; and general hard disks and hybrids of these categories such as magnetic/optical storage media. The medium is adapted or configured for having recorded thereon MTP-1 sequence information of the present invention.

[0391] As used herein, the term “electronic apparatus” is intended to include any suitable computing or processing apparatus or other device configured or adapted for storing data or information. Examples of electronic apparatus suitable for use with the present invention include stand-alone computing apparatuses; networks, including a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) Internet, Intranet, and Extranet; electronic appliances such as a personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular phone, pager and the like; and local and distributed processing systems.

[0392] As used herein, “recorded” refers to a process for storing or encoding information on the electronic apparatus readable medium. Those skilled in the art can readily adopt any of the presently known methods for recording information on known media to generate manufactures comprising the MTP-1 sequence information. A variety of software programs and formats can be used to store the sequence information on the electronic apparatus readable medium. For example, the sequence information can be represented in a word processing text file, formatted in commercially-available software such as WordPerfect and Microsoft Word, represented in the form of an ASCII file, or stored in a database application, such as DB2, Sybase, Oracle, or the like, as well as in other forms. Any number of dataprocessor structuring formats (e.g., text file or database) may be employed in order to obtain or create a medium having recorded thereon the MTP-1 sequence information.

[0393] By providing MTP-1 sequence information in readable form, one can routinely access the sequence information for a variety of purposes. For example, one skilled in the art can use the sequence information in readable form to compare a target sequence or target structural motif with the sequence information stored within the data storage means. Search means are used to identify fragments or regions of the sequences of the invention which match a particular target sequence or target motif.

[0394] The present invention therefore provides a medium for holding instructions for performing a method for determining whether a subject has a MTP-1 associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a MTP-1 associated disease or disorder, wherein the method comprises the steps of determining MTP-1 sequence information associated with the subject and based on the MTP-1 sequence information, determining whether the subject has a MTP-1 associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a MTP-1 associated disease or disorder, and/or recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder, or pre-disease condition.

[0395] The present invention further provides in an electronic system and/or in a network, a method for determining whether a subject has a MTP-1 associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a disease associated with MTP-1 wherein the method comprises the steps of determining MTP-1 sequence information associated with the subject, and based on the MTP-1 sequence information, determining whether the subject has a MTP-1 associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a MTP-1 associated disease or disorder, and/or recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition. The method may further comprise the step of receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject and/or acquiring from a network phenotypic information associated with the subject.

[0396] The present invention also provides in a network, a method for determining whether a subject has a MTP-1 associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a MTP-1 associated disease or disorder associated with MTP-1, said method comprising the steps of receiving MTP-1 sequence information from the subject and/or information related thereto, receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject, acquiring information from the network corresponding to MTP-1 and/or a MTP-1 associated disease or disorder, and based on one or more of the phenotypic information, the MTP-1 information (e.g., sequence information and/or information related thereto), and the acquired information, determining whether the subject has a MTP-1 associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a MTP-1 associated disease or disorder. The method may further comprise the step of recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[0397] The present invention also provides a business method for determining whether a subject has a MTP-1 associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a MTP-1 associated disease or disorder, said method comprising the steps of receiving information related to MTP-1 (e.g., sequence information and/or information related thereto), receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject, acquiring information from the network related to MTP-1 and/or related to a MTP-1 associated disease or disorder, and based on one or more of the phenotypic information, the MTP-1 information, and the acquired information, determining whether the subject has a MTP-1 associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a MTP-1 associated disease or disorder. The method may further comprise the step of recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[0398] The invention also includes an array comprising a MTP-1 sequence of the present invention. The array can be used to assay expression of one or more genes in the array. In one embodiment, the array can be used to assay gene expression in a tissue to ascertain tissue specificity of genes in the array. In this manner, up to about 7600 genes can be simultaneously assayed for expression, one of which can be MTP-1. This allows a profile to be developed showing a battery of genes specifically expressed in one or more tissues.

[0399] In addition to such qualitative determination, the invention allows the quantitation of gene expression. Thus, not only tissue specificity, but also the level of expression of a battery of genes in the tissue is ascertainable. Thus, genes can be grouped on the basis of their tissue expression per se and level of expression in that tissue. This is useful, for example, in ascertaining the relationship of gene expression between or among tissues. Thus, one tissue can be perturbed and the effect on gene expression in a second tissue can be determined. In this context, the effect of one cell type on another cell type in response to a biological stimulus can be determined. Such a determination is useful, for example, to know the effect of cell-cell interaction at the level of gene expression. If an agent is administered therapeutically to treat one cell type but has an undesirable effect on another cell type, the invention provides an assay to determine the molecular basis of the undesirable effect and thus provides the opportunity to co-administer a counteracting agent or otherwise treat the undesired effect. Similarly, even within a single cell type, undesirable biological effects can be determined at the molecular level. Thus, the effects of an agent on expression of other than the target gene can be ascertained and counteracted.

[0400] In another embodiment, the array can be used to monitor the time course of expression of one or more genes in the array. This can occur in various biological contexts, as disclosed herein, for example development of a MTP-1 associated disease or disorder, progression of MTP-1 associated disease or disorder, and processes, such a cellular transformation associated with the MTP-1 associated disease or disorder.

[0401] The array is also useful for ascertaining the effect of the expression of a gene on the expression of other genes in the same cell or in different cells (e.g., ascertaining the effect of MTP-1 expression on the expression of other genes). This provides, for example, for a selection of alternate molecular targets for therapeutic intervention if the ultimate or downstream target cannot be regulated.

[0402] The array is also useful for ascertaining differential expression patterns of one or more genes in normal and abnormal cells. This provides a battery of genes (e.g., including MTP-1) that could serve as a molecular target for diagnosis or therapeutic intervention.

[0403] This invention is further illustrated by the following examples which should not be construed as limiting. The contents of all references, patents and published patent applications cited throughout this application, as well as the Figures and the Sequence Listing, are incorporated herein by reference.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Identification and Characterization of Human MTP-1 cDNA

[0404] In this example, the identification and characterization of the gene encoding human MTP-1 (clone Fbh38594) is described.

[0405] Isolation of the MTP-1 cDNA

[0406] The invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of a human genes encoding a novel protein, referred to herein as MTP-1. The entire sequence of human clones Fbh38594, was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “MTP-1”, set forth in FIGS. 1A-M. The amino acid sequence of the human MTP-1 expression product is set forth in FIGS. 1A-M. The MTP-1 protein sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2 comprises about 2144 amino acids and is shown in FIGS. 1A-M. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 1, is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3.

[0407] Analysis of the Human MTP-1 Molecule

[0408] An analysis of the possible cellular localization of the MTP-1 protein based on its amino acid sequence was performed using the methods and algorithms described in Nakai and Kanehisa (1992) Genomics 14:897-911, and at http://psort.nibb.ac.jp. The results of the analysis show that human MTP-1 (SEQ ID NO: 2) may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, vesicles of the secretory system, and the nucleus.

[0409] A search of the amino acid sequence of MTP-1 was performed against the Memsat database (FIG. 2). This search resulted in the identification of twelve transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human MTP-1 (SEQ ID NO: 2) at about residues 23-40, 548-564, 588-612, 624-646, 653-675, 1006-1023, 1236-1258, 1534-1556, 1587-1603, 1645-1667, 1732-1749, 1931-1947.

[0410] A search of the amino acid sequence of MTP-1 was also performed against the HMM database (FIG. 3). This search resulted in the identification of two “ABC transporter domains” in the amino acid sequence of MTP-1 (SEQ ID NO: 2) at about residues 832-1012 and about 1818-1999 (scores: 206.0 and 144.2, respectively). Further domain motifs were identified by using the amino acid sequence of MTP-1 (SEQ ID NO: 2) to search through the ProDom database (http://protein.toulouse.inra.fr/prodom.html). Numerous matches against protein domains described as ATP-binding transporters, ABC transporters, ABCR transporters, ABC-C transporters and the like were identified.

[0411] A search was also performed against the Prosite database, and resulted in the identification of two “ATP/GTP binding site motifs (P-loop)” at residues 839-846, and 1825-1832 (Prosite accession number PS00017). This search also revealed an “ABC transporter family signature motif” at residues 938-952 (Prosite accession number PS00211).

[0412] BLASTN analysis using the nucleotide sequence of human MTP-1 resulted in the identification of a partial cDNA having significant identity to nucleotides 2852-2987 of SEQ ID NO: 1. This partial cDNA is described as belonging to the ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter protein family, etiologically involved in cholesterol driven atherogenic processes and inflammatory diseases like psoriasis, lupus erythematosus and others.

[0413] In combination with the other examples described herein, these data suggest that MTP-1 is a novel ABC transporter molecule, involved in lipid metabolism and/or inflammation and/or hematopoiesis.

Example 2 Expression of Recombinant MTP-1 Protein in Bacterial Cells

[0414] In this example, MTP-1 is expressed as a recombinant glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion polypeptide in E. coli and the fusion polypeptide is isolated and characterized. Specifically, MTP-1 is fused to GST and this fusion polypeptide is expressed in E. coli, e.g., strain PEB199. Expression of the GST-MTP-1 fusion protein in PEB199 is induced with IPTG. The recombinant fusion polypeptide is purified from crude bacterial lysates of the induced PEB199 strain by affinity chromatography on glutathione beads. Using polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis of the polypeptide purified from the bacterial lysates, the molecular weight of the resultant fusion polypeptide is determined.

Example 3 Expression of Recombinant MTP-1 Protein in COS Cells

[0415] To express the MTP-1 gene in COS cells, the pcDNA/Amp vector by Invitrogen Corporation (San Diego, Calif.) is used. This vector contains an SV40 origin of replication, an ampicillin resistance gene, an E. coli replication origin, a CMV promoter followed by a polylinker region, and an SV40 intron and polyadenylation site. A DNA fragment encoding the entire MTP-1 protein and an HA tag (Wilson et al. (1984) Cell 37:767) or a FLAG tag fused in-frame to its 3′ end of the fragment is cloned into the polylinker region of the vector, thereby placing the expression of the recombinant protein under the control of the CMV promoter.

[0416] To construct the plasmid, the MTP-1 DNA sequence is amplified by PCR using two primers. The 5′ primer contains the restriction site of interest followed by approximately twenty nucleotides of the MTP-1 coding sequence starting from the initiation codon; the 3′ end sequence contains complementary sequences to the other restriction site of interest, a translation stop codon, the HA tag or FLAG tag and the last 20 nucleotides of the MTP-1 coding sequence. The PCR amplified fragment and the pCDNA/Amp vector are digested with the appropriate restriction enzymes and the vector is dephosphorylated using the CIAP enzyme (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.). Preferably the two restriction sites chosen are different so that the MTP-1 gene is inserted in the correct orientation. The ligation mixture is transformed into E. coli cells (strains HB101, DH5α, SURE, available from Stratagene Cloning Systems, La Jolla, Calif., can be used), the transformed culture is plated on ampicillin media plates, and resistant colonies are selected. Plasmid DNA is isolated from transformants and examined by restriction analysis for the presence of the correct fragment.

[0417] COS cells are subsequently transfected with the MTP-1-pcDNA/Amp plasmid DNA using the calcium phosphate or calcium chloride co-precipitation methods, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, lipofection, or electroporation. Other suitable methods for transfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989. The expression of the MTP-1 polypeptide is detected by radiolabeling (³⁵S-methionine or ³⁵S-cysteine available from NEN, Boston, Mass., can be used) and immunoprecipitation (Harlow, E. and Lane, D. Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1988) using an HA specific monoclonal antibody. Briefly, the cells are labeled for 8 hours with ³⁵S-methionine (or ³⁵S-cysteine). The culture media are then collected and the cells are lysed using detergents (RIPA buffer, 150 mM NaCl, 1% NP-40, 0.1% SDS, 0.5% DOC, 50 mM Tris, pH 7.5). Both the cell lysate and the culture media are precipitated with an HA-specific monoclonal antibody. Precipitated polypeptides are then analyzed by SDS-PAGE.

[0418] Alternatively, DNA containing the MTP-1 coding sequence is cloned directly into the polylinker of the pCDNA/Amp vector using the appropriate restriction sites. The resulting plasmid is transfected into COS cells in the manner described above, and the expression of the MTP-1 polypeptide is detected by radiolabeling and immunoprecipitation using an MTP-1 specific monoclonal antibody.

Example 4 Tissue Distribution of MTP-1 mRNA

[0419] In this example, endogenous gene expression was determined using the Perkin-Elmer/AsI 7700 Sequence Detection System which employs TaqMan technology. Briefly, TaqMan technology relies on standard RT-PCR with the addition of a third gene-specific oligonucleotide (referred to as a probe) which has a fluorescent dye coupled to its 5′ end (typically 6-FAM) and a quenching dye at the 3′ end (typically TAMRA). When the fluorescently tagged oligonucleotide is intact, the fluorescent signal from the 5′ dye is quenched. As PCR proceeds, the 5′ to 3′ nucleolytic activity of taq polymerase digests the labeled primer, producing a free nucleotide labeled with 6-FAM, which is now detected as a fluorescent signal. The PCR cycle where fluorescence is first released and detected is directly proportional to the starting amount of the gene of interest in the test sample, thus providing a way of quantitating the initial template concentration. Samples can be internally controlled by the addition of a second set of primers/probe specific for a housekeeping gene such as GAPDH which has been labeled with a different fluor on the 5′ end (typically JOE). To determine the level of MTP-1 in various tissues a primer/probe set was designed using Primer Express software and primary cDNA sequence information. Total RNA was prepared from a series of tissues using an RNeasy kit from Qiagen First strand cDNA was prepared from one μg total RNA using an oligo dT primer and Superscript II reverse transcriptase (GIBCO-BRL). cDNA obtained from approximately 50 ng total RNA was used per TaqMan reaction. An array of human tissues were tested. The results of one such analysis are depicted in FIGS. 4A-C. Expression was greatest in brain, vein, adipose, skin, fetal liver, tonsil, and lymph node. Expression was also noted in liver, colon, skeletal muscle, kidney, lung, thyroid, bone marrow, testis, placenta, fetal heart, spleen, and thymus.

[0420] In addition, a second array of human tissues was tested according to the above-described Taqman procedure, the array including additional samples of the erythroid and hematopoietic lineage. Notably, in addition to increased expression in tonsil and lymph node tissue, significant expression was also observed in bone marrow mononuclear cells, megakaryocytes and neutrophils, with quite dramatic expression being detected in erythroid cells. TABLE I Tissue Type Mean β 2 Mean ∂∂ Ct Expression Artery normal 34.5 23.43 9.08 1.8478 Aorta diseased 33.95 23.5 8.46 2.8398 Vein normal 37.27 21.48 13.8 0 Coronary SMC 34.41 22.07 10.36 0.7635 HUVEC 30.69 22.52 6.18 13.7922 Hemangioma 33.1 21.05 10.07 0.9335 Heart normal 33.34 22.2 9.14 1.7664 Heart CHF 33.51 22.09 9.43 1.4548 Kidney 30.5 21.41 7.11 7.2641 Skeletal Muscle 31.26 23.18 6.09 14.68 Adipose normal 34.95 21.89 11.07 0.4652 Pancreas 32.16 23.35 6.83 8.82 primary osteoblasts 30.86 21.93 6.93 8.1725 Osteoclasts 32.65 18.93 11.72 0.2964 Skin normal 33.91 23.2 8.72 2.3633 Spinal cord normal 33.01 22.13 8.89 2.1006 Brain Cortex normal 30.45 23.5 4.96 32.1286 Brain Hypothalamus normal 33.28 23.63 7.66 4.9444 Nerve 35.15 23.34 9.82 0 DRG (Dorsal Root Ganglion) 30.59 22.94 5.66 19.8461 Breast normal 33.94 22.18 9.77 1.1493 Breast tumor 32.81 21.99 8.83 2.1974 Ovary normal 34.65 21.23 11.43 0.3624 Ovary Tumor 30.8 19.73 9.09 1.8414 Prostate Normal 32.9 20.93 9.98 0.9868 Prostate Tumor 32.58 21.3 9.29 1.5919 Salivary glands 32.64 20.8 9.85 1.0836 Colon normal 34.74 19.81 12.95 0.1268 Colon Tumor 31.76 22.48 7.29 6.3899 Lung normal 31.25 19.34 9.91 1.0358 Lung tumor 29.82 21.58 6.25 13.0935 Lung 32.22 19.77 10.47 0.7075 Colon 32.47 18.8 11.69 0.3037 Liver normal 36.3 21.14 13.17 0 Liver fibrosis 33.8 21.87 9.94 1.0216 Spleen normal 30.26 19.77 8.5 2.7621 Tonsil normal 28.23 19.76 6.48 11.2028 Lymph node normal 29.54 21.32 6.24 13.2763 Small intestine normal 35.99 21.38 12.63 0 Macrophages 33.92 18.14 13.8 0.0701 Synovium 34.2 20.9 11.32 0.3925 BM-MNC 28.88 20.05 6.84 8.6986 Activated PBMC 32.9 19.48 11.43 0.3624 Neutrophils 28.03 19.42 6.62 10.1667 Megakaryocytes 27.09 20.12 4.97 31.7962 Erythroid 25.68 21.81 1.88 271.6837 positive control 30.11 21.34 6.77 9.1628

[0421] To further investigate the high expression in hematopoietic tissue, MTP-1 expression levels were measured in various hematopoietic cells by quantitative PCR using the Taqman™ procedure as described above. The relative levels of MTP-1 expression in various hematopoietic and non-hemapoietic cells is depicted in Table II. TABLE II Expression on MTP-1 in various types of hematopoietic cells. Fam Mean Vic Mean Relative 38594 Beta2 Expression Lung MPI 131 29 19 18 Kidney MPI 58 28 21 255 Brain MPI 167 33 24 34 Heart PIT 273 34 20 2 Colon MPI 60 32 21 10 NHLF CTN 49 hr 30 19 9 NHLF TGF 10 ng 30 19 12 hepG2 CTN 29 20 67 Tonsil MPI 37 26 19 204 Lymph nodes NDR 79 26 19 225 spleen MPI 380 23 17 287 Fetal liver MPI 133 30 21 65 pooled liver 31 20 16 Liv Fib NDR 190 36 25 16 Liv Fib NDR 191 30 20 37 Liv Fib NDR 194 35 25 38 Liv Fib NDR 113 31 19 7 Th1 48 hr M4 30 17 3 Th1 48 hr M5 30 17 3 Th2 48 hr M5 30 17 3 Grans 27 20 218 CD19 28 18 18 CD14 30 17 2 PBMC mock 25 16 63 PBMC PHA 27 16 8 PBMC IL 10 28 17 8 NHBE mock 32 20 8 NHBE IL13-1 32 21 10 BM-MNC 32 21 10 mPB CD34+ 27 20 351 ABM CD34+ 29 19 18 Erythroid 30 20 22 Megs 31 18 4 Neutrophil 30 19 14 mBM CD11b+ 33 18 1 mBM CD15+ 32 18 2 mBM CD11b− 30 18 4 BM/GPA 28 20 91 BM CD71 27 18 60 HepG2 A 29 22 202 HepG2 2.12-a 28 22 412 NTC 40 40

[0422] Notably, MTP-1 expression was increased in non-hemapoietic cells such as HepG2, brain, liver and kidney. Interesting, expression was most increased in hematopoietic cells such as CD34-positive murine peripheral blood cells. Expression was also significantly increased in other hemapoietic cells such as glycophorin A-positive bone marrow cells (“BM-GPA”), CD71-positive bone marrow cells (BM-CD71”), mock-treated peripheral blood mononuclear cells, granulocytes, tonsils, lymph nodes and spleen. These data indicate that MTP-1 is a novel ABC-transporter molecule that is preferentially expressed in various hemapoietic cells.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0423] Cellular membranes serve to differentiate the contents of a cell from the surrounding environment, and may also serve as effective barriers against the unregulated influx of hazardous or unwanted compounds, and the unregulated efflux of desirable compounds. Membranes are by nature impervious to the unfacilitated diffusion of hydrophilic compounds such as proteins, water molecules, and ions due to their structure: a bilayer of lipid molecules in which the polar head groups face outwards (towards the exterior and interior of the cell) and the nonpolar tails face inwards (at the center of bilayer, forming a hydrophobic core). Membranes enable a cell to maintain a relatively higher intracellular concentration of desired compounds and a relatively lower intracellular concentration of undesired compounds than are contained within the surrounding environment.

[0424] However, membranes also present a structural difficulty for cells, in that most desired compounds cannot readily enter the cell, nor can most waste products readily exit the cell through this lipid bilayer. The import and export of such compounds is facilitated by proteins which are embedded (singly or in complexes) in the cellular membrane. There are several general classes of membrane transport proteins: channels/pores, permeases, and transporters. The former are integral membrane proteins which form a regulated passage through a membrane. This regulation, or ‘gating’ is generally specific to the molecules to be transported by the pore or channel, rendering these transmembrane constructs selectively permeable to a specific class of substrates. For example, a calcium channel is constructed such that only ions having a like charge and size to that of calcium may pass through. Channel and pore proteins tend to have discrete hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains, such that the hydrophobic face of the protein may associate with the interior of the membrane while the hydrophilic face lines the interior of the channel, thus providing a sheltered hydrophilic environment through which the selected hydrophilic molecule may pass. This pore/channel-mediated system of facilitated diffusion is limited to ions and other very small molecules, due to the fact that pore or channels sufficiently large to permit the passage of whole proteins by facilitated diffusion would be unable to prevent the simultaneous passage of smaller hydrophilic molecules.

[0425] Transport of larger molecules takes place by the action of ‘permeases’ and ‘transporters’, two other classes of membrane-localized proteins which serve to move charged molecules from one side of a cellular membrane to the other. Unlike channel molecules, which permit diffusion-limited solute movement of a particular solute, these proteins require an energetic input, either in the form of a diffusion gradient (permeases) or through coupling to hydrolysis of an energetic molecule (e.g., ATP or GTP) (transporters). The permeases, integral membrane proteins often having between 6-14 membrane-spanning α-helices, enable the facilitated diffusion of molecules such as glucose or other sugars into the cell when the concentration of these molecules on one side of the membrane is greater than that on the other. Permeases do not form open channels through the membrane, but rather bind to the target molecule at the surface of the membrane and then undergo a conformational shift such that the target molecule is released on the opposite side of the membrane.

[0426] Transporters, in contrast, permit the movement of target molecules across membranes against the existing concentration gradient (active transport), a situation in which facilitated diffusion cannot occur. There are two general mechanisms used by cells for this type of membrane transport: symport/antiport, and energy-coupled transport, such as that mediated by the ABC transporters. Symport and antiport systems couple the movement of two different molecules across the membrane (via molecules having two separate binding sites for the two different molecules); in symport, both molecules are transported in the same direction, while in antiport, one molecule is imported while the other is exported. This is possible energetically because one of the two molecules moves in accordance with a concentration gradient, and this energetically favorable event is permitted only upon concomitant movement of a desired compound against the prevailing concentration gradient.

[0427] Single molecules may also be transported across the membrane against the concentration gradient in an energy-driven process, such as that utilized by the ABC transporters. In this ABC transporter system, the transport protein located in the membrane has an ATP-binding cassette; upon binding of the target molecule, the ATP is converted to ADP and inorganic phosphate (P₁), and the resulting release of energy is used to drive the movement of the target molecule to the opposite face of the membrane, facilitated by the transporter.

[0428] Transport molecules are specific for a particular target solute or class of solutes, and are also present in one or more specific membranes. Transport molecules localized to the plasma membrane permit an exchange of solutes with the surrounding environment, while transport molecules localized to intracellular membranes (e.g., membranes of the mitochondrion, peroxisome, lysosome, endoplasmic reticulum, nucleus, or vacuole) permit import and export of molecules from organelle to organelle or to the cytoplasm. For example, in the case of the mitochondrion, transporters in the inner and outer mitochondrial membranes permit the import of sugar molecules, calcium ions, and water (among other molecules) into the organelle and the export of newly synthesized ATP to the cytosol.

[0429] Membrane transport molecules (e.g., channels/pores, permeases, and transporters) play important roles in the ability of the cell to regulate homeostasis, to grow and divide, and to communicate with other cells, e.g., to secrete and receive signaling molecules, such as hormones, reactive oxygen species, ions, neurotransmitters, and cytokines. A wide variety of human diseases and disorders are associated with defects in transporter or other membrane transport molecules, including certain types of liver disorders (e.g., due to defects in transport of long-chain fatty acids (Al Odaib et al. (1998) New Eng. J. Med. 339:1752-1757), hyperlysinemia (due to a transport defect of lysine into mitochondria (Oyanagi et al. (1986) Inherit. Metab. Dis. 9:313-316), and cataract (Wintour (1997) Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol. 24(1):1-9).

[0430] Organic anion transporters are a particular subclass of transporters which are specific for the transport of organic anions, which include a wide variety of drugs and xenobiotics, many of which are harmful to the body. In addition, organic ion transporters are responsible for the transport of the metabolites of most lipophilic compounds, e.g., sulfate and glucuronide conjugates (Moller, J. V. and Sheikh, M. I. (1982) Pharmacol. Rev. 34:315-358; Pritchard, J. B. and Miller, D. S. (1993) Physiol. Rev. 73:765-796; Ullrich, K. J. (1997) J. Membr. Biol. 158:95-107; Ullrich, K. J. and Rumrich, G. (1993) Clin. Investig. 71:843-848; Petzinger, E. (1994) Rev. Physiol. Biochem. Pharmacol. 123:47-211).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0431] The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel organic anion transporter family members, referred to herein as “Organic Anion Transporter” or “OAT” nucleic acid and protein molecules (e.g., OAT4 and OAT5). The OAT nucleic acid and protein molecules of the present invention are useful as modulating agents in regulating a variety of cellular processes, e.g., protection of cells and/or tissues from organic anions, organic anion transport, inter- or intra-cellular signaling, and/or hormonal responses. Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding OAT proteins or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments suitable as primers or hybridization probes for the detection of OAT-encoding nucleic acids.

[0432] In one embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that includes the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9. In another embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that encodes a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8. In another embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that includes the nucleotide sequence contained in the plasmid deposited with ATCC® as Accession Number ______.

[0433] In still other embodiments, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules including nucleotide sequences that are substantially identical (e.g., 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, or 99.9% identical) to the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9. The invention further features isolated nucleic acid molecules including at least 30 contiguous nucleotides of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9. In another embodiment, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence that is substantially identical (e.g., 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, or 99.9% identical) to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8. Also featured are nucleic acid molecules which encode allelic variants of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8. In addition to isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding full-length polypeptides, the present invention also features nucleic acid molecules which encode fragments, for example, biologically active or antigenic fragments, of the full-length polypeptides of the present invention (e.g., fragments including at least 10 contiguous amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8). In still other embodiments, the invention features nucleic acid molecules that are complementary to, antisense to, or hybridize under stringent conditions to the isolated nucleic acid molecules described herein.

[0434] In a related aspect, the invention provides vectors including the isolated nucleic acid molecules described herein (e.g., OAT-encoding nucleic acid molecules). Such vectors can optionally include nucleotide sequences encoding heterologous polypeptides. Also featured are host cells including such vectors (e.g., host cells including vectors suitable for producing OAT nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides).

[0435] In another aspect, the invention features isolated OAT polypeptides and/or biologically active or antigenic fragments thereof. Exemplary embodiments feature a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8, a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence at least 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 95.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, or 99.9% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8, a polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid molecule including a nucleotide sequence at least 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, or 99.9% identical to the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9. Also featured are fragments of the full-length polypeptides described herein (e.g., fragments including at least 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, or 50 contiguous amino acid residues of the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8) as well as allelic variants of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8.

[0436] The OAT polypeptides and/or biologically active or antigenic fragments thereof, are useful, for example, as reagents or targets in assays applicable to treatment and/or diagnosis of OAT associated disorders. In one embodiment, an OAT polypeptide or fragment thereof has an OAT activity. In another embodiment, an OAT polypeptide or fragment thereof has at least one of the following domains: a transmembrane domain, a sugar (and other) transporter domain, and/or an ATP/GTP-binding site motif A (P-loop) domain, and optionally, has an OAT activity. In a related aspect, the invention features antibodies (e.g., antibodies which specifically bind to any one of the polypeptides, as described herein) as well as fusion polypeptides including all or a fragment of a polypeptide described herein.

[0437] The present invention further features methods for detecting OAT polypeptides and/or OAT nucleic acid molecules, such methods featuring, for example, a probe, primer or antibody described herein. Also featured are kits for the detection of OAT polypeptides and/or OAT nucleic acid molecules. In a related aspect, the invention features methods for identifying compounds which bind to and/or modulate the activity of an OAT polypeptide or OAT nucleic acid molecule described herein. Also featured are methods for modulating an OAT activity.

[0438] Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0439] The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel organic anion transporter family members, referred to herein as “Organic anion transporter” or “OAT” nucleic acid and protein molecules, e.g., OAT4 and OAT5. These novel molecules are capable of transporting organic anions (e.g., drugs, xenobiotics, and/or metabolites of lipophilic compounds such as sulfate and glucuronide conjugates) across cellular membranes and, thus, play a role in or function in a variety of cellular processes, e.g., protection of cells and/or tissues from organic anions, organic anion transport, inter- or intra-cellular signaling, and/or hormonal responses. Thus, the OAT molecules of the present invention provide novel diagnostic targets and therapeutic agents to control organic anion transporter-associated disorders.

[0440] As used herein, an “organic anion transporter-associated disorder” or an “OAT-associated disorder” includes a disorder, disease or condition which is caused or characterized by a misregulation (e.g., downregulation or upregulation) of organic anion transporter activity. Organic anion transporter-associated disorders can detrimentally affect cellular functions such as cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration, inter- or intra-cellular communication; tissue function, such as cardiac function or musculoskeletal function; systemic responses in an organism, such as nervous system responses, hormonal responses (e.g., insulin response); immune responses; and protection of cells from toxic compounds (e.g., carcinogens, toxins, or mutagens).

[0441] Examples of organic anion transporter-associated disorders include CNS disorders such as cognitive and neurodegenerative disorders, examples of which include, but are not limited to, Alzheimer's disease, dementias related to Alzheimer's disease (such as Pick's disease), Parkinson's and other Lewy diffuse body diseases, senile dementia, Huntington's disease, Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive supranuclear palsy, epilepsy, and Jakob-Creutzfieldt disease; autonomic function disorders such as hypertension and sleep disorders, and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, korsakoff's psychosis, mania, anxiety disorders, or phobic disorders; learning or memory disorders, e.g., amnesia or age-related memory loss, attention deficit disorder, dysthymic disorder, major depressive disorder, mania, obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychoactive substance use disorders, anxiety, phobias, panic disorder, as well as bipolar affective disorder, e.g., severe bipolar affective (mood) disorder (BP-1), and bipolar affective neurological disorders, e.g., migraine and obesity. Further CNS-related disorders include, for example, those listed in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the most current version of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0442] Further examples of organic anion transporter-associated disorders include cardiac-related disorders. Cardiovascular system disorders in which the OAT molecules of the invention may be directly or indirectly involved include arteriosclerosis, ischemia reperfusion injury, restenosis, arterial inflammation, vascular wall remodeling, ventricular remodeling, rapid ventricular pacing, coronary microembolism, tachycardia, bradycardia, pressure overload, aortic bending, coronary artery ligation, vascular heart disease, atrial fibrilation, Jervell syndrome, Lange-Nielsen syndrome, long-QT syndrome, congestive heart failure, sinus node dysfunction, angina, heart failure, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, dilated cardiomyopathy, idiopathic cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, coronary artery spasm, and arrhythmia. OAT-mediated or related disorders also include disorders of the musculoskeletal system such as paralysis and muscle weakness, e.g., ataxia, myotonia, and myokymia.

[0443] Organic anion transporter disorders also include cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration disorders. Cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration disorders include those disorders that affect cell proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration processes. As used herein, a “cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration process” is a process by which a cell increases in number, size or content, by which a cell develops a specialized set of characteristics which differ from that of other cells, or by which a cell moves closer to or further from a particular location or stimulus. The OAT molecules of the present invention are involved in signal transduction mechanisms, which are known to be involved in cellular growth, differentiation, and migration processes. Thus, the OAT molecules may modulate cellular growth, differentiation, or migration, and may play a role in disorders characterized by aberrantly regulated growth, differentiation, or migration. Such disorders include cancer, e.g., carcinoma, sarcoma, or leukemia; tumor angiogenesis and metastasis; skeletal dysplasia; hepatic disorders; and hematopoietic and/or mycloproliferative disorders.

[0444] OAT-associated or related disorders also include hormonal disorders, such as conditions or diseases in which the production and/or regulation of hormones in an organism is aberrant. Examples of such disorders and diseases include type I and type II diabetes mellitus, pituitary disorders (e.g., growth disorders), thyroid disorders (e.g., hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism), and reproductive or fertility disorders (e.g., disorders which affect the organs of the reproductive system, e.g., the prostate gland, the uterus, or the vagina; disorders which involve an imbalance in the levels of a reproductive hormone in a subject; disorders affecting the ability of a subject to reproduce; and disorders affecting secondary sex characteristic development, e.g., adrenal hyperplasia).

[0445] Further examples of OAT-associated or related disorders also include immune disorders, such as autoimmune disorders or immune deficiency disorders, e.g., allergies, transplant rejection, responses to pathogenic infection (e.g., bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection), lupus, multiple sclerosis, congenital X-linked infantile hypogammaglobulinemia, transient hypogammaglobulinemia, common variable immunodeficiency, selective IgA deficiency, chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, or severe combined immunodeficiency.

[0446] DHDR-associated or related disorders also include viral disorders, i.e., disorders affected or caused by infection by a virus, e.g., hepatitis, AIDS, certain cancers, influenza, and common colds.

[0447] OAT-associated or related disorders also include disorders affecting tissues in which OAT protein is expressed, e.g., the kidney, osteoblasts, brain cortex, lung, liver, bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNC), and neutrophils.

[0448] The term “family” when referring to the protein and nucleic acid molecules of the invention is intended to mean two or more proteins or nucleic acid molecules having a common structural domain or motif and having sufficient amino acid or nucleotide sequence homology as defined herein. Such family members can be naturally or non-naturally occurring and can be from either the same or different species. For example, a family can contain a first protein of human origin as well as other distinct proteins of human origin or alternatively, can contain homologues of non-human origin, e.g., rat or mouse proteins. Members of a family can also have common functional characteristics.

[0449] For example, the family of OAT proteins of the present invention comprises at least one “transmembrane domain”. As used herein, the term “transmembrane domain” includes an amino acid sequence of about 15 amino acid residues in length which spans the plasma membrane. More preferably, a transmembrane domain includes about at least 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, or 45 amino acid residues and spans the plasma membrane. Transmembrane domains are rich in hydrophobic residues, and typically have an alpha-helical structure. In a preferred embodiment, at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or more of the amino acids of a transmembrane domain are hydrophobic, e.g., leucines, isoleucines, tyrosines, or tryptophans. Transmembrane domains are described in, for example, Zagotta, W. N. et al. (1996) Annu. Rev. Neurosci. 19:235-263, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Amino acid residues 10-31,148-165, 172-195, 202-219, 228-252, 26-276, 347-365, 375-399, 406-422, 431-451, 466-484, and 495-512 of the human OAT4 protein are predicted to comprise transmembrane domains (see FIG. 11). Amino acid residues 106-130, 143-166, 174-191, 230-254, 265-284, 314-335, 382-405, 419-443, 456-473, 579-603, 613-636, and 667-690 of the human OAT5 protein are predicted to comprise transmembrane domains (see FIG. 9). Accordingly, OAT proteins having at least 50-60% homology, preferably about 60-70%, more preferably about 70-80%, or about 80-90% homology with a transmembrane domain of human OAT are within the scope of the invention.

[0450] In another embodiment, members of the OAT family of proteins, include at least one “sugar (and other) transporter domain” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, the term “sugar (and other) transporter domain” includes a protein domain having at least about 335-505 amino acid residues. Preferably, a sugar (and other) transporter domain includes a protein domain having an amino acid sequence of about 355-485, 375-465, 395-445, or more preferably about 415-425 amino acid residues, and a bit score of at least 10, 20, 30, or more preferably, 34.7. To identify the presence of a sugar (and other) transporter domain in an OAT protein, and make the determination that a protein of interest has a particular profile, the amino acid sequence of the protein is searched against a database of known protein domains (e.g., the HMM database). The sugar (and other) transporter domain (HMM) has been assigned the PFAM Accession number PF00083 (see the PFAM website, available online through Washington University in St. Louis). A search was performed against the HMM database resulting in the identification of a sugar (and other) transporter domain in the amino acid sequence of human OAT4 at about residues 103-527 of SEQ ID NO: 5. The results of the search are set forth in FIG. 7. Another search was performed against the HMM database, further resulting in the identification of a sugar (and other) transporter domain in the amino acid sequence of human OAT5 at about residues 141-555 of SEQ ID NO: 8. The results of the search are set forth in FIGS. 8A-B.

[0451] A description of the Pfam database can be found in Sonhammer et al. (1997) Proteins 28:405-420, and a detailed description of HMMs can be found, for example, in Gribskov et al.(1990) Meth. Enzymol. 183:146-159; Gribskov et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:4355-4358; Krogh et al.(1994) J. Mol. Biol. 235:1501-1531; and Stultz et al.(1993) Protein Sci. 2:305-314, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0452] In another embodiment, an OAT protein of the present invention includes at least one “ATP/GTP-binding site motif A (P-loop) domain”. As used herein, the term “ATP/GTP-binding site motif A (P-loop) domain” includes an amino acid sequence having the consensus sequence [AG]-X(4)-G-K-[ST] (SEQ ID NO: 11). ATP/GTP-binding site motif A (P-loop) domains are described under Prosite entry PS00017 (see the Prosite website, available online through the Swiss Institute for Bioinformatics). The consensus sequence described herein is described according to the standard Prosite signature designation (e.g., all amino acids are indicated according to their universal single letter designation; X designates any amino acid; X(n) designates any n amino acids, e.g., X(4) designates any 4 amino acids; [AG] indicates any one of the amino acids appearing within the brackets, e.g., any one of A or G). Searches were performed against the Prosite database resulting in the identification of two ATP/GTP-binding site motif A (P-loop) domains in the amino acid sequence of OAT5 at about residues 343-350 and 360-367 of SEQ ID NO: 8.

[0453] Isolated proteins of the present invention, preferably OAT proteins, have an amino acid sequence sufficiently homologous to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8, or are encoded by a nucleotide sequence sufficiently homologous to SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9. As used herein, the term “sufficiently homologous” refers to a first amino acid or nucleotide sequence which contains a sufficient or minimum number of identical or equivalent (e.g., an amino acid residue which has a similar side chain) amino acid residues or nucleotides to a second amino acid or nucleotide sequence such that the first and second amino acid or nucleotide sequences share common structural domains or motifs and/or a common functional activity. For example, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share common structural domains having at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9% or more homology or identity across the amino acid sequences of the domains and contain at least one and preferably two structural domains or motifs, are defined herein as sufficiently homologous. Furthermore, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9% or more homology or identity and share a common functional activity are defined herein as sufficiently homologous.

[0454] In a preferred embodiment, an OAT protein includes at least one of the following domains: a transmembrane domain, a sugar (and other) transporter domain, and/or an ATP/GTP-binding site motif A (P-loop) domain, and has an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9% or more homologous or identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8, or the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ . In yet another preferred embodiment, an OAT protein includes at least one of the following domains: a transmembrane domain, a sugar (and other) transporter domain, and/or an ATP/GTP-binding site motif A (P-loop) domain, and is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule having a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9. In another preferred embodiment, an OAT protein includes at least one of the following domains: a transmembrane domain, a sugar (and other) transporter domain, and/or an ATP/GTP-binding site motif A (P-loop) domain, and has an OAT activity.

[0455] As used interchangeably herein, an “OAT activity”, “biological activity of OAT” or “functional activity of OAT”, refers to an activity exhibited by an OAT protein, polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule (e.g., in an OAT expressing cell or tissue) on an OAT responsive cell or an OAT substrate, as determined in vivo or in vitro, according to standard techniques. In one embodiment, an OAT activity is a direct activity, such as transport of an OAT substrate, e.g., a metabolite of a lipophilic compound such as a sulfate or glucuronide conjugate. As used herein, an “OAT substrate” is a molecule which is transported from one side of a membrane to the other. Exemplary OAT substrates include, but are not limited to, organic anions such as drugs, xenobiotics, and metabolites of lipophilic compounds such as sulfate and glucuronide conjugates. Examples of OAT substrates also include non-transported molecules that are essential for OAT function, such as ATP or GTP. An OAT activity can also be a direct activity such as an association with an OAT target molecule. An OAT target molecule can be a non-OAT molecule or an OAT protein or polypeptide of the present invention. In an exemplary embodiment, an OAT target molecule is an intracellular signaling protein that mediates an OAT-modulated signal transduction pathway. An OAT activity can also be an indirect activity, such as a cellular signaling activity mediated by transport of an OAT substrate or by interaction of the OAT protein with an OAT substrate or target molecule.

[0456] In a preferred embodiment, an OAT activity is at least one of the following activities: (i) interaction with an OAT substrate or target molecule; (ii) transport of an OAT substrate across a membrane; (iii) interaction with and/or modulation of a second non-OAT protein; (iv) modulation of cellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); (v) protection of cells and/or tissues from organic anions; and/or (vi) modulation of hormonal responses.

[0457] The nucleotide sequence of the isolated human OAT4 cDNA and the predicted amino acid sequence encoded by the OAT4 cDNA are shown in FIGS. 5A-B and in SEQ ID NO: 4 and 5, respectively. A plasmid containing the human OAT cDNA was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______ and assigned Accession Number ______ . This deposit will be maintained under the terms of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure. This deposit were made merely as a convenience for those of skill in the art and is not an admission that a deposit is required under 35 U.S.C. §112.

[0458] The nucleotide sequence of the isolated human OAT5 cDNA and the predicted amino acid sequence encoded by the OAT5 cDNA are shown in FIGS. 10 and 6 and in SEQ ID NO: 7 and 8, respectively. A plasmid containing the human OAT cDNA was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______ and assigned Accession Number ______ . This deposit will be maintained under the terms of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure. This deposit were made merely as a convenience for those of skill in the art and is not an admission that a deposit is required under 35 U.S.C. §112.

[0459] The human OAT4 gene, which is approximately 2206 nucleotides in length, encodes a protein having a molecular weight of approximately 60.5 kD and which is approximately 550 amino acid residues in length. The human OAT5 gene, which is approximately 2634 nucleotides in length, encodes a protein having a molecular weight of approximately 79.6 kD and which is approximately 724 amino acid residues in length.

[0460] Various aspects of the invention are described in further detail in the following subsections:

[0461] I. Isolated Nucleic Acid Molecules

[0462] One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated nucleic acid molecules that encode OAT proteins or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments sufficient for use as hybridization probes to identify OAT-encoding nucleic acid molecules (e.g., OAT mRNA) and fragments for use as PCR primers for the amplification or mutation of OAT nucleic acid molecules. As used herein, the term “nucleic acid molecule” is intended to include DNA molecules (e.g., cDNA or genomic DNA) and RNA molecules (e.g., mRNA) and analogs of the DNA or RNA generated using nucleotide analogs. The nucleic acid molecule can be single-stranded or double-stranded, but preferably is double-stranded DNA.

[0463] The term “isolated nucleic acid molecule” includes nucleic acid molecules which are separated from other nucleic acid molecules which are present in the natural source of the nucleic acid. For example, with regards to genomic DNA, the term “isolated” includes nucleic acid molecules which are separated from the chromosome with which the genomic DNA is naturally associated. Preferably, an “isolated” nucleic acid is free of sequences which naturally flank the nucleic acid (i.e., sequences located at the 5′ and 3′ ends of the nucleic acid) in the genomic DNA of the organism from which the nucleic acid is derived. For example, in various embodiments, the isolated OAT nucleic acid molecule can contain less than about 5 kb, 4 kb, 3 kb, 2 kb, 1 kb, 0.5 kb or 0.1 kb of nucleotide sequences which naturally flank the nucleic acid molecule in genomic DNA of the cell from which the nucleic acid is derived. Moreover, an “isolated” nucleic acid molecule, such as a cDNA molecule, can be substantially free of other cellular material, or culture medium when produced by recombinant techniques, or substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized.

[0464] A nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, e.g., a nucleic acid molecule having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ , or a portion thereof, can be isolated using standard molecular biology techniques and the sequence information provided herein. Using all or a portion of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ , as hybridization probes, OAT nucleic acid molecules can be isolated using standard hybridization and cloning techniques (e.g., as described in Sambrook, J. et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989).

[0465] Moreover, a nucleic acid molecule encompassing all or a portion of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ can be isolated by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using synthetic oligonucleotide primers designed based upon the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ .

[0466] A nucleic acid of the invention can be amplified using cDNA, mRNA or alternatively, genomic DNA, as a template and appropriate oligonucleotide primers according to standard PCR amplification techniques. The nucleic acid so amplified can be cloned into an appropriate vector and characterized by DNA sequence analysis. Furthermore, oligonucleotides corresponding to OAT nucleotide sequences can be prepared by standard synthetic techniques, e.g., using an automated DNA synthesizer.

[0467] In one embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 4 or 6. This cDNA may comprise sequences encoding the human OAT4 protein (e.g., the “coding region”, from nucleotides 372-2021), as well as 5′ untranslated sequence (nucleotides 1-371) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 2022-2206) of SEQ ID NO: 4. Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 4 (e.g., nucleotides 372-2021, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 6). Accordingly, in another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises SEQ ID NO: 6 and nucleotides 1-371 of SEQ ID NO: 4. In yet another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 6 and nucleotides 2022-2206 of SEQ ID NO: 4. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 or SEQ ID NO: 6. In still another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 4 (e.g., nucleotides 372-2021, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 6), as well as a stop codon (e.g., nucleotides 2022-2024 of SEQ ID NO: 4). In another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule comprises nucleotides 1-25 of SEQ ID NO: 4 or nucleotides 2186-2206 of SEQ ID NO: 4.

[0468] In another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 7 or 9. This cDNA may comprise sequences encoding the human OAT4 protein (e.g., the “coding region”, from nucleotides 104-2275), as well as 5′ untranslated sequence (nucleotides 1-103) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 2276-2634) of SEQ ID NO: 7. Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 7 (e.g., nucleotides 104-2275, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 9). Accordingly, in another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises SEQ ID NO: 9 and nucleotides 1-103 of SEQ ID NO: 7. In yet another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 9 and nucleotides 2276-2634 of SEQ ID NO: 7. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7 or SEQ ID NO: 9. In still another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 7 (e.g., nucleotides 104-2275, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 9), as well as a stop codon (e.g., nucleotides 2276-2278 of SEQ ID NO: 7). In another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule comprises nucleotides 1-1305, nucleotides 1622-2634, nucleotides 104-1305, or nucleotides 1622-2275 of SEQ ID NO: 7.

[0469] In still another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises a nucleic acid molecule which is a complement of the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ , or a portion of any of these nucleotide sequences. A nucleic acid molecule which is complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ , is one which is sufficiently complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ , such that it can hybridize to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ , thereby forming a stable duplex.

[0470] In still another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9% or more identical to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9 (e.g., to the entire length of the nucleotide sequence), or to the nucleotide sequence (e.g., the entire length of the nucleotide sequence) of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ , or a portion or complement of any of these nucleotide sequences. In one embodiment, a nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least (or no greater than) 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 317, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1600, 1650, 1700, 1750, 1769, 1800, 1850, 1869, 1900, 1950, 2000, 2050, 2100, 2150, 2200, 2250, 2300, 2350, 2400, 2450, 2500, 2550, 2600 or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______.

[0471] Moreover, the nucleic acid molecule of the invention can comprise only a portion of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ , for example, a fragment which can be used as a probe or primer or a fragment encoding a portion of an OAT protein, e.g., a biologically active portion of an OAT protein. The nucleotide sequence determined from the cloning of the OAT gene allows for the generation of probes and primers designed for use in identifying and/or cloning other OAT family members, as well as OAT homologues from other species. The probe/primer (e.g., oligonucleotide) typically comprises substantially purified oligonucleotide. The oligonucleotide typically comprises a region of nucleotide sequence that hybridizes under stringent conditions to at least about 12 or 15, preferably about 20 or 25, more preferably about 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, or 75 consecutive nucleotides of a sense sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ , of an anti-sense sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ , or of a naturally occurring allelic variant or mutant of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ .

[0472] Exemplary probes or primers are at least (or no greater than) 12, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75 or more nucleotides in length and/or comprise consecutive nucleotides of an isolated nucleic acid molecule described herein. Also included within the scope of the present invention are probes or primers comprising contiguous or consecutive nucleotides of an isolated nucleic acid molecule described herein, but for the difference of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 bases within the probe or primer sequence. Probes based on the OAT nucleotide sequences can be used to detect (e.g., specifically detect) transcripts or genomic sequences encoding the same or homologous proteins. In preferred embodiments, the probe further comprises a label group attached thereto, e.g., the label group can be a radioisotope, a fluorescent compound, an enzyme, or an enzyme co-factor. In another embodiment a set of primers is provided, e.g., primers suitable for use in a PCR, which can be used to amplify a selected region of an OAT sequence, e.g., a domain, region, site or other sequence described herein. The primers should be at least 5, 10, or 50 base pairs in length and less than 100, or less than 200, base pairs in length. The primers should be identical, or differ by no greater than 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 bases when compared to a sequence disclosed herein or to the sequence of a naturally occurring variant. Such probes can be used as a part of a diagnostic test kit for identifying cells or tissue which misexpress an OAT protein, such as by measuring a level of an OAT-encoding nucleic acid in a sample of cells from a subject, e.g., detecting OAT mRNA levels or determining whether a genomic OAT gene has been mutated or deleted.

[0473] A nucleic acid fragment encoding a “biologically active portion of an OAT protein” can be prepared by isolating a portion of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ , which encodes a polypeptide having an OAT biological activity (the biological activities of the OAT proteins are described herein), expressing the encoded portion of the OAT protein (e.g., by recombinant expression in vitro) and assessing the activity of the encoded portion of the OAT protein. In an exemplary embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule is at least 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 317, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1600, 1650, 1700, 1750, 1769, 1800, 1850, 1869, 1900, 1950, 2000, 2050, 2100, 2150, 2200, 2250, 2300, 2350, 2400, 2450, 2500, 2550, 2600 or more nucleotides in length and encodes a protein having an OAT activity (as described herein).

[0474] The invention further encompasses nucleic acid molecules that differ from the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ , due to degeneracy of the genetic code and thus encode the same OAT proteins as those encoded by the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ . In another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention has a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence which differs by at least 1, but no greater than 5, 10, 20, 50 or 100 amino acid residues from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8, or the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______ . In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule encodes the amino acid sequence of human OAT4 or OAT5. If an alignment is needed for this comparison, the sequences should be aligned for maximum homology.

[0475] Nucleic acid variants can be naturally occurring, such as allelic variants (same locus), homologues (different locus), and orthologues (different organism) or can be non naturally occurring. Non-naturally occurring variants can be made by mutagenesis techniques, including those applied to polynucleotides, cells, or organisms. The variants can contain nucleotide substitutions, deletions, inversions and insertions. Variation can occur in either or both the coding and non-coding regions. The variations can produce both conservative and non-conservative amino acid substitutions (as compared in the encoded product).

[0476] Allelic variants result, for example, from DNA sequence polymorphisms within a population (e.g., the human population) that lead to changes in the amino acid sequences of the OAT proteins. Such genetic polymorphism in the OAT genes may exist among individuals within a population due to natural allelic variation. As used herein, the terms “gene” and “recombinant gene” refer to nucleic acid molecules which include an open reading frame encoding an OAT protein, preferably a mammalian OAT protein, and can further include non-coding regulatory sequences, and introns.

[0477] Accordingly, in one embodiment, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode a naturally occurring allelic variant of a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ , wherein the nucleic acid molecule hybridizes to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, for example, under stringent hybridization conditions.

[0478] Allelic variants of human OAT include both functional and non-functional OAT proteins. Functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the OAT protein that maintain the ability to bind an OAT substrate or target molecule, transport an OAT substrate across a membrane, protect cells and/or tissues from organic anions, modulate inter- or intra-cellular signaling, and/or modulate hormone responses. Functional allelic variants will typically contain only conservative substitution of one or more amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8, or substitution, deletion or insertion of non-critical residues in non-critical regions of the protein.

[0479] Non-functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the OAT proteins that, for example, do not have the ability to bind an OAT substrate or target molecule, transport an OAT substrate, protect cells and/or tissues from organic anions, modulate inter- or intra-cellular signaling, and/or modulate hormone responses. Non-functional allelic variants will typically contain a non-conservative substitution, a deletion, or insertion, or premature truncation of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8, or a substitution, insertion, or deletion in critical residues or critical regions of the protein.

[0480] The present invention further provides non-human orthologues (e.g., non-human orthologues of the human OAT4 or OAT5 proteins). Orthologues of the human OAT proteins are proteins that are isolated from non-human organisms and possess the same OAT substrate-transporting mechanisms, substrate or target molecule binding mechanisms, mechanisms of protecting cells and/or tissues from organic anions, and/or inter- or intra-cellular signaling or hormonal modulating mechanisms of the human OAT proteins. Orthologues of the human OAT proteins can readily be identified as comprising an amino acid sequence that is substantially homologous to SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8.

[0481] Moreover, nucleic acid molecules encoding other OAT family members and, thus, which have a nucleotide sequence which differs from the OAT sequences of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, another OAT cDNA can be identified based on the nucleotide sequence of human OAT4 or OAT5. Moreover, nucleic acid molecules encoding OAT proteins from different species, and which, thus, have a nucleotide sequence which differs from the OAT sequences of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, a mouse or monkey OAT cDNA can be identified based on the nucleotide sequence of human OAT, e.g., OAT4 or OAT5.

[0482] Nucleic acid molecules corresponding to natural allelic variants and homologues of the OAT cDNAs of the invention can be isolated based on their homology to the OAT nucleic acids disclosed herein using the cDNAs disclosed herein, or a portion thereof, as a hybridization probe according to standard hybridization techniques under stringent hybridization conditions. Nucleic acid molecules corresponding to natural allelic variants and homologues of the OAT cDNAs of the invention can further be isolated by mapping to the same chromosome or locus as the OAT gene.

[0483] Orthologues, homologues and allelic variants can be identified using methods known in the art (e.g., by hybridization to an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, for example, under stringent hybridization conditions). In one embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention is at least 15, 20, 25, 30 or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ . In other embodiment, the nucleic acid is at least 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 317, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1600, 1650, 1700, 1750, 1769, 1800, 1850, 1869, 1900, 1950, 2000, 2050, 2100, 2150, 2200, 2250, 2300, 2350, 2400, 2450, 2500, 2550, 2600 or more nucleotides in length.

[0484] As used herein, the term “hybridizes under stringent conditions” is intended to describe conditions for hybridization and washing under which nucleotide sequences that are significantly identical or homologous to each other remain hybridized to each other. Preferably, the conditions are such that sequences at least about 70%, more preferably at least about 80%, even more preferably at least about 85% or 90% identical to each other remain hybridized to each other. Such stringent conditions are known to those skilled in the art and can be found in Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Ausubel et al., eds., John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1995), sections 2, 4 and 6. Additional stringent conditions can be found in Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Sambrook et al., Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989), chapters 7, 9 and 11. A preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 4× or 6× sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC), at about 65-70° C. (or hybridization in 4× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 42-50° C.) followed by one or more washes in 1× SSC, at about 65-70° C. A further preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization at 6× SSC at 45° C., followed by one or more washes in 0.2× SSC, 0.1% SDS at 65° C. A preferred, non-limiting example of highly stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 1× SSC, at about 65-70° C. (or hybridization in 1× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 42-50° C.) followed by one or more washes in 0.3× SSC, at about 65-70° C. A preferred, non-limiting example of reduced stringency hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 4× or 6× SSC, at about 50-60° C. (or alternatively hybridization in 6× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 40-45° C.) followed by one or more washes in 2× SSC, at about 50-60° C. Ranges intermediate to the above-recited values, e.g., at 65-70° C. or at 42-50° C. are also intended to be encompassed by the present invention. SSPE (1×SSPE is 0.15M NaCl, 10 mM NaH₂PO₄, and 1.25 mM EDTA, pH 7.4) can be substituted for SSC (1×SSC is 0.15M NaCl and 15 mM sodium citrate) in the hybridization and wash buffers; washes are performed for 15 minutes each after hybridization is complete. The hybridization temperature for hybrids anticipated to be less than 50 base pairs in length should be 5-10° C. less than the melting temperature (T_(m)) of the hybrid, where T_(m) is determined according to the following equations. For hybrids less than 18 base pairs in length, T_(m)(° C.)=2(# of A+T bases)+4(# of G+C bases). For hybrids between 18 and 49 base pairs in length, T_(m)(° C.)=81.5+16.6(log₁₀[Na⁺])+0.41(%G+C)−(600/N), where N is the number of bases in the hybrid, and [Na⁺] is the concentration of sodium ions in the hybridization buffer ([Na⁺] for 1×SSC=0.165 M). It will also be recognized by the skilled practitioner that additional reagents may be added to hybridization and/or wash buffers to decrease non-specific hybridization of nucleic acid molecules to membranes, for example, nitrocellulose or nylon membranes, including but not limited to blocking agents (e.g., BSA or salmon or herring sperm carrier DNA), detergents (e.g., SDS), chelating agents (e.g., EDTA), Ficoll, PVP and the like. When using nylon membranes, in particular, an additional preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions is hybridization in 0.25-0.5M NaH₂PO₄, 7% SDS at about 65° C., followed by one or more washes at 0.02M NaH₂PO₄, 1% SDS at 65° C., see e.g., Church and Gilbert (1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:1991-1995, (or alternatively 0.2× SSC, 1% SDS).

[0485] Preferably, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9 corresponds to a naturally-occurring nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, a “naturally-occurring” nucleic acid molecule refers to an RNA or DNA molecule having a nucleotide sequence that occurs in nature (e.g., encodes a natural protein).

[0486] In addition to naturally-occurring allelic variants of the OAT sequences that may exist in the population, the skilled artisan will further appreciate that changes can be introduced by mutation into the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, thereby leading to changes in the amino acid sequence of the encoded OAT proteins, without altering the functional ability of the OAT proteins. For example, nucleotide substitutions leading to amino acid substitutions at “non-essential” amino acid residues can be made in the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. A “non-essential” amino acid residue is a residue that can be altered from the wild-type sequence of OAT (e.g., the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8) without altering the biological activity, whereas an “essential” amino acid residue is required for biological activity. For example, amino acid residues that are conserved among the OAT proteins of the present invention, e.g., those present in a transmembrane domain, are predicted to be particularly unamenable to alteration. Furthermore, additional amino acid residues that are conserved between the OAT proteins of the present invention and other members of the organic anion transporter family are not likely to be amenable to alteration.

[0487] Accordingly, another aspect of the invention pertains to nucleic acid molecules encoding OAT proteins that contain changes in amino acid residues that are not essential for activity. Such OAT proteins differ in amino acid sequence from SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8, yet retain biological activity. In one embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein, wherein the protein comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6% 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9% or more identical to SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8, e.g., to the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8.

[0488] An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding an OAT protein homologous to the protein of SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8 can be created by introducing one or more nucleotide substitutions, additions or deletions into the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, such that one or more amino acid substitutions, additions or deletions are introduced into the encoded protein. Mutations can be introduced into SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ by standard techniques, such as site-directed mutagenesis and PCR-mediated mutagenesis. Preferably, conservative amino acid substitutions are made at one or more predicted non-essential amino acid residues. A “conservative amino acid substitution” is one in which the amino acid residue is replaced with an amino acid residue having a similar side chain. Families of amino acid residues having similar side chains have been defined in the art. These families include amino acids with basic side chains (e.g., lysine, arginine, histidine), acidic side chains (e.g., aspartic acid, glutamic acid), uncharged polar side chains (e.g., glycine, asparagine, glutamine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, cysteine, tryptophan), nonpolar side chains (e.g., alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, proline, phenylalanine, methionine), beta-branched side chains (e.g., threonine, valine, isoleucine) and aromatic side chains (e.g., tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, histidine). Thus, a predicted nonessential amino acid residue in an OAT protein is preferably replaced with another amino acid residue from the same side chain family. Alternatively, in another embodiment, mutations can be introduced randomly along all or part of an OAT coding sequence, such as by saturation mutagenesis, and the resultant mutants can be screened for OAT biological activity to identify mutants that retain activity. Following mutagenesis of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, the encoded protein can be expressed recombinantly and the activity of the protein can be determined.

[0489] In a preferred embodiment, a mutant OAT protein can be assayed for the ability to (i) interact with an OAT substrate or target molecule; (ii) transport an OAT substrate across a membrane; (iii) interact with and/or modulation of a second non-OAT protein; (iv) modulate cellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); (v) protect cells and/or tissues from organic anions; and/or (vi) modulate hormonal responses.

[0490] In addition to the nucleic acid molecules encoding OAT proteins described above, another aspect of the invention pertains to isolated nucleic acid molecules which are antisense thereto. In an exemplary embodiment, the invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule which is antisense to an OAT nucleic acid molecule (e.g., is antisense to the coding strand of an OAT nucleic acid molecule). An “antisense” nucleic acid comprises a nucleotide sequence which is complementary to a “sense” nucleic acid encoding a protein, e.g., complementary to the coding strand of a double-stranded cDNA molecule or complementary to an mRNA sequence. Accordingly, an antisense nucleic acid can hydrogen bond to a sense nucleic acid. The antisense nucleic acid can be complementary to an entire OAT coding strand, or to only a portion thereof. In one embodiment, an antisense nucleic acid molecule is antisense to “coding region sequences” of the coding strand of a nucleotide sequence encoding OAT. The term “coding region sequences” refers to the region of the nucleotide sequence comprising codons which are translated into amino acid residues (e.g., the coding region sequences of human OAT4, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 6, or the coding region sequences of human OAT5, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 9). In another embodiment, the antisense nucleic acid molecule is antisense to a “noncoding region” of the coding strand of a nucleotide sequence encoding human OAT4. The term “noncoding region” refers to 5′ and/or 3′ sequences which flank the coding region sequences that are not translated into amino acids (also referred to as 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions).

[0491] Given the coding strand sequences encoding OAT proteins disclosed herein (e.g., SEQ ID NO: 6 or 9), antisense nucleic acids of the invention can be designed according to the rules of Watson and Crick base pairing. The antisense nucleic acid molecule can be complementary to coding region sequences of the OAT mRNA, but more preferably is an oligonucleotide which is antisense to only a portion of the OAT mRNA. An antisense oligonucleotide can be, for example, about 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, or more nucleotides in length. An antisense nucleic acid of the invention can be constructed using chemical synthesis and enzymatic ligation reactions using procedures known in the art. For example, an antisense nucleic acid (e.g., an antisense oligonucleotide) can be chemically synthesized using naturally occurring nucleotides or variously modified nucleotides designed to increase the biological stability of the molecules or to increase the physical stability of the duplex formed between the antisense and sense nucleic acids, e.g., phosphorothioate derivatives and acridine substituted nucleotides can be used. Examples of modified nucleotides which can be used to generate the antisense nucleic acid include 5-fluorouracil, 5-bromouracil, 5-chlorouracil, 5-iodouracil, hypoxanthine, xantine, 4-acetylcytosine, 5-(carboxyhydroxylmethyl) uracil, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyl-2-thiouridine, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyluracil, dihydrouracil, beta-D-galactosylqueosine, inosine, N6-isopentenyladenine, 1-methylguanine, 1-methylinosine, 2,2-dimethylguanine, 2-methyladenine, 2-methylguanine, 3-methylcytosine, 5-methylcytosine, N6-adenine, 7-methylguanine, 5-methylaminomethyluracil, 5-methoxyaminomethyl-2-thiouracil, beta-D-mannosylqueosine, 5′-methoxycarboxymethyluracil, 5-methoxyuracil, 2-methylthio-N6-isopentenyladenine, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), wybutoxosine, pseudouracil, queosine, 2-thiocytosine, 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 2-thiouracil, 4-thiouracil, 5-methyluracil, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid methylester, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 3-(3-amino-3-N-2-carboxypropyl) uracil, (acp3)w, and 2,6-diaminopurine. Alternatively, the antisense nucleic acid can be produced biologically using an expression vector into which a nucleic acid has been subcloned in an antisense orientation (i.e., RNA transcribed from the inserted nucleic acid will be of an antisense orientation to a target nucleic acid of interest, described further in the following subsection).

[0492] The antisense nucleic acid molecules of the invention are typically administered to a subject or generated in situ such that they hybridize with or bind to cellular mRNA and/or genomic DNA encoding an OAT protein to thereby inhibit expression of the protein, e.g., by inhibiting transcription and/or translation. The hybridization can be by conventional nucleotide complementarity to form a stable duplex, or, for example, in the case of an antisense nucleic acid molecule which binds to DNA duplexes, through specific interactions in the major groove of the double helix. An example of a route of administration of antisense nucleic acid molecules of the invention include direct injection at a tissue site. Alternatively, antisense nucleic acid molecules can be modified to target selected cells and then administered systemically. For example, for systemic administration, antisense molecules can be modified such that they specifically bind to receptors or antigens expressed on a selected cell surface, e.g., by linking the antisense nucleic acid molecules to peptides or antibodies which bind to cell surface receptors or antigens. The antisense nucleic acid molecules can also be delivered to cells using the vectors described herein. To achieve sufficient intracellular concentrations of the antisense molecules, vector constructs in which the antisense nucleic acid molecule is placed under the control of a strong pol II or pol III promoter are preferred.

[0493] In yet another embodiment, the antisense nucleic acid molecule of the invention is an α-anomeric nucleic acid molecule. An α-anomeric nucleic acid molecule forms specific double-stranded hybrids with complementary RNA in which, contrary to the usual β-units, the strands run parallel to each other (Gaultier et al. (1987) Nucleic Acids Res. 15:6625-6641). The antisense nucleic acid molecule can also comprise a 2′-o-methylribonucleotide (Inoue et al. (1987) Nucleic Acids Res. 15:6131-6148) or a chimeric RNA-DNA analogue (Inoue et al. (1987) FEBS Lett. 215:327-330).

[0494] In still another embodiment, an antisense nucleic acid of the invention is a ribozyme. Ribozymes are catalytic RNA molecules with ribonuclease activity which are capable of cleaving a single-stranded nucleic acid, such as an mRNA, to which they have a complementary region. Thus, ribozymes (e.g., hammerhead ribozymes (described in Haseloff and Gerlach (1988) Nature 334:585-591)) can be used to catalytically cleave OAT mRNA transcripts to thereby inhibit translation of OAT mRNA. A ribozyme having specificity for an OAT-encoding nucleic acid can be designed based upon the nucleotide sequence of an OAT cDNA disclosed herein (i.e., SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______). For example, a derivative of a Tetrahymena L-19 IVS RNA can be constructed in which the nucleotide sequence of the active site is complementary to the nucleotide sequence to be cleaved in an OAT-encoding mRNA. See, e.g., Cech et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,071; and Cech et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,742. Alternatively, OAT mRNA can be used to select a catalytic RNA having a specific ribonuclease activity from a pool of RNA molecules. See, e.g., Bartel, D. and Szostak, J. W. (1993) Science 261:1411-1418.

[0495] Alternatively, OAT gene expression can be inhibited by targeting nucleotide sequences complementary to the regulatory region of the OAT (e.g., the OAT promoter and/or enhancers; e.g., nucleotides 1-371 of SEQ ID NO: 4) to form triple helical structures that prevent transcription of the OAT gene in target cells. See generally, Helene, C. (1991) Anticancer Drug Des. 6(6):569-84; Helene, C. et al. (1992) Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 660:27-36; and Maher, L. J. (1992) Bioessays 14(12):807-15.

[0496] In yet another embodiment, the OAT nucleic acid molecules of the present invention can be modified at the base moiety, sugar moiety or phosphate backbone to improve, e.g., the stability, hybridization, or solubility of the molecule. For example, the deoxyribose phosphate backbone of the nucleic acid molecules can be modified to generate peptide nucleic acids (see Hyrup, B. and Nielsen, P. E. (1996) Bioorg. Med. Chem. 4(1):5-23). As used herein, the terms “peptide nucleic acids” or “PNAs” refer to nucleic acid mimics, e.g., DNA mimics, in which the deoxyribose phosphate backbone is replaced by a pseudopeptide backbone and only the four natural nucleobases are retained. The neutral backbone of PNAs has been shown to allow for specific hybridization to DNA and RNA under conditions of low ionic strength. The synthesis of PNA oligomers can be performed using standard solid phase peptide synthesis protocols as described in Hyrup and Nielsen (1996) supra; Perry-O'Keefe et al. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:14670-675.

[0497] PNAs of OAT nucleic acid molecules can be used in therapeutic and diagnostic applications. For example, PNAs can be used as antisense or antigene agents for sequence-specific modulation of gene expression by, for example, inducing transcription or translation arrest or inhibiting replication. PNAs of OAT nucleic acid molecules can also be used in the analysis of single base pair mutations in a gene (e.g., by PNA-directed PCR clamping); as ‘artificial restriction enzymes’ when used in combination with other enzymes (e.g., S1 nucleases (Hyrup and Nielsen (1996) supra)); or as probes or primers for DNA sequencing or hybridization (Hyrup and Nielsen (1996) supra; Perry-O'Keefe et al. (1996) supra).

[0498] In another embodiment, PNAs of OAT can be modified (e.g., to enhance their stability or cellular uptake), by attaching lipophilic or other helper groups to PNA, by the formation of PNA-DNA chimeras, or by the use of liposomes or other techniques of drug delivery known in the art. For example, PNA-DNA chimeras of OAT nucleic acid molecules can be generated which may combine the advantageous properties of PNA and DNA. Such chimeras allow DNA recognition enzymes (e.g., RNase H and DNA polymerases) to interact with the DNA portion while the PNA portion would provide high binding affinity and specificity. PNA-DNA chimeras can be linked using linkers of appropriate lengths selected in terms of base stacking, number of bonds between the nucleobases, and orientation (Hyrup and Nielsen (1996) supra). The synthesis of PNA-DNA chimeras can be performed as described in Hyrup and Nielsen (1996) supra and Finn, P. J. et al. (1996) Nucleic Acids Res. 24 (17):3357-63. For example, a DNA chain can be synthesized on a solid support using standard phosphoramidite coupling chemistry and modified nucleoside analogs, e.g., 5′-(4-methoxytrityl)amino-5′-deoxy-thymidine phosphoramidite, can be used as a between the PNA and the 5′ end of DNA (Mag, M. et al. (1989) Nucleic Acids Res. 17:5973-88). PNA monomers are then coupled in a stepwise manner to produce a chimeric molecule with a 5′ PNA segment and a 3′ DNA segment (Finn, P. J. et al. (1996) supra). Alternatively, chimeric molecules can be synthesized with a 5′ DNA segment and a 3′ PNA segment (Peterser, K. H. et al. (1975) Bioorganic Med. Chem. Lett. 5:1119-11124).

[0499] In other embodiments, the oligonucleotide may include other appended groups such as peptides (e.g., for targeting host cell receptors in vivo), or agents facilitating transport across the cell membrane (see, e.g., Letsinger et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6553-6556; Lemaitre et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:648-652; PCT Publication No. WO 88/09810) or the blood-brain barrier (see, e.g., PCT Publication No. WO 89/10134). In addition, oligonucleotides can be modified with hybridization-triggered cleavage agents (See, e.g., Krol et al. (1988) Bio-Techniques 6:958-976) or intercalating agents (See, e.g., Zon (1988) Pharm. Res. 5:539-549). To this end, the oligonucleotide may be conjugated to another molecule (e.g., a peptide, hybridization triggered cross-linking agent, transport agent, or hybridization-triggered cleavage agent).

[0500] II. Isolated OAT Proteins and Anti-OAT Antibodies

[0501] One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated or recombinant OAT proteins and polypeptides, and biologically active portions thereof, as well as polypeptide fragments suitable for use as immunogens to raise anti-OAT antibodies. In one embodiment, native OAT proteins can be isolated from cells or tissue sources by an appropriate purification scheme using standard protein purification techniques. In another embodiment, OAT proteins are produced by recombinant DNA techniques. Alternative to recombinant expression, an OAT protein or polypeptide can be synthesized chemically using standard peptide synthesis techniques.

[0502] An “isolated” or “purified” protein or biologically active portion thereof is substantially free of cellular material or other contaminating proteins from the cell or tissue source from which the OAT protein is derived, or substantially free from chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized. The language “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of OAT protein in which the protein is separated from cellular components of the cells from which it is isolated or recombinantly produced. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of OAT protein having less than about 30% (by dry weight) of non-OAT protein (also referred to herein as a “contaminating protein”), more preferably less than about 20% of non-OAT protein, still more preferably less than about 10% of non-OAT protein, and most preferably less than about 5% non-OAT protein. When the OAT protein or biologically active portion thereof is recombinantly produced, it is also preferably substantially free of culture medium, i.e., culture medium represents less than about 20%, more preferably less than about 10%, and most preferably less than about 5% of the volume of the protein preparation.

[0503] The language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of OAT protein in which the protein is separated from chemical precursors or other chemicals which are involved in the synthesis of the protein. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of OAT protein having less than about 30% (by dry weight) of chemical precursors or non-OAT chemicals, more preferably less than about 20% chemical precursors or non-OAT chemicals, still more preferably less than about 10% chemical precursors or non-OAT chemicals, and most preferably less than about 5% chemical precursors or non-OAT chemicals.

[0504] As used herein, a “biologically active portion” of an OAT protein includes a fragment of an OAT protein which participates in an interaction between an OAT molecule and a non-OAT molecule (e.g., an OAT substrate or target molecule). Biologically active portions of an OAT protein include peptides comprising amino acid sequences sufficiently homologous to or derived from the OAT amino acid sequences, e.g., the amino acid sequences shown in SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8, which include sufficient amino acid residues to exhibit at least one activity of an OAT protein. Typically, biologically active portions comprise a domain or motif with at least one activity of the OAT protein, e.g., OAT substrate transporting activity, OAT substrate or target molecule binding activity, intra- or inter-cellular signal modulating activity, gene expression modulating activity, hormonal response modulating activity, and/or the ability to protect cells and/or tissues from organic anions. A biologically active portion of an OAT protein can be a polypeptide which is, for example, 10, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700 or more amino acids in length. Biologically active portions of an OAT protein can be used as targets for developing agents which modulate an OAT mediated activity, e.g., OAT substrate transport, OAT substrate or target molecule binding, intra- or inter-cellular signaling, cellular gene expression, hormonal responses, and/or protection of cells and/or tissues from organic anions.

[0505] In one embodiment, a biologically active portion of an OAT protein comprises at least one transmembrane domain. Moreover, other biologically active portions, in which other regions of the protein are deleted, can be prepared by recombinant techniques and evaluated for one or more of the functional activities of a native OAT protein.

[0506] Another aspect of the invention features fragments of the protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8, for example, for use as immunogens. In one embodiment, a fragment comprises at least 8 amino acids (e.g., contiguous or consecutive amino acids) of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number _____. In another embodiment, a fragment comprises at least 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 or more amino acids (e.g., contiguous or consecutive amino acids) of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______.

[0507] In a preferred embodiment, an OAT protein has an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8. In other embodiments, the OAT protein is substantially identical to SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8, and retains the functional activity of the protein of SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8, yet differs in amino acid sequence due to natural allelic variation or mutagenesis, as described in detail in subsection I above. In another embodiment, the OAT protein is a protein which comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9% or more identical to SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8.

[0508] In another embodiment, the invention features an OAT protein which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9% or more identical to a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or a complement thereof. This invention further features an OAT protein which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or a complement thereof.

[0509] To determine the percent identity of two amino acid sequences or of two nucleic acid sequences, the sequences are aligned for optimal comparison purposes (e.g., gaps can be introduced in one or both of a first and a second amino acid or nucleic acid sequence for optimal alignment and non-homologous sequences can be disregarded for comparison purposes). In a preferred embodiment, the length of a reference sequence aligned for comparison purposes is at least 30%, preferably at least 40%, more preferably at least 50%, even more preferably at least 60%, and even more preferably at least 70%, 80%, or 90% of the length of the reference sequence (e.g., when aligning a second sequence to the OAT amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 having 550 amino acid residues, at least 165, preferably at least 220, more preferably at least 275, even more preferably at least 330, and even more preferably at least 385, 440 or 495 amino acid residues are aligned; when aligning a second sequence to the OAT amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8 having 724 amino acid residues, at least 217, preferably at least 290, more preferably at least 362, even more preferably at least 434, and even more preferably at least 507, 579 or 652 amino acid residues are aligned). The amino acid residues or nucleotides at corresponding amino acid positions or nucleotide positions are then compared. When a position in the first sequence is occupied by the same amino acid residue or nucleotide as the corresponding position in the second sequence, then the molecules are identical at that position (as used herein amino acid or nucleic acid “identity” is equivalent to amino acid or nucleic acid “homology”). The percent identity between the two sequences is a function of the number of identical positions shared by the sequences, taking into account the number of gaps, and the length of each gap, which need to be introduced for optimal alignment of the two sequences.

[0510] The comparison of sequences and determination of percent identity between two sequences can be accomplished using a mathematical algorithm. In a preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid sequences is determined using the Needleman and Wunsch (J. Mol. Biol. (48):444-453 (1970)) algorithm which has been incorporated into the GAP program in the GCG software package (available online through the Genetics Computer Group), using either a Blossum 62 matrix or a PAM250 matrix, and a gap weight of 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, or 4 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. In yet another preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two nucleotide sequences is determined using the GAP program in the GCG software package (available online through the Genetics Computer Group), using a NWSgapdna.CMP matrix and a gap weight of 40, 50, 60, 70, or 80 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. A preferred, non-limiting example of parameters to be used in conjunction with the GAP program include a Blosum 62 scoring matrix with a gap penalty of 12, a gap extend penalty of 4, and a frameshift gap penalty of 5.

[0511] In another embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid or nucleotide sequences is determined using the algorithm of Meyers and Miller (Comput. Appl. Biosci. 4:11-17 (1988)) which has been incorporated into the ALIGN program (version 2.0 or version 2.0U), using a PAM120 weight residue table, a gap length penalty of 12 and a gap penalty of 4.

[0512] The nucleic acid and protein sequences of the present invention can further be used as a “query sequence” to perform a search against public databases to, for example, identify other family members or related sequences. Such searches can be performed using the NBLAST and XBLAST programs (version 2.0) of Altschul et al. (1990) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-10. BLAST nucleotide searches can be performed with the NBLAST program, score=100, wordlength=12 to obtain nucleotide sequences homologous to OAT nucleic acid molecules of the invention. BLAST protein searches can be performed with the XBLAST program, score=50, wordlength=3 to obtain amino acid sequences homologous to OAT protein molecules of the invention. To obtain gapped alignments for comparison purposes, Gapped BLAST can be utilized as described in Altschul et al. (1997) Nucleic Acids Res. 25(17):3389-3402. When utilizing BLAST and Gapped BLAST programs, the default parameters of the respective programs (e.g., XBLAST and NBLAST) can be used. See the internet website for the National Center for Biotechnology Information.

[0513] The invention also provides OAT chimeric or fusion proteins. As used herein, an OAT “chimeric protein” or “fusion protein” comprises an OAT polypeptide operatively linked to a non-OAT polypeptide. AN “OAT polypeptide” refers to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to an OAT protein, whereas a “non-OAT polypeptide” refers to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to a protein which is not substantially homologous to the OAT protein, e.g., a protein which is different from the OAT protein and which is derived from the same or a different organism. Within an OAT fusion protein the OAT polypeptide can correspond to all or a portion of an OAT protein. In a preferred embodiment, an OAT fusion protein comprises at least one biologically active portion of an OAT protein. In another preferred embodiment, an OAT fusion protein comprises at least two biologically active portions of an OAT protein. Within the fusion protein, the term “operatively linked” is intended to indicate that the OAT polypeptide and the non-OAT polypeptide are fused in-frame to each other. The non-OAT polypeptide can be fused to the N-terminus or C-terminus of the OAT polypeptide.

[0514] For example, in one embodiment, the fusion protein is a GST-OAT fusion protein in which the OAT sequences are fused to the C-terminus of the GST sequences. Such fusion proteins can facilitate the purification of recombinant OAT. In another embodiment, the fusion protein is an OAT protein containing a heterologous signal sequence at its N-terminus. In certain host cells (e.g., mammalian host cells), expression and/or secretion of OAT can be increased through use of a heterologous signal sequence.

[0515] The OAT fusion proteins of the invention can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions and administered to a subject in vivo. The OAT fusion proteins can be used to affect the bioavailability of an OAT substrate. Use of OAT fusion proteins may be useful therapeutically for the treatment of disorders caused by, for example, (i) aberrant modification or mutation of a gene encoding an OAT protein; (ii) mis-regulation of the OAT gene; and (iii) aberrant post-translational modification of an OAT protein.

[0516] Moreover, the OAT-fusion proteins of the invention can be used as immunogens to produce anti-OAT antibodies in a subject, to purify OAT ligands, and in screening assays to identify molecules which inhibit the interaction of OAT with an OAT substrate or target molecule or the transport of an OAT substrate.

[0517] Preferably, an OAT chimeric or fusion protein of the invention is produced by standard recombinant DNA techniques. For example, DNA fragments coding for the different polypeptide sequences are ligated together in-frame in accordance with conventional techniques, for example by employing blunt-ended or stagger-ended termini for ligation, restriction enzyme digestion to provide for appropriate termini, filling-in of cohesive ends as appropriate, alkaline phosphatase treatment to avoid undesirable joining, and enzymatic ligation. In another embodiment, the fusion gene can be synthesized by conventional techniques including automated DNA synthesizers. Alternatively, PCR amplification of gene fragments can be carried out using anchor primers which give rise to complementary overhangs between two consecutive gene fragments which can subsequently be annealed and reamplified to generate a chimeric gene sequence (see, for example, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, eds. Ausubel et al. John Wiley & Sons: 1992). Moreover, many expression vectors are commercially available that already encode a fusion moiety (e.g., a GST polypeptide). AN OAT-encoding nucleic acid can be cloned into such an expression vector such that the fusion moiety is linked in-frame to the OAT protein.

[0518] The present invention also pertains to variants of the OAT proteins which function as either OAT agonists (mimetics) or as OAT antagonists. Variants of the OAT proteins can be generated by mutagenesis, e.g., discrete point mutation or truncation of an OAT protein. An agonist of the OAT proteins can retain substantially the same, or a subset, of the biological activities of the naturally occurring form of an OAT protein. An antagonist of an OAT protein can inhibit one or more of the activities of the naturally occurring form of the OAT protein by, for example, competitively modulating an OAT-mediated activity of an OAT protein. Thus, specific biological effects can be elicited by treatment with a variant of limited function. In one embodiment, treatment of a subject with a variant having a subset of the biological activities of the naturally occurring form of the protein has fewer side effects in a subject relative to treatment with the naturally occurring form of the OAT protein.

[0519] In one embodiment, variants of an OAT protein which function as either OAT agonists (mimetics) or as OAT antagonists can be identified by screening combinatorial libraries of mutants, e.g., truncation mutants, of an OAT protein for OAT protein agonist or antagonist activity. In one embodiment, a variegated library of OAT variants is generated by combinatorial mutagenesis at the nucleic acid level and is encoded by a variegated gene library. A variegated library of OAT variants can be produced by, for example, enzymatically ligating a mixture of synthetic oligonucleotides into gene sequences such that a degenerate set of potential OAT sequences is expressible as individual polypeptides, or alternatively, as a set of larger fusion proteins (e.g., for phage display) containing the set of OAT sequences therein. There are a variety of methods which can be used to produce libraries of potential OAT variants from a degenerate oligonucleotide sequence. Chemical synthesis of a degenerate gene sequence can be performed in an automatic DNA synthesizer, and the synthetic gene then ligated into an appropriate expression vector. Use of a degenerate set of genes allows for the provision, in one mixture, of all of the sequences encoding the desired set of potential OAT sequences. Methods for synthesizing degenerate oligonucleotides are known in the art (see, e.g., Narang, S. A. (1983) Tetrahedron 39:3; Itakura et al. (1984) Annu. Rev. Biochem. 53:323; Itakura et al. (1984) Science 198:1056; Ike et al. (1983) Nucleic Acid Res. 11:477.

[0520] In addition, libraries of fragments of an OAT protein coding sequence can be used to generate a variegated population of OAT fragments for screening and subsequent selection of variants of an OAT protein. In one embodiment, a library of coding sequence fragments can be generated by treating a double stranded PCR fragment of an OAT coding sequence with a nuclease under conditions wherein nicking occurs only about once per molecule, denaturing the double stranded DNA, renaturing the DNA to form double stranded DNA which can include sense/antisense pairs from different nicked products, removing single stranded portions from reformed duplexes by treatment with S1 nuclease, and ligating the resulting fragment library into an expression vector. By this method, an expression library can be derived which encodes N-terminal, C-terminal and internal fragments of various sizes of the OAT protein.

[0521] Several techniques are known in the art for screening gene products of combinatorial libraries made by point mutations or truncation, and for screening cDNA libraries for gene products having a selected property. Such techniques are adaptable for rapid screening of the gene libraries generated by the combinatorial mutagenesis of OAT proteins. The most widely used techniques, which are amenable to high through-put analysis, for screening large gene libraries typically include cloning the gene library into replicable expression vectors, transforming appropriate cells with the resulting library of vectors, and expressing the combinatorial genes under conditions in which detection of a desired activity facilitates isolation of the vector encoding the gene whose product was detected. Recursive ensemble mutagenesis (REM), a new technique which enhances the frequency of functional mutants in the libraries, can be used in combination with the screening assays to identify OAT variants (Arkin and Youvan (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:7811-7815; Delagrave et al. (1993) Protein Eng. 6(3):327-331).

[0522] In one embodiment, cell based assays can be exploited to analyze a variegated OAT library. For example, a library of expression vectors can be transfected into a cell line, e.g., a liver cell line, which ordinarily responds to OAT in a particular OAT substrate-dependent manner. The transfected cells are then contacted with an OAT substrate and the effect of the expression of the mutant on signaling by the OAT substrate can be detected, e.g., by measuring levels of OAT substrate transported into or out of the cells, by measuring gene transcription, by measuring cellular proliferation, and/or by measuring activity of intracellular signaling pathways. Plasmid DNA can then be recovered from the cells which score for inhibition, or alternatively, potentiation of signaling by the OAT substrate, and the individual clones further characterized.

[0523] An isolated OAT protein, or a portion or fragment thereof, can be used as an immunogen to generate antibodies that bind OAT using standard techniques for polyclonal and monoclonal antibody preparation. A full-length OAT protein can be used or, alternatively, the invention provides antigenic peptide fragments of OAT for use as immunogens. The antigenic peptide of OAT comprises at least 8 amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 5 or 8 and encompasses an epitope of OAT such that an antibody raised against the peptide forms a specific immune complex with OAT. Preferably, the antigenic peptide comprises at least 10 amino acid residues, more preferably at least 15 amino acid residues, even more preferably at least 20 amino acid residues, and most preferably at least 30 amino acid residues.

[0524] Preferred epitopes encompassed by the antigenic peptide are regions of OAT that are located on the surface of the protein, e.g., hydrophilic regions, as well as regions with high antigenicity (see, for example, FIGS. 11 and 12).

[0525] An OAT immunogen typically is used to prepare antibodies by immunizing a suitable subject (e.g., rabbit, goat, mouse, or other mammal) with the immunogen. An appropriate immunogenic preparation can contain, for example, recombinantly expressed OAT protein or a chemically-synthesized OAT polypeptide. The preparation can further include an adjuvant, such as Freund's complete or incomplete adjuvant, or similar immunostimulatory agent. Immunization of a suitable subject with an immunogenic OAT preparation induces a polyclonal anti-OAT antibody response.

[0526] Accordingly, another aspect of the invention pertains to anti-OAT antibodies. The term “antibody” as used herein refers to immunoglobulin molecules and immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules, i.e., molecules that contain an antigen binding site which specifically binds (immunoreacts with) an antigen, such as OAT. Examples of immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules include F(ab) and F(ab′)₂ fragments which can be generated by treating the antibody with an enzyme such as pepsin. The invention provides polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies that bind OAT. The term “monoclonal antibody” or “monoclonal antibody composition”, as used herein, refers to a population of antibody molecules that contain only one species of an antigen binding site capable of immunoreacting with a particular epitope of OAT. A monoclonal antibody composition thus typically displays a single binding affinity for a particular OAT protein with which it immunoreacts.

[0527] Polyclonal anti-OAT antibodies can be prepared as described above by immunizing a suitable subject with an OAT immunogen. The anti-OAT antibody titer in the immunized subject can be monitored over time by standard techniques, such as with an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using immobilized OAT. If desired, the antibody molecules directed against OAT can be isolated from the mammal (e.g., from the blood) and further purified by well known techniques, such as protein A chromatography to obtain the IgG fraction. At an appropriate time after immunization, e.g., when the anti-OAT antibody titers are highest, antibody-producing cells can be obtained from the subject and used to prepare monoclonal antibodies by standard techniques, such as the hybridoma technique originally described by Kohler and Milstein (1975) Nature 256:495-497 (see also Brown et al. (1981) J. Immunol. 127:539-46; Brown et al. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255:4980-83; Yeh et al. (1976) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 76:2927-31; and Yeh et al. (1982) Int. J. Cancer 29:269-75), the more recent human B cell hybridoma technique (Kozbor et al. (1983) Immunol. Today 4:72), the EBV-hybridoma technique (Cole et al. (1985) Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, Inc., pp. 77-96) or trioma techniques. The technology for producing monoclonal antibody hybridomas is well known (see generally Kenneth, R. H., in Monoclonal Antibodies: A New Dimension In Biological Analyses, Plenum Publishing Corp., New York, N.Y. (1980); Lemer, E. A. (1981) Yale J. Biol. Med. 54:387-402; Gefter, M. L. et al. (1977) Somatic Cell Genet. 3:231-36). Briefly, an immortal cell line (typically a myeloma) is fused to lymphocytes (typically splenocytes) from a mammal immunized with an OAT immunogen as described above, and the culture supernatants of the resulting hybridoma cells are screened to identify a hybridoma producing a monoclonal antibody that binds OAT.

[0528] Any of the many well known protocols used for fusing lymphocytes and immortalized cell lines can be applied for the purpose of generating an anti-OAT monoclonal antibody (see, e.g., Galfre, G. et al. (1977) Nature 266:55052; Gefter et al. (1977) supra; Lemer (1981) supra; Kenneth (1980) supra). Moreover, the ordinarily skilled worker will appreciate that there are many variations of such methods which also would be useful. Typically, the immortal cell line (e.g., a myeloma cell line) is derived from the same mammalian species as the lymphocytes. For example, murine hybridomas can be made by fusing lymphocytes from a mouse immunized with an immunogenic preparation of the present invention with an immortalized mouse cell line. Preferred immortal cell lines are mouse mycloma cell lines that are sensitive to culture medium containing hypoxanthine, aminopterin and thymidine (“HAT medium”). Any of a number of myeloma cell lines can be used as a fusion partner according to standard techniques, e.g., the P3-NS1/1-Ag4-1, P3-x63-Ag8.653 or Sp2/O-Ag14 myeloma lines. These myeloma lines are available from ATCC. Typically, HAT-sensitive mouse myeloma cells are fused to mouse splenocytes using polyethylene glycol (“PEG”). Hybridoma cells resulting from the fusion are then selected using HAT medium, which kills unfused and unproductively fused myeloma cells (unfused splenocytes die after several days because they are not transformed). Hybridoma cells producing a monoclonal antibody of the invention are detected by screening the hybridoma culture supernatants for antibodies that bind OAT, e.g., using a standard ELISA assay.

[0529] Alternative to preparing monoclonal antibody-secreting hybridomas, a monoclonal anti-OAT antibody can be identified and isolated by screening a recombinant combinatorial immunoglobulin library (e.g., an antibody phage display library) with OAT to thereby isolate immunoglobulin library members that bind OAT. Kits for generating and screening phage display libraries are commercially available (e.g., the Pharmacia Recombinant Phage Antibody System, Catalog No. 27-9400-01; and the Stratagene SurfZAP™ Phage Display Kit, Catalog No. 240612). Additionally, examples of methods and reagents particularly amenable for use in generating and screening antibody display library can be found in, for example, Ladner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409; Kang et al., PCT International Publication No. WO 92/18619; Dower et al., PCT International Publication No. WO 91/17271; Winter et al., PCT International Publication WO 92/20791; Markland et al., PCT International Publication No. WO 92/15679; Breitling et al., PCT International Publication WO 93/01288; McCafferty et al., PCT International Publication No. WO 92/01047; Garrard et al., PCT International Publication No. WO 92/09690; Ladner et al., PCT International Publication No. WO 90/02809; Fuchs et al. (1991) Bio/Technology 9:1369-1372; Hay et al. (1992) Hum. Antibod. Hybridomas 3:81-85; Huse et al. (1989) Science 246:1275-1281; Griffiths et al. (1993) EMBO J. 12:725-734; Hawkins et al. (1992) J. Mol. Biol. 226:889-896; Clackson et al. (1991) Nature 352:624-628; Gram et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:3576-3580; Garrard et al. (1991) Biotechnology (NY) 9:1373-1377; Hoogenboom et al. (1991) Nucleic Acids Res. 19:4133-4137; Barbas et al. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:7978-7982; and McCafferty et al. (1990) Nature 348:552-554.

[0530] Additionally, recombinant anti-OAT antibodies, such as chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies, comprising both human and non-human portions, which can be made using standard recombinant DNA techniques, are within the scope of the invention. Such chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies can be produced by recombinant DNA techniques known in the art, for example using methods described in Robinson et al., International Application No. PCT/US86/02269; Akira et al., European Patent Application 184,187; Taniguchi, M., European Patent Application 171,496; Morrison et al., European Patent Application 173,494; Neuberger et al., PCT International Publication No. WO 86/01533; Cabilly et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,567; Cabilly et al., European Patent Application 125,023; Better et al. (1988) Science 240:1041-1043; Liu et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:3439-3443; Liu et al. (1987) J. Immunol. 139:3521-3526; Sun et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:214-218; Nishimura et al. (1987) Cancer Res. 47:999-1005; Wood et al. (1985) Nature 314:446-449; and Shaw et al. (1988) J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 80:1553-1559); Morrison, S. L. (1985) Science 229:1202-1207; Oi et al. (1986) Biotechniques 4:214; Winter, U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,539; Jones et al. (1986) Nature 321:552-525; Verhoeyen et al. (1988) Science 239:1534; and Beidler et al. (1988) J. Immunol. 141:4053-4060.

[0531] An anti-OAT antibody (e.g., monoclonal antibody) can be used to isolate OAT by standard techniques, such as affinity chromatography or immunoprecipitation. An anti-OAT antibody can facilitate the purification of natural OAT from cells and of recombinantly produced OAT expressed in host cells. Moreover, an anti-OAT antibody can be used to detect OAT protein (e.g., in a cellular lysate or cell supernatant) in order to evaluate the abundance and pattern of expression of the OAT protein. Anti-OAT antibodies can be used diagnostically to monitor protein levels in tissue as part of a clinical testing procedure, e.g., to, for example, determine the efficacy of a given treatment regimen. Detection can be facilitated by coupling (i.e., physically linking) the antibody to a detectable substance. Examples of detectable substances include various enzymes, prosthetic groups, fluorescent materials, luminescent materials, bioluminescent materials, and radioactive materials. Examples of suitable enzymes include horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, β-galactosidase, or acetylcholinesterase; examples of suitable prosthetic group complexes include streptavidin/biotin and avidin/biotin; examples of suitable fluorescent materials include umbelliferone, fluorescein, fluorescein isothiocyanate, rhodamine, dichlorotriazinylamine fluorescein, dansyl chloride or phycoerythrin; an example of a luminescent material includes luminol; examples of bioluminescent materials include luciferase, luciferin, and aequorin, and examples of suitable radioactive material include ¹²⁵I, ¹³¹I, ³⁵S or ³H.

[0532] III. Recombinant Expression Vectors and Host Cells

[0533] Another aspect of the invention pertains to vectors, for example recombinant expression vectors, containing an OAT nucleic acid molecule or vectors containing a nucleic acid molecule which encodes an OAT protein (or a portion thereof). As used herein, the term “vector” refers to a nucleic acid molecule capable of transporting another nucleic acid to which it has been linked. One type of vector is a “plasmid”, which refers to a circular double stranded DNA loop into which additional DNA segments can be ligated. Another type of vector is a viral vector, wherein additional DNA segments can be ligated into the viral genome. Certain vectors are capable of autonomous replication in a host cell into which they are introduced (e.g., bacterial vectors having a bacterial origin of replication and episomal mammalian vectors). Other vectors (e.g., non-episomal mammalian vectors) are integrated into the genome of a host cell upon introduction into the host cell, and thereby are replicated along with the host genome. Moreover, certain vectors are capable of directing the expression of genes to which they are operatively linked. Such vectors are referred to herein as “expression vectors”. In general, expression vectors of utility in recombinant DNA techniques are often in the form of plasmids. In the present specification, “plasmid” and “vector” can be used interchangeably as the plasmid is the most commonly used form of vector. However, the invention is intended to include such other forms of expression vectors, such as viral vectors (e.g., replication defective retroviruses, adenoviruses and adeno-associated viruses), which serve equivalent functions.

[0534] The recombinant expression vectors of the invention comprise a nucleic acid of the invention in a form suitable for expression of the nucleic acid in a host cell, which means that the recombinant expression vectors include one or more regulatory sequences, selected on the basis of the host cells to be used for expression, which is operatively linked to the nucleic acid sequence to be expressed. Within a recombinant expression vector, “operably linked” is intended to mean that the nucleotide sequence of interest is linked to the regulatory sequence(s) in a manner which allows for expression of the nucleotide sequence (e.g., in an in vitro transcription/translation system or in a host cell when the vector is introduced into the host cell). The term “regulatory sequence” is intended to include promoters, enhancers and other expression control elements (e.g., polyadenylation signals). Such regulatory sequences are described, for example, in Goeddel (1990) Methods Enzymol. 185:3-7. Regulatory sequences include those which direct constitutive expression of a nucleotide sequence in many types of host cells and those which direct expression of the nucleotide sequence only in certain host cells (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory sequences). It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the design of the expression vector can depend on such factors as the choice of the host cell to be transformed, the level of expression of protein desired, and the like. The expression vectors of the invention can be introduced into host cells to thereby produce proteins or peptides, including fusion proteins or peptides, encoded by nucleic acids as described herein (e.g., OAT proteins, mutant forms of OAT proteins, fusion proteins, and the like).

[0535] Accordingly, an exemplary embodiment provides a method for producing a protein, preferably an OAT protein, by culturing in a suitable medium a host cell of the invention (e.g., a mammalian host cell such as a non-human mammalian cell) containing a recombinant expression vector, such that the protein is produced.

[0536] The recombinant expression vectors of the invention can be designed for expression of OAT proteins in prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells. For example, OAT proteins can be expressed in bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells (using baculovirus expression vectors) yeast cells or mammalian cells. Suitable host cells are discussed further in Goeddel (1990) supra. Alternatively, the recombinant expression vector can be transcribed and translated in vitro, for example using T7 promoter regulatory sequences and T7 polymerase.

[0537] Expression of proteins in prokaryotes is most often carried out in E. coli with vectors containing constitutive or inducible promoters directing the expression of either fusion or non-fusion proteins. Fusion vectors add a number of amino acids to a protein encoded therein, usually to the amino terminus of the recombinant protein. Such fusion vectors typically serve three purposes: 1) to increase expression of recombinant protein; 2) to increase the solubility of the recombinant protein; and 3) to aid in the purification of the recombinant protein by acting as a ligand in affinity purification. Often, in fusion expression vectors, a proteolytic cleavage site is introduced at the junction of the fusion moiety and the recombinant protein to enable separation of the recombinant protein from the fusion moiety subsequent to purification of the fusion protein. Such enzymes, and their cognate recognition sequences, include Factor Xa, thrombin and enterokinase. Typical fusion expression vectors include pGEX (Pharmacia Biotech Inc; Smith, D. B. and Johnson, K. S. (1988) Gene 67:31-40), pMAL (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.) and pRIT5 (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.) which fuse glutathione S-transferase (GST), maltose E binding protein, or protein A, respectively, to the target recombinant protein.

[0538] Purified fusion proteins can be utilized in OAT activity assays (e.g., direct assays or competitive assays described in detail below), or to generate antibodies specific for OAT proteins, for example. In a preferred embodiment, an OAT fusion protein expressed in a retroviral expression vector of the present invention can be utilized to infect bone marrow cells, which are subsequently transplanted into irradiated recipients. The pathology of the subject recipient is then examined after sufficient time has passed (e.g., six (6) weeks).

[0539] Examples of suitable inducible non-fusion E. coli expression vectors include pTrc (Amann et al. (1988) Gene 69:301-315) and pET 11d (Studier et al. (1990) Methods Enzymol. 185:60-89). Target gene expression from the pTrc vector relies on host RNA polymerase transcription from a hybrid trp-lac fusion promoter. Target gene expression from the pET 11d vector relies on transcription from a T7 gn10-lac fusion promoter mediated by a coexpressed viral RNA polymerase (T7 gn1). This viral polymerase is supplied by host strains BL21(DE3) or HMS 174(DE3) from a resident prophage harboring a T7 gn1 gene under the transcriptional control of the lacUV 5 promoter.

[0540] One strategy to maximize recombinant protein expression in E. coli is to express the protein in a host bacteria with an impaired capacity to proteolytically cleave the recombinant protein (Gottesman, S. (1990) Methods Enzymol. 185:119-128). Another strategy is to alter the nucleic acid sequence of the nucleic acid to be inserted into an expression vector so that the individual codons for each amino acid are those preferentially utilized in E. coli (Wada et al. (1992) Nucleic Acids Res. 20:2111-2118). Such alteration of nucleic acid sequences of the invention can be carried out by standard DNA synthesis techniques.

[0541] In another embodiment, the OAT expression vector is a yeast expression vector. Examples of vectors for expression in yeast S. cerivisae include pYepSec1 (Baldari et al. (1987) EMBO J. 6:229-234), pMFa (Kurjan and Herskowitz (1982) Cell 30:933-943), pJRY88 (Schultz et al. (1987) Gene 54:113-123), pYES2 (Invitrogen Corporation, San Diego, Calif.), and picZ (Invitrogen Corp., San Diego, Calif.).

[0542] Alternatively, OAT proteins can be expressed in insect cells using baculovirus expression vectors. Baculovirus vectors available for expression of proteins in cultured insect cells (e.g., Sf 9 cells) include the pAc series (Smith et al. (1983) Mol. Cell Biol. 3:2156-2165) and the pVL series (Lucklow and Summers (1989) Virology 170:31-39).

[0543] In yet another embodiment, a nucleic acid of the invention is expressed in mammalian cells using a mammalian expression vector. Examples of mammalian expression vectors include pCDM8 (Seed, B. (1987) Nature 329:840) and pMT2PC (Kaufmnan et al. (1987) EMBO J. 6:187-195). When used in mammalian cells, the expression vector's control functions are often provided by viral regulatory elements. For example, commonly used promoters are derived from polyoma, Adenovirus 2, cytomegalovirus and Simian Virus 40. For other suitable expression systems for both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells see chapters 16 and 17 of Sambrook, J. et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989.

[0544] In another embodiment, the recombinant mammalian expression vector is capable of directing expression of the nucleic acid preferentially in a particular cell type (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory elements are used to express the nucleic acid). Tissue-specific regulatory elements are known in the art. Non-limiting examples of suitable tissue-specific promoters include the albumin promoter (liver-specific; Pinkert et al. (1987) Genes Dev. 1:268-277), lymphoid-specific promoters (Calame and Eaton (1988) Adv. Immunol. 43:235-275), in particular promoters of T cell receptors (Winoto and Baltimore (1989) EMBO J. 8:729-733) and immunoglobulins (Baneiji et al. (1983) Cell 33:729-740; Queen and Baltimore (1983) Cell 33:741-748), neuron-specific promoters (e.g., the neurofilament promoter; Byrne and Ruddle (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:5473-5477), pancreas-specific promoters (Edlund et al. (1985) Science 230:912-916), and mammary gland-specific promoters (e.g., milk whey promoter; U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,316 and European Application Publication No. 264,166). Developmentally-regulated promoters are also encompassed, for example the murine hox promoters (Kessel and Gruss (1990) Science 249:374-379) and the α-fetoprotein promoter (Campes and Tilghman (1989) Genes Dev. 3:537-546).

[0545] The invention further provides a recombinant expression vector comprising a DNA molecule of the invention cloned into the expression vector in an antisense orientation. That is, the DNA molecule is operatively linked to a regulatory sequence in a manner which allows for expression (by transcription of the DNA molecule) of an RNA molecule which is antisense to OAT mRNA. Regulatory sequences operatively linked to a nucleic acid cloned in the antisense orientation can be chosen which direct the continuous expression of the antisense RNA molecule in a variety of cell types, for instance viral promoters and/or enhancers, or regulatory sequences can be chosen which direct constitutive, tissue specific or cell type specific expression of antisense RNA. The antisense expression vector can be in the form of a recombinant plasmid, phagemid or attenuated virus in which antisense nucleic acids are produced under the control of a high efficiency regulatory region, the activity of which can be determined by the cell type into which the vector is introduced. For a discussion of the regulation of gene expression using antisense genes see Weintraub, H. et al. “Antisense RNA as a molecular tool for genetic analysis”, Reviews—Trends in Genetics, Vol. 1(1) 1986.

[0546] Another aspect of the invention pertains to host cells into which an OAT nucleic acid molecule of the invention is introduced, e.g., an OAT nucleic acid molecule within a vector (e.g., a recombinant expression vector) or an OAT nucleic acid molecule containing sequences which allow it to homologously recombine into a specific site of the host cell's genome. The terms “host cell” and “recombinant host cell” are used interchangeably herein. It is understood that such terms refer not only to the particular subject cell but to the progeny or potential progeny of such a cell. Because certain modifications may occur in succeeding generations due to either mutation or environmental influences, such progeny may not, in fact, be identical to the parent cell, but are still included within the scope of the term as used herein.

[0547] A host cell can be any prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell. For example, an OAT protein can be expressed in bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells, yeast or mammalian cells (such as Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) or COS cells). Other suitable host cells are known to those skilled in the art.

[0548] Vector DNA can be introduced into prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells via conventional transformation or transfection techniques. As used herein, the terms “transformation” and “transfection” are intended to refer to a variety of art-recognized techniques for introducing foreign nucleic acid (e.g., DNA) into a host cell, including calcium phosphate or calcium chloride co-precipitation, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, lipofection, or electroporation. Suitable methods for transforming or transfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook et al. (Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), and other laboratory manuals.

[0549] For stable transfection of mammalian cells, it is known that, depending upon the expression vector and transfection technique used, only a small fraction of cells may integrate the foreign DNA into their genome. In order to identify and select these integrants, a gene that encodes a selectable marker (e.g., resistance to antibiotics) is generally introduced into the host cells along with the gene of interest. Preferred selectable markers include those which confer resistance to drugs, such as G418, hygromycin and methotrexate. Nucleic acid encoding a selectable marker can be introduced into a host cell on the same vector as that encoding an OAT protein or can be introduced on a separate vector. Cells stably transfected with the introduced nucleic acid can be identified by drug selection (e.g., cells that have incorporated the selectable marker gene will survive, while the other cells die).

[0550] A host cell of the invention, such as a prokaryotic or eukaryotic host cell in culture, can be used to produce (i.e., express) an OAT protein. Accordingly, the invention further provides methods for producing an OAT protein using the host cells of the invention. In one embodiment, the method comprises culturing the host cell of the invention (into which a recombinant expression vector encoding an OAT protein has been introduced) in a suitable medium such that an OAT protein is produced. In another embodiment, the method further comprises isolating an OAT protein from the medium or the host cell.

[0551] The host cells of the invention can also be used to produce non-human transgenic animals. For example, in one embodiment, a host cell of the invention is a fertilized oocyte or an embryonic stem cell into which OAT-coding sequences have been introduced. Such host cells can then be used to create non-human transgenic animals in which exogenous OAT sequences have been introduced into their genome or homologous recombinant animals in which endogenous OAT sequences have been altered. Such animals are useful for studying the function and/or activity of an OAT protein and for identifying and/or evaluating modulators of OAT activity. As used herein, a “transgenic animal” is a non-human animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a rodent such as a rat or mouse, in which one or more of the cells of the animal includes a transgene. Other examples of transgenic animals include non-human primates, sheep, dogs, cows, goats, chickens, amphibians, and the like. A transgene is exogenous DNA which is integrated into the genome of a cell from which a transgenic animal develops and which remains in the genome of the mature animal, thereby directing the expression of an encoded gene product in one or more cell types or tissues of the transgenic animal. As used herein, a “homologous recombinant animal” is a non-human animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a mouse, in which an endogenous OAT gene has been altered by homologous recombination between the endogenous gene and an exogenous DNA molecule introduced into a cell of the animal, e.g., an embryonic cell of the animal, prior to development of the animal.

[0552] A transgenic animal of the invention can be created by introducing an OAT-encoding nucleic acid into the male pronuclei of a fertilized oocyte, e.g., by microinjection or retroviral infection, and allowing the oocyte to develop in a pseudopregnant female foster animal. The OAT cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4 or 7 can be introduced as a transgene into the genome of a non-human animal. Alternatively, a non-human homologue of a human OAT gene, such as a rat or mouse OAT gene, can be used as a transgene. Alternatively, an OAT gene homologue, such as another OAT family member, can be isolated based on hybridization to the OAT cDNA sequences of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ (described further in subsection I above) and used as a transgene. Intronic sequences and polyadenylation signals can also be included in the transgene to increase the efficiency of expression of the transgene. A tissue-specific regulatory sequence(s) can be operably linked to an OAT transgene to direct expression of an OAT protein to particular cells. Methods for generating transgenic animals via embryo manipulation and microinjection, particularly animals such as mice, have become conventional in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,736,866 and 4,870,009, both by Leder et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,191 by Wagner et al. and in Hogan, B., Manipulating the Mouse Embryo (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1986). Similar methods are used for production of other transgenic animals. A transgenic founder animal can be identified based upon the presence of an OAT transgene in its genome and/or expression of OAT mRNA in tissues or cells of the animals. A transgenic founder animal can then be used to breed additional animals carrying the transgene. Moreover, transgenic animals carrying a transgene encoding an OAT protein can further be bred to other transgenic animals carrying other transgenes.

[0553] To create a homologous recombinant animal, a vector is prepared which contains at least a portion of an OAT gene into which a deletion, addition or substitution has been introduced to thereby alter, e.g., functionally disrupt, the OAT gene. The OAT gene can be a human gene (e.g., the cDNA of SEQ ID NO: 4 or 7), but more preferably, is a non-human homologue of a human OAT gene (e.g., a cDNA isolated by stringent hybridization with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9), For example, a mouse OAT gene can be used to construct a homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule, e.g., a vector, suitable for altering an endogenous OAT gene in the mouse genome. In a preferred embodiment, the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule is designed such that, upon homologous recombination, the endogenous OAT gene is functionally disrupted (i.e., no longer encodes a functional protein; also referred to as a “knock out” vector). Alternatively, the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule can be designed such that, upon homologous recombination, the endogenous OAT gene is mutated or otherwise altered but still encodes functional protein (e.g., the upstream regulatory region can be altered to thereby alter the expression of the endogenous OAT protein). In the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule, the altered portion of the OAT gene is flanked at its 5′ and 3′ ends by additional nucleic acid sequence of the OAT gene to allow for homologous recombination to occur between the exogenous OAT gene carried by the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule and an endogenous OAT gene in a cell, e.g., an embryonic stem cell. The additional flanking OAT nucleic acid sequence is of sufficient length for successful homologous recombination with the endogenous gene. Typically, several kilobases of flanking DNA (both at the 5′ and 3′ ends) are included in the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule (see, e.g., Thomas, K. R. and Capecchi, M. R. (1987) Cell 51:503 for a description of homologous recombination vectors). The homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule is introduced into a cell, e.g., an embryonic stem cell line (e.g., by electroporation) and cells in which the introduced OAT gene has homologously recombined with the endogenous OAT gene are selected (see e.g., Li, E. et al. (1992) Cell 69:915). The selected cells can then be injected into a blastocyst of an animal (e.g., a mouse) to form aggregation chimeras (see e.g., Bradley, A. in Teratocarcinomas and Embryonic Stem Cells: A Practical Approach, Robertson, E. J. ed. (IRL, Oxford, 1987) pp. 113-152). A chimeric embryo can then be implanted into a suitable pseudopregnant female foster animal and the embryo brought to term. Progeny harboring the homologously recombined DNA in their germ cells can be used to breed animals in which all cells of the animal contain the homologously recombined DNA by germline transmission of the transgene. Methods for constructing homologous recombination nucleic acid molecules, e.g., vectors, or homologous recombinant animals are described further in Bradley, A. (1991) Current Opinion in Biotechnology 2:823-829 and in PCT International Publication Nos.: WO 90/11354 by Le Mouellec et al.; WO 91/01140 by Smithies et al.; WO 92/0968 by Zijlstra et al.; and WO 93/04169 by Berns et al.

[0554] In another embodiment, transgenic non-humans animals can be produced which contain selected systems which allow for regulated expression of the transgene. One example of such a system is the cre/loxP recombinase system of bacteriophage P1. For a description of the cre/loxP recombinase system, see, e.g., Lakso et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:6232-6236. Another example of a recombinase system is the FLP recombinase system of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (O'Gorman et al. (1991) Science 251:1351-1355). If a cre/loxP recombinase system is used to regulate expression of the transgene, animals containing transgenes encoding both the Cre recombinase and a selected protein are required. Such animals can be provided through the construction of “double” transgenic animals, e.g., by mating two transgenic animals, one containing a transgene encoding a selected protein and the other containing a transgene encoding a recombinase.

[0555] Clones of the non-human transgenic animals described herein can also be produced according to the methods described in Wilmut, I. et al. (1997) Nature 385:810-813 and PCT International Publication Nos. WO 97/07668 and WO 97/07669. In brief, a cell, e.g., a somatic cell, from the transgenic animal can be isolated and induced to exit the growth cycle and enter G_(O) phase. The quiescent cell can then be fused, e.g., through the use of electrical pulses, to an enucleated oocyte from an animal of the same species from which the quiescent cell is isolated. The reconstructed oocyte is then cultured such that it develops to morula or blastocyte and then transferred to pseudopregnant female foster animal. The offspring borne of this female foster animal will be a clone of the animal from which the cell, e.g., the somatic cell, is isolated.

[0556] IV. Pharmaceutical Compositions

[0557] The OAT nucleic acid molecules, OAT proteins, fragments thereof, anti-OAT antibodies, and OAT modulators (also referred to herein as “active compounds”) of the invention can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions suitable for administration. Such compositions typically comprise the nucleic acid molecule, protein, or antibody and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. As used herein the language “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” is intended to include any and all solvents, dispersion media, coatings, antibacterial and antifungal agents, isotonic and absorption delaying agents, and the like, compatible with pharmaceutical administration. The use of such media and agents for pharmaceutically active substances is well known in the art. Except insofar as any conventional media or agent is incompatible with the active compound, use thereof in the compositions is contemplated. Supplementary active compounds can also be incorporated into the compositions.

[0558] A pharmaceutical composition of the invention is formulated to be compatible with its intended route of administration. Examples of routes of administration include parenteral, e.g., intravenous, intradermal, subcutaneous, oral (e.g., inhalation), transdermal (topical), transmucosal, and rectal administration. Solutions or suspensions used for parenteral, intradermal, or subcutaneous application can include the following components: a sterile diluent such as water for injection, saline solution, fixed oils, polyethylene glycols, glycerine, propylene glycol or other synthetic solvents; antibacterial agents such as benzyl alcohol or methyl parabens; antioxidants such as ascorbic acid or sodium bisulfite; chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; buffers such as acetates, citrates or phosphates and agents for the adjustment of tonicity such as sodium chloride or dextrose. pH can be adjusted with acids or bases, such as hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide. The parenteral preparation can be enclosed in ampoules, disposable syringes or multiple dose vials made of glass or plastic.

[0559] Pharmaceutical compositions suitable for injectable use include sterile aqueous solutions (where water soluble) or dispersions and sterile powders for the extemporaneous preparation of sterile injectable solutions or dispersion. For intravenous administration, suitable carriers include physiological saline, bacteriostatic water, Cremophor EL™ (BASF, Parsippany, N.J.) or phosphate buffered saline (PBS). In all cases, the composition must be sterile and should be fluid to the extent that easy syringeability exists. It must be stable under the conditions of manufacture and storage and must be preserved against the contaminating action of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. The carrier can be a solvent or dispersion medium containing, for example, water, ethanol, polyol (for example, glycerol, propylene glycol, and liquid polyetheylene glycol, and the like), and suitable mixtures thereof. The proper fluidity can be maintained, for example, by the use of a coating such as lecithin, by the maintenance of the required particle size in the case of dispersion and by the use of surfactants. Prevention of the action of microorganisms can be achieved by various antibacterial and antifungal agents, for example, parabens, chlorobutanol, phenol, ascorbic acid, thimerosal, and the like. In many cases, it will be preferable to include isotonic agents, for example, sugars, polyalcohols such as manitol, sorbitol, sodium chloride in the composition. Prolonged absorption of the injectable compositions can be brought about by including in the composition an agent which delays absorption, for example, aluminum monostearate and gelatin.

[0560] Sterile injectable solutions can be prepared by incorporating the active compound (e.g., a fragment of an OAT protein or an anti-OAT antibody) in the required amount in an appropriate solvent with one or a combination of ingredients enumerated above, as required, followed by filtered sterilization. Generally, dispersions are prepared by incorporating the active compound into a sterile vehicle which contains a basic dispersion medium and the required other ingredients from those enumerated above. In the case of sterile powders for the preparation of sterile injectable solutions, the preferred methods of preparation are vacuum drying and freeze-drying which yields a powder of the active ingredient plus any additional desired ingredient from a previously sterile-filtered solution thereof.

[0561] Oral compositions generally include an inert diluent or an edible carrier. They can be enclosed in gelatin capsules or compressed into tablets. For the purpose of oral therapeutic administration, the active compound can be incorporated with excipients and used in the form of tablets, troches, or capsules. Oral compositions can also be prepared using a fluid carrier for use as a mouthwash, wherein the compound in the fluid carrier is applied orally and swished and expectorated or swallowed. Pharmaceutically compatible binding agents, and/or adjuvant materials can be included as part of the composition. The tablets, pills, capsules, troches and the like can contain any of the following ingredients, or compounds of a similar nature: a binder such as microcrystalline cellulose, gum tragacanth or gelatin; an excipient such as starch or lactose, a disintegrating agent such as alginic acid, Primogel, or corn starch; a lubricant such as magnesium stearate or Sterotes; a glidant such as colloidal silicon dioxide; a sweetening agent such as sucrose or saccharin; or a flavoring agent such as peppermint, methyl salicylate, or orange flavoring.

[0562] For administration by inhalation, the compounds are delivered in the form of an aerosol spray from pressured container or dispenser which contains a suitable propellant, e.g., a gas such as carbon dioxide, or a nebulizer.

[0563] Systemic administration can also be by transmucosal or transdermal means. For transmucosal or transdermal administration, penetrants appropriate to the barrier to be permeated are used in the formulation. Such penetrants are generally known in the art, and include, for example, for transmucosal administration, detergents, bile salts, and fusidic acid derivatives. Transmucosal administration can be accomplished through the use of nasal sprays or suppositories. For transdermal administration, the active compounds are formulated into ointments, salves, gels, or creams as generally known in the art.

[0564] The compounds can also be prepared in the form of suppositories (e.g., with conventional suppository bases such as cocoa butter and other glycerides) or retention enemas for rectal delivery.

[0565] In one embodiment, the active compounds are prepared with carriers that will protect the compound against rapid elimination from the body, such as a controlled release formulation, including implants and microencapsulated delivery systems. Biodegradable, biocompatible polymers can be used, such as ethylene vinyl acetate, polyanhydrides, polyglycolic acid, collagen, polyorthoesters, and polylactic acid. Methods for preparation of such formulations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The materials can also be obtained commercially from Alza Corporation and Nova Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Liposomal suspensions (including liposomes targeted to infected cells with monoclonal antibodies to viral antigens) can also be used as pharmaceutically acceptable carriers. These can be prepared according to methods known to those skilled in the art, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,811.

[0566] It is especially advantageous to formulate oral or parenteral compositions in dosage unit form for ease of administration and uniformity of dosage. Dosage unit form as used herein refers to physically discrete units suited as unitary dosages for the subject to be treated; each unit containing a predetermined quantity of active compound calculated to produce the desired therapeutic effect in association with the required pharmaceutical carrier. The specification for the dosage unit forms of the invention are dictated by and directly dependent on the unique characteristics of the active compound and the particular therapeutic effect to be achieved, and the limitations inherent in the art of compounding such an active compound for the treatment of individuals.

[0567] Toxicity and therapeutic efficacy of such compounds can be determined by standard pharmaceutical procedures in cell cultures or experimental animals, e.g., for determining the LD50 (the dose lethal to 50% of the population) and the ED50 (the dose therapeutically effective in 50% of the population). The dose ratio between toxic and therapeutic effects is the therapeutic index and it can be expressed as the ratio LD50/ED50. Compounds which exhibit large therapeutic indices are preferred. While compounds that exhibit toxic side effects may be used, care should be taken to design a delivery system that targets such compounds to the site of affected tissue in order to minimize potential damage to uninfected cells and, thereby, reduce side effects.

[0568] The data obtained from the cell culture assays and animal studies can be used in formulating a range of dosage for use in humans. The dosage of such compounds lies preferably within a range of circulating concentrations that include the ED50 with little or no toxicity. The dosage may vary within this range depending upon the dosage form employed and the route of administration utilized. For any compound used in the method of the invention, the therapeutically effective dose can be estimated initially from cell culture assays. A dose may be formulated in animal models to achieve a circulating plasma concentration range that includes the IC50 (i.e., the concentration of the test compound which achieves a half-maximal inhibition of symptoms) as determined in cell culture. Such information can be used to more accurately determine useful doses in humans. Levels in plasma may be measured, for example, by high performance liquid chromatography.

[0569] As defined herein, a therapeutically effective amount of protein or polypeptide (i.e., an effective dosage) ranges from about 0.001 to 30 mg/kg body weight, preferably about 0.01 to 25 mg/kg body weight, more preferably about 0.1 to 20 mg/kg body weight, and even more preferably about 1 to 10 mg/kg, 2 to 9 mg/kg, 3 to 8 mg/kg, 4 to 7 mg/kg, or 5 to 6 mg/kg body weight. The skilled artisan will appreciate that certain factors may influence the dosage required to effectively treat a subject, including but not limited to the severity of the disease or disorder, previous treatments, the general health and/or age of the subject, and other diseases present. Moreover, treatment of a subject with a therapeutically effective amount of a protein, polypeptide, or antibody can include a single treatment or, preferably, can include a series of treatments.

[0570] In a preferred example, a subject is treated with antibody, protein, or polypeptide in the range of between about 0.1 to 20 mg/kg body weight, one time per week for between about 1 to 10 weeks, preferably between 2 to 8 weeks, more preferably between about 3 to 7 weeks, and even more preferably for about 4, 5, or 6 weeks. It will also be appreciated that the effective dosage of antibody, protein, or polypeptide used for treatment may increase or decrease over the course of a particular treatment. Changes in dosage may result and become apparent from the results of diagnostic assays as described herein.

[0571] The present invention encompasses agents which modulate expression or activity. An agent may, for example, be a small molecule. For example, such small molecules include, but are not limited to, peptides, peptidomimetics, amino acids, amino acid analogs, polynucleotides, polynucleotide analogs, nucleotides, nucleotide analogs, organic or inorganic compounds (i.e., including heteroorganic and organometallic compounds) having a molecular weight less than about 10,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 5,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 1,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 500 grams per mole, and salts, esters, and other pharmaceutically acceptable forms of such compounds. It is understood that appropriate doses of small molecule agents depends upon a number of factors within the ken of the ordinarily skilled physician, veterinarian, or researcher. The dose(s) of the small molecule will vary, for example, depending upon the identity, size, and condition of the subject or sample being treated, further depending upon the route by which the composition is to be administered, if applicable, and the effect which the practitioner desires the small molecule to have upon the nucleic acid or polypeptide of the invention.

[0572] Exemplary doses include milligram or microgram amounts of the small molecule per kilogram of subject or sample weight (e.g., about 1 microgram per kilogram to about 500 milligrams per kilogram, about 100 micrograms per kilogram to about 5 milligrams per kilogram, or about 1 microgram per kilogram to about 50 micrograms per kilogram. It is furthermore understood that appropriate doses of a small molecule depend upon the potency of the small molecule with respect to the expression or activity to be modulated. Such appropriate doses may be determined using the assays described herein. When one or more of these small molecules is to be administered to an animal (e.g., a human) in order to modulate expression or activity of a polypeptide or nucleic acid of the invention, a physician, veterinarian, or researcher may, for example, prescribe a relatively low dose at first, subsequently increasing the dose until an appropriate response is obtained. In addition, it is understood that the specific dose level for any particular animal subject will depend upon a variety of factors including the activity of the specific compound employed, the age, body weight, general health, gender, and diet of the subject, the time of administration, the route of administration, the rate of excretion, any drug combination, and the degree of expression or activity to be modulated.

[0573] In certain embodiments of the invention, a modulator of OAT activity is administered in combination with other agents (e.g., a small molecule), or in conjunction with another, complementary treatment regime. For example, in one embodiment, a modulator of OAT activity is used to treat OAT associated disorder. Accordingly, modulation of OAT activity may be used in conjunction with, for example, another agent used to treat the disorder.

[0574] Further, an antibody (or fragment thereof) may be conjugated to a therapeutic moiety such as a cytotoxin, a therapeutic agent or a radioactive metal ion. A cytotoxin or cytotoxic agent includes any agent that is detrimental to cells. Examples include taxol, cytochalasin B, gramicidin D, ethidium bromide, emetine, mitomycin, etoposide, tenoposide, vincristine, vinblastine, colchicin, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, dihydroxy anthracin dione, mitoxantrone, mithramycin, actinomycin D, 1-dehydrotestosterone, glucocorticoids, procaine, tetracaine, lidocaine, propranolol, and puromycin and analogs or homologs thereof. Therapeutic agents include, but are not limited to, antimetabolites (e.g., methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, cytarabine, 5-fluorouracil decarbazine), alkylating agents (e.g., mechlorethamine, thioepa chlorambucil, melphalan, carmustine (BSNU) and lomustine (CCNU), cyclothosphamide, busulfan, dibromomannitol, streptozotocin, mitomycin C, and cis-dichlorodiamine platinum (II) (DDP) cisplatin), anthracyclines (e.g., daunorubicin (formerly daunomycin) and doxorubicin), antibiotics (e.g., dactinomycin (formerly actinomycin), bleomycin, mithramycin, and anthramycin (AMC)), and anti-mitotic agents (e.g., vincristine and vinblastine).

[0575] The conjugates of the invention can be used for modifying a given biological response, the drug moiety is not to be construed as limited to classical chemical therapeutic agents. For example, the drug moiety may be a protein or polypeptide possessing a desired biological activity. Such proteins may include, for example, a toxin such as abrin, ricin A, pseudomonas exotoxin, or diphtheria toxin; a protein such as tumor necrosis factor, alpha-interferon, beta-interferon, nerve growth factor, platelet derived growth factor, tissue plasminogen activator; or, biological response modifiers such as, for example, lymphokines, interleukin-1 (“IL-1”), interleukin-2 (“IL-2”), interleukin-6 (“IL-6”), granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (“GM-CSF”), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (“G-CSF”), or other growth factors.

[0576] Techniques for conjugating such therapeutic moiety to antibodies are well known, see, e.g., Arnon et al. “Monoclonal Antibodies For Immunotargeting Of Drugs In Cancer Therapy” in Monoclonal Antibodies And Cancer Therapy, Reisfeld et al. (eds.), pp. 243-56 (Alan R. Liss, Inc. 1985); Hellstrom et al. “Antibodies For Drug Delivery” in Controlled Drug Delivery (2nd Ed.), Robinson et al. (eds.), pp. 623-53 (Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1987); Thorpe “Antibody Carriers Of Cytotoxic Agents In Cancer Therapy: A Review” in Monoclonal Antibodies '84: Biological And Clinical Applications, Pinchera et aL (eds.), pp. 475-506 (1985); “Analysis, Results, And Future Prospective Of The Therapeutic Use Of Radiolabeled Antibody In Cancer Therapy” in Monoclonal Antibodies For Cancer Detection And Therapy, Baldwin et al. (eds.), pp. 303-16 (Academic Press 1985); and Thorpe et al. “The Preparation And Cytotoxic Properties Of Antibody-Toxin Conjugates” Immunol. Rev. 62:119-58 (1982). Alternatively, an antibody can be conjugated to a second antibody to form an antibody heteroconjugate as described by Segal in U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,980.

[0577] The nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be inserted into vectors and used as gene therapy vectors. Gene therapy vectors can be delivered to a subject by, for example, intravenous injection, local administration (see U.S. Pat. 5,328,470) or by stereotactic injection (see e.g., Chen et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:3054-3057). The pharmaceutical preparation of the gene therapy vector can include the gene therapy vector in an acceptable diluent, or can comprise a slow release matrix in which the gene delivery vehicle is imbedded. Alternatively, where the complete gene delivery vector can be produced intact from recombinant cells, e.g., retroviral vectors, the pharmaceutical preparation can include one or more cells which produce the gene delivery system.

[0578] The pharmaceutical compositions can be included in a container, pack, or dispenser together with instructions for administration.

[0579] V. Uses and Methods of the Invention

[0580] The nucleic acid molecules, proteins, protein homologues, and antibodies described herein can be used in one or more of the following methods: a) screening assays; b) predictive medicine (e.g., diagnostic assays, prognostic assays, monitoring clinical trials, and pharmacogenetics); and c) methods of treatment (e.g., therapeutic and prophylactic). As described herein, an OAT protein of the invention has one or more of the following activities: (i) interaction with an OAT substrate or target molecule; (ii) transport of an OAT substrate across a membrane; (iii) interaction with and/or modulation of a second non-OAT protein; (iv) modulation of cellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); (v) protection of cells and/or tissues from organic anions; and/or (vi) modulation of hormonal responses.

[0581] The isolated nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be used, for example, to express OAT protein (e.g., via a recombinant expression vector in a host cell in gene therapy applications), to detect OAT mRNA (e.g., in a biological sample) or a genetic alteration in an OAT gene, and to modulate OAT activity, as described further below. The OAT proteins can be used to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive transport of an OAT substrate or production of OAT inhibitors. In addition, the OAT proteins can be used to screen for naturally occurring OAT substrates or target molecules, to screen for drugs or compounds which modulate OAT activity, as well as to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive production of OAT protein or production of OAT protein forms which have decreased, aberrant or unwanted activity compared to OAT wild type protein (e.g., an OAT-associated disorder).

[0582] Moreover, the anti-OAT antibodies of the invention can be used to detect and isolate OAT proteins, regulate the bioavailability of OAT proteins, and modulate OAT activity.

[0583] A. Screening Assays:

[0584] The invention provides a method (also referred to herein as a “screening assay”) for identifying modulators, i.e., candidate or test compounds or agents (e.g., peptides, peptidomimetics, small molecules or other drugs) which bind to OAT proteins, have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on, for example, OAT expression or OAT activity, or have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on, for example, the transport, expression or activity of an OAT substrate or target molecule.

[0585] In one embodiment, the invention provides assays for screening candidate or test compounds which are substrates or target molecules of an OAT protein or polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof. In another embodiment, the invention provides assays for screening candidate or test compounds which bind to or modulate the activity of an OAT protein or polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof. The test compounds of the present invention can be obtained using any of the numerous approaches in combinatorial library methods known in the art, including: biological libraries; spatially addressable parallel solid phase or solution phase libraries; synthetic library methods requiring deconvolution; the ‘one-bead one-compound’ library method; and synthetic library methods using affinity chromatography selection. The biological library approach is limited to peptide libraries, while the other four approaches are applicable to peptide, non-peptide oligomer or small molecule libraries of compounds (Lam, K. S. (1997) Anticancer Drug Des. 12:45).

[0586] Examples of methods for the synthesis of molecular libraries can be found in the art, for example, in: DeWitt et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:6909; Erb et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:11422; Zuckermann et al. (1994). J. Med. Chem. 37:2678; Cho et al. (1993) Science 261:1303; Carrell et al. (1994) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 33:2059; Carell et al. (1994) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 33:2061; and Gallop et al. (1994) J. Med. Chem. 37:1233.

[0587] Libraries of compounds may be presented in solution (e.g., Houghten (1992) Biotechniques 13:412-421), or on beads (Lam (1991) Nature 354:82-84), chips (Fodor (1993) Nature 364:555-556), bacteria (Ladner U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409), spores (Ladner U.S. Pat No. '409), plasmids (Cull et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:1865-1869) or on phage (Scott and Smith (1990) Science 249:386-390); (Devlin (1990) Science 249:404-406); (Cwirla et al. (1990) Proc. NatL. Acad. Sci. USA 87:6378-6382); (Felici (1991) J. Mol. Biol. 222:301-310); (Ladnersupra.).

[0588] In one embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay in which a cell which expresses an OAT protein or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate OAT activity is determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate OAT activity can be accomplished by monitoring, for example, transport of substrates across membranes and/or levels of gene transcription. The cell, for example, can be of a mammalian origin.

[0589] The ability of the test compound to modulate binding of a substrate or target molecule to OAT can also be determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate OAT binding to a substrate or target molecule can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the OAT substrate or target molecule with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the OAT substrate or target molecule to OAT can be determined by detecting the labeled OAT substrate or target molecule in a complex. Alternatively, OAT could be coupled with a radioisotope or enzymatic label to monitor the ability of a test compound to modulate OAT binding to an OAT substrate or target molecule in a complex. Determining the ability of the test compound to bind OAT can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the compound with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the compound to OAT can be determined by detecting the labeled compound in a complex. For example, compounds (e.g., OAT substrates) can be labeled with ¹²⁵I, ³⁵S, ¹⁴C, or ³H, either directly or indirectly, and the radioisotope detected by direct counting of radioemission or by scintillation counting. Alternatively, compounds can be enzymatically labeled with, for example, horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, or luciferase, and the enzymatic label detected by determination of an appropriate substrate to product.

[0590] It is also within the scope of this invention to determine the ability of a compound (e.g., an OAT substrate) to interact with OAT without the labeling of any of the interactants. For example, a microphysiometer can be used to detect the interaction of a compound with OAT without the labeling of either the compound or the OAT. McConnell, H. M. et al. (1992) Science 257:1906-1912. As used herein, a “microphysiometer” (e.g., Cytosensor) is an analytical instrument that measures the rate at which a cell acidifies its environment using a light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS). Changes in this acidification rate can be used as an indicator of the interaction between a compound and OAT.

[0591] In another embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay comprising contacting a cell which expresses OAT with an OAT target molecule (e.g., an OAT substrate) and a test compound and determining the ability of the test compound to modulate (e.g., stimulate or inhibit) the activity (e.g., transport) or cellular location of the OAT substrate or target molecule. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of an OAT substrate or target molecule can be accomplished, for example, by determining the ability of the OAT protein to bind to or interact with the OAT substrate or target molecule or by determining the cellular localization of the OAT substrate or target molecule.

[0592] Determining the ability of the OAT protein, or a biologically active fragment thereof, to bind to or interact with or transport an OAT substrate or target molecule can be accomplished by one of the methods described above for determining direct binding. In a preferred embodiment, determining the ability of the OAT protein to bind to or interact with an OAT substrate or target molecule can be accomplished by determining the activity or cellular localization of the substrate or target molecule. For example, the activity of the substrate or target molecule can be determined by detecting induction of a cellular response (e.g., changes in intracellular substrate concentration), detecting a secondary or indirect activity of the substrate or target molecule, detecting the induction of a reporter gene (comprising a target-responsive regulatory element operatively linked to a nucleic acid encoding a detectable marker, e.g., luciferase), or detecting a target-regulated cellular response (i.e., a hormonal response). In other embodiments, the assays described above are carried out in a cell-free context (e.g., in an artificial membrane, vesicle, or micelle preparation).

[0593] In yet another embodiment, an assay of the present invention is a cell-free assay in which an OAT protein or biologically active portion (e.g., a portion which possesses the ability to transport or interact with a substrate or target molecule) thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to bind to the OAT protein or biologically active portion thereof is determined. Preferred biologically active portions of the OAT proteins to be used in assays of the present invention include fragments which participate in interactions with non-OAT molecules, e.g., fragments with high surface probability scores (see, for example, FIGS. 11 and 12). Binding of the test compound to the OAT protein can be determined either directly or indirectly as described above. In a preferred embodiment, the assay includes contacting the OAT protein or biologically active portion thereof with a known compound which binds OAT to form an assay mixture, contacting the assay mixture with a test compound, and determining the ability of the test compound to interact with an OAT protein, wherein determining the ability of the test compound to interact with an OAT protein comprises determining the ability of the test compound to preferentially bind to OAT or biologically active portion thereof as compared to the known compound.

[0594] In another embodiment, the assay is a cell-free assay in which an OAT protein or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate (e.g., stimulate or inhibit) the activity of the OAT protein or biologically active portion thereof is determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of an OAT protein can be accomplished, for example, by determining the ability of the OAT protein to bind to an OAT substrate or target molecule by one of the methods described above for determining direct binding. Determining the ability of the OAT protein to bind to an OAT substrate or target molecule can also be accomplished using a technology such as real-time Biomolecular Interaction Analysis (BIA). Sjolander, S. and Urbaniczky, C. (1991) Anal. Chem. 63:2338-2345 and Szabo et al. (1995) Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol. 5:699-705. As used herein, “BIA” is a technology for studying biospecific interactions in real time, without labeling any of the interactants (e.g., BIAcore). Changes in the optical phenomenon of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) can be used as an indication of real-time reactions between biological molecules.

[0595] In an alternative embodiment, determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of an OAT protein can be accomplished by determining the ability of the OAT protein to further modulate the activity of a downstream effector of an OAT target molecule. For example, the activity of the effector molecule on an appropriate target can be determined or the binding of the effector to an appropriate target can be determined as previously described.

[0596] In yet another embodiment, the cell-free assay involves contacting an OAT protein or biologically active portion thereof with a known compound which binds to or is transported by the OAT protein to form an assay mixture, contacting the assay mixture with a test compound, and determining the ability of the test compound to interact with the OAT protein, wherein determining the ability of the test compound to interact with the OAT protein comprises determining the ability of the OAT protein to preferentially bind to, transport, or modulate the activity of an OAT substrate or target molecule.

[0597] The cell-free assays of the present invention are amenable to use of both soluble and/or membrane-bound forms of isolated proteins (e.g., OAT proteins or biologically active portions thereof). In the case of cell-free assays in which a membrane-bound form of an isolated protein is used it may be desirable to utilize a solubilizing agent such that the membrane-bound form of the isolated protein is maintained in solution. Examples of such solubilizing agents include non-ionic detergents such as n-octylglucoside, n-dodecylglucoside, n-dodecylmaltoside, octanoyl-N-methylglucamide, decanoyl-N-methylglucamide, Triton® X-100, Triton® X-114, Thesit®, Isotridecypoly(ethylene glycol ether)_(n), 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylamminio]-1-propane sulfonate (CHAPS), 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylamminio]-2-hydroxy-1-propane sulfonate (CHAPS O), or N-dodecyl=N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propane sulfonate.

[0598] In more than one embodiment of the above assay methods of the present invention, it may be desirable to immobilize either OAT or its substrate or target molecule to facilitate separation of complexed from uncomplexed forms of one or both of the proteins, as well as to accommodate automation of the assay. Binding of a test compound to an OAT protein, or interaction of an OAT protein with a substrate or target molecule in the presence and absence of a candidate compound, can be accomplished in any vessel suitable for containing the reactants. Examples of such vessels include microtiter plates, test tubes, and micro-centrifuge tubes. In one embodiment, a fusion protein can be provided which adds a domain that allows one or both of the proteins to be bound to a matrix. For example, glutathione-S-transferase/OAT fusion proteins or glutathione-S-transferase/target fusion proteins can be adsorbed onto glutathione sepharose beads (Sigma Chemical, St. Louis, Mo.) or glutathione derivatized micrometer plates, which are then combined with the test compound or the test compound and either the non-adsorbed target protein or OAT protein, and the mixture incubated under conditions conducive to complex formation (e.g., at physiological conditions for salt and pH). Following incubation, the beads or microtiter plate wells are washed to remove any unbound components, the matrix immobilized in the case of beads, complex determined either directly or indirectly, for example, as described above. Alternatively, the complexes can be dissociated from the matrix, and the level of OAT binding or activity determined using standard techniques.

[0599] Other techniques for immobilizing proteins on matrices can also be used in the screening assays of the invention. For example, either an OAT protein or an OAT substrate or target molecule can be immobilized utilizing conjugation of biotin and streptavidin. Biotinylated OAT protein, substrates or target molecules can be prepared from biotin-NHS (N-hydroxy-succinimide) using techniques known in the art (e.g., biotinylation kit, Pierce Chemicals, Rockford, Ill.), and immobilized in the wells of streptavidin-coated 96 well plates (Pierce Chemical). Alternatively, antibodies reactive with OAT protein, substrates or target molecules but which do not interfere with binding of the OAT protein to its substrate, or target molecule can be derivatized to the wells of the plate, and unbound target or OAT protein trapped in the wells by antibody conjugation. Methods for detecting such complexes, in addition to those described above for the GST-immobilized complexes, include immunodetection of complexes using antibodies reactive with the OAT protein or target molecule, as well as enzyme-linked assays which rely on detecting an enzymatic activity associated with the OAT protein or target molecule.

[0600] In another embodiment, modulators of OAT expression are identified in a method wherein a cell is contacted with a candidate compound and the expression of OAT mRNA or protein in the cell is determined. The level of expression of OAT mRNA or protein in the presence of the candidate compound is compared to the level of expression of OAT mRNA or protein in the absence of the candidate compound. The candidate compound can then be identified as a modulator of OAT expression based on this comparison. For example, when expression of OAT mRNA or protein is greater (statistically significantly greater) in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as a stimulator of OAT mRNA or protein expression. Alternatively, when expression of OAT mRNA or protein is less (statistically significantly less) in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as an inhibitor of OAT mRNA or protein expression. The level of OAT mRNA or protein expression in the cells can be determined by methods described herein for detecting OAT mRNA or protein.

[0601] In yet another aspect of the invention, the OAT proteins can be used as “bait proteins” in a two-hybrid assay or three-hybrid assay (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,317; Zervos et al. (1993) Cell 72:223-232; Madura et al. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268:12046-12054; Bartel et al. (1993) Biotechniques 14:920-924; Iwabuchi et al. (1993) Oncogene 8:1693-1696; and Brent WO94/10300), to identify other proteins, which bind to or interact with OAT (“OAT-binding proteins” or “OAT-bp”) and are involved in OAT activity. Such OAT-binding proteins are also likely to be involved in the propagation of signals by the OAT proteins or OAT targets as, for example, downstream elements of an OAT-mediated signaling pathway. Alternatively, such OAT-binding proteins may be OAT inhibitors.

[0602] The two-hybrid system is based on the modular nature of most transcription factors, which consist of separable DNA-binding and activation domains. Briefly, the assay utilizes two different DNA constructs. In one construct, the gene that codes for an OAT protein is fused to a gene encoding the DNA binding domain of a known transcription factor (e.g., GAL-4). In the other construct, a DNA sequence, from a library of DNA sequences, that encodes an unidentified protein (“prey” or “sample”) is fused to a gene that codes for the activation domain of the known transcription factor. If the “bait” and the “prey” proteins are able to interact, in vivo, forming an OAT-dependent complex, the DNA-binding and activation domains of the transcription factor are brought into close proximity. This proximity allows transcription of a reporter gene (e.g., LacZ) which is operably linked to a transcriptional regulatory site responsive to the transcription factor. Expression of the reporter gene can be detected and cell colonies containing the functional transcription factor can be isolated and used to obtain the cloned gene which encodes the protein which interacts with the OAT protein.

[0603] In another aspect, the invention pertains to a combination of two or more of the assays described herein. For example, a modulating agent can be identified using a cell-based or a cell free assay, and the ability of the agent to modulate the activity of an OAT protein can be confirmed in vivo, e.g., in an animal such as an animal model for organic anion sensitivity or an animal model with dysregulated organic anion transport.

[0604] This invention further pertains to novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays. Accordingly, it is within the scope of this invention to further use an agent identified as described herein in an appropriate animal model. For example, an agent identified as described herein (e.g., an OAT substrate, an OAT target molecule, an OAT modulating agent, an antisense OAT nucleic acid molecule, an OAT-specific antibody, or an OAT binding partner) can be used in an animal model to determine the efficacy, toxicity, or side effects of treatment with such an agent. Alternatively, an agent identified as described herein can be used in an animal model to determine the mechanism of action of such an agent. Furthermore, this invention pertains to uses of novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays for treatments as described herein.

[0605] B. Detection Assays

[0606] Portions or fragments of the cDNA sequences identified herein (and the corresponding complete gene sequences) can be used in numerous ways as polynucleotide reagents. For example, these sequences can be used to: (i) map their respective genes on a chromosome; and, thus, locate gene regions associated with genetic disease; (ii) identify an individual from a minute biological sample (tissue typing); and (iii) aid in forensic identification of a biological sample. These applications are described in the subsections below.

[0607] 1. Chromosome Mapping

[0608] Once the sequence (or a portion of the sequence) of a gene has been isolated, this sequence can be used to map the location of the gene on a chromosome. This process is called chromosome mapping. Accordingly, portions or fragments of the OAT nucleotide sequences, described herein, can be used to map the location of the OAT genes on a chromosome. The mapping of the OAT sequences to chromosomes is an important first step in correlating these sequences with genes associated with disease.

[0609] Briefly, OAT genes can be mapped to chromosomes by preparing PCR primers (preferably 15-25 bp in length) from the OAT nucleotide sequences. Computer analysis of the OAT sequences can be used to predict primers that do not span more than one exon in the genomic DNA, thus complicating the amplification process. These primers can then be used for PCR screening of somatic cell hybrids containing individual human chromosomes. Only those hybrids containing the human gene corresponding to the OAT sequences will yield an amplified fragment.

[0610] Somatic cell hybrids are prepared by fusing somatic cells from different mammals (e.g., human and mouse cells). As hybrids of human and mouse cells grow and divide, they gradually lose human chromosomes in random order, but retain the mouse chromosomes. By using media in which mouse cells cannot grow, because they lack a particular enzyme, but human cells can, the one human chromosome that contains the gene encoding the needed enzyme, will be retained. By using various media, panels of hybrid cell lines can be established. Each cell line in a panel contains either a single human chromosome or a small number of human chromosomes, and a full set of mouse chromosomes, allowing easy mapping of individual genes to specific human chromosomes (D'Eustachio P. et al. (1983) Science 220:919-924). Somatic cell hybrids containing only fragments of human chromosomes can also be produced by using human chromosomes with translocations and deletions.

[0611] PCR mapping of somatic cell hybrids is a rapid procedure for assigning a particular sequence to a particular chromosome. Three or more sequences can be assigned per day using a single thermal cycler. Using the OAT nucleotide sequences to design oligonucleotide primers, sublocalization can be achieved with panels of fragments from specific chromosomes. Other mapping strategies which can similarly be used to map an OAT sequence to its chromosome include in situ hybridization (described in Fan, Y. et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:6223-27), pre-screening with labeled flow-sorted chromosomes, and pre-selection by hybridization to chromosome-specific cDNA libraries.

[0612] Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of a DNA sequence to a metaphase chromosomal spread can further be used to provide a precise chromosomal location in one step. Chromosome spreads can be made using cells whose division has been blocked in metaphase by a chemical such as colcemid that disrupts the mitotic spindle. The chromosomes can be treated briefly with trypsin, and then stained with Giemsa. A pattern of light and dark bands develops on each chromosome, so that the chromosomes can be identified individually. The FISH technique can be used with a DNA sequence as short as 500 or 600 bases. However, clones larger than 1,000 bases have a higher likelihood of binding to a unique chromosomal location with sufficient signal intensity for simple detection. Preferably 1,000 bases, and more preferably 2,000 bases will suffice to get good results at a reasonable amount of time. For a review of this technique, see Verma et al., Human Chromosomes: A Manual ofBasic Techniques (Pergamon Press, New York 1988).

[0613] Reagents for chromosome mapping can be used individually to mark a single chromosome or a single site on that chromosome, or panels of reagents can be used for marking multiple sites and/or multiple chromosomes. Reagents corresponding to noncoding regions of the genes actually are preferred for mapping purposes. Coding sequences are more likely to be conserved within gene families, thus increasing the chance of cross hybridizations during chromosomal mapping.

[0614] Once a sequence has been mapped to a precise chromosomal location, the physical position of the sequence on the chromosome can be correlated with genetic map data. (Such data are found, for example, in McKusick, V., Mendelian Inheritance in Man, available on-line through Johns Hopkins University Welch Medical Library.) The relationship between a gene and a disease, mapped to the same chromosomal region, can then be identified through linkage analysis (co-inheritance of physically adjacent genes), described in, for example, Egeland, J. et al. (1987) Nature 325:783-787.

[0615] Moreover, differences in the DNA sequences between individuals affected and unaffected with a disease associated with the OAT gene, can be determined. If a mutation is observed in some or all of the affected individuals but not in any unaffected individuals, then the mutation is likely to be the causative agent of the particular disease. Comparison of affected and unaffected individuals generally involves first looking for structural alterations in the chromosomes, such as deletions or translocations that are visible from chromosome spreads or detectable using PCR based on that DNA sequence. Ultimately, complete sequencing of genes from several individuals can be performed to confirm the presence of a mutation and to distinguish mutations from polymorphisms.

[0616] 2. Tissue Typing

[0617] The OAT sequences of the present invention can also be used to identify individuals from minute biological samples. The United States military, for example, is considering the use of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) for identification of its personnel. In this technique, an individual's genomic DNA is digested with one or more restriction enzymes, and probed on a Southern blot to yield unique bands for identification. This method does not suffer from the current limitations of “Dog Tags” which can be lost, switched, or stolen, making positive identification difficult. The sequences of the present invention are useful as additional DNA markers for RFLP (described in U.S. Pat. 5,272,057).

[0618] Furthermore, the sequences of the present invention can be used to provide an alternative technique which determines the actual base-by-base DNA sequence of selected portions of an individual's genome. Thus, the OAT nucleotide sequences described herein can be used to prepare two PCR primers from the 5′ and 3′ ends of the sequences. These primers can then be used to amplify an individual's DNA and subsequently sequence it.

[0619] Panels of corresponding DNA sequences from individuals, prepared in this manner, can provide unique individual identifications, as each individual will have a unique set of such DNA sequences due to allelic differences. The sequences of the present invention can be used to obtain such identification sequences from individuals and from tissue. The OAT nucleotide sequences of the invention uniquely represent portions of the human genome. Allelic variation occurs to some degree in the coding regions of these sequences, and to a greater degree in the noncoding regions. It is estimated that allelic variation between individual humans occurs with a frequency of about once per each 500 bases. Each of the sequences described herein can, to some degree, be used as a standard against which DNA from an individual can be compared for identification purposes. Because greater numbers of polymorphisms occur in the noncoding regions, fewer sequences are necessary to differentiate individuals. The noncoding sequences of SEQ ID NO: 4 or 7 can comfortably provide positive individual identification with a panel of perhaps 10 to 1,000 primers which each yield a noncoding amplified sequence of 100 bases. If predicted coding sequences, such as those in SEQ ID NO: 6 or 9 are used, a more appropriate number of primers for positive individual identification would be 500-2,000.

[0620] If a panel of reagents from OAT nucleotide sequences described herein is used to generate a unique identification database for an individual, those same reagents can later be used to identify tissue from that individual. Using the unique identification database, positive identification of the individual, living or dead, can be made from extremely small tissue samples.

[0621] 3. Use of Partial OAT Sequences in Forensic Biology

[0622] DNA-based identification techniques can also be used in forensic biology. Forensic biology is a scientific field employing genetic typing of biological evidence found at a crime scene as a means for positively identifying, for example, a perpetrator of a crime. To make such an identification, PCR technology can be used to amplify DNA sequences taken from very small biological samples such as tissues, e.g., hair or skin, or body fluids, e.g., blood, saliva, or semen found at a crime scene. The amplified sequence can then be compared to a standard, thereby allowing identification of the origin of the biological sample.

[0623] The sequences of the present invention can be used to provide polynucleotide reagents, e.g., PCR primers, targeted to specific loci in the human genome, which can enhance the reliability of DNA-based forensic identifications by, for example, providing another “identification marker” (i.e., another DNA sequence that is unique to a particular individual). As mentioned above, actual base sequence information can be used for identification as an accurate alternative to patterns formed by restriction enzyme generated fragments. Sequences targeted to noncoding regions of SEQ ID NO: 4 or 7 are particularly appropriate for this use as greater numbers of polymorphisms occur in the noncoding regions, making it easier to differentiate individuals using this technique. Examples of polynucleotide reagents include the OAT nucleotide sequences or portions thereof, e.g., fragments derived from the noncoding regions of SEQ ID NO: 4 or 7 having a length of at least 20 bases, preferably at least 30 bases.

[0624] The OAT nucleotide sequences described herein can further be used to provide polynucleotide reagents, e.g., labeled or labelable probes which can be used in, for example, an in situ hybridization technique, to identify a specific tissue, e.g., an OAT-expressing tissue. This can be very useful in cases where a forensic pathologist is presented with a tissue of unknown origin. Panels of such OAT probes can be used to identify tissue by species and/or by organ type.

[0625] In a similar fashion, these reagents, e.g., OAT primers or probes can be used to screen tissue culture for contamination (i.e., screen for the presence of a mixture of different types of cells in a culture).

[0626] C. Predictive Medicine:

[0627] The present invention also pertains to the field of predictive medicine in which diagnostic assays, prognostic assays, and monitoring clinical trials are used for prognostic (predictive) purposes to thereby treat an individual prophylactically. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention relates to diagnostic assays for determining OAT protein and/or nucleic acid expression as well as OAT activity, in the context of a biological sample (e.g., blood, serum, cells, or tissue) to thereby determine whether an individual is afflicted with a disease or disorder, or is at risk of developing a disorder, associated with aberrant or unwanted OAT expression or activity. The invention also provides for prognostic (or predictive) assays for determining whether an individual is at risk of developing a disorder associated with OAT protein, nucleic acid expression or activity. For example, mutations in an OAT gene can be assayed in a biological sample. Such assays can be used for prognostic or predictive purpose to thereby prophylactically treat an individual prior to the onset of a disorder characterized by or associated with OAT protein, nucleic acid expression or activity.

[0628] Another aspect of the invention pertains to monitoring the influence of agents (e.g., drugs, compounds) on the expression or activity of OAT in clinical trials.

[0629] These and other agents are described in further detail in the following sections.

[0630] 1. Diagnostic Assays

[0631] An exemplary method for detecting the presence or absence of OAT protein, polypeptide or nucleic acid in a biological sample involves obtaining a biological sample from a test subject and contacting the biological sample with a compound or an agent capable of detecting OAT protein, polypeptide or nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA, genomic DNA) that encodes OAT protein such that the presence of OAT protein or nucleic acid is detected in the biological sample. In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for detecting the presence of OAT activity in a biological sample by contacting the biological sample with an agent capable of detecting an indicator of OAT activity such that the presence of OAT activity is detected in the biological sample. A preferred agent for detecting OAT mRNA or genomic DNA is a labeled nucleic acid probe capable of hybridizing to OAT mRNA or genomic DNA. The nucleic acid probe can be, for example, a full-length OAT nucleic acid, such as the nucleic acid of SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 7, or 9, or the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or a portion thereof, such as an oligonucleotide of at least 15, 30, 50, 100, 250 or 500 nucleotides in length and sufficient to specifically hybridize under stringent conditions to OAT mRNA or genomic DNA. Other suitable probes for use in the diagnostic assays of the invention are described herein.

[0632] A preferred agent for detecting OAT protein is an antibody capable of binding to OAT protein, preferably an antibody with a detectable label. Antibodies can be polyclonal, or more preferably, monoclonal. An intact antibody, or a fragment thereof (e.g., Fab or F(ab′)₂) can be used. The term “labeled”, with regard to the probe or antibody, is intended to encompass direct labeling of the probe or antibody by coupling (i.e., physically linking) a detectable substance to the probe or antibody, as well as indirect labeling of the probe or antibody by reactivity with another reagent that is directly labeled. Examples of indirect labeling include detection of a primary antibody using a fluorescently labeled secondary antibody and end-labeling of a DNA probe with biotin such that it can be detected with fluorescently labeled streptavidin. The term “biological sample” is intended to include tissues, cells and biological fluids isolated from a subject, as well as tissues, cells and fluids present within a subject. That is, the detection method of the invention can be used to detect OAT mRNA, protein, or genomic DNA in a biological sample in vitro as well as in vivo. For example, in vitro techniques for detection of OAT mRNA include Northern hybridizations and in situ hybridizations. In vitro techniques for detection of OAT protein include enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), Western blots, immunoprecipitations and immunofluorescence. In vitro techniques for detection of OAT genomic DNA include Southern hybridizations. Furthermore, in vivo techniques for detection of an OAT protein include introducing into a subject a labeled anti-OAT antibody. For example, the antibody can be labeled with a radioactive marker whose presence and location in a subject can be detected by standard imaging techniques.

[0633] The present invention also provides diagnostic assays for identifying the presence or absence of a genetic alteration characterized by at least one of (i) aberrant modification or mutation of a gene encoding an OAT protein; (ii) aberrant expression of a gene encoding an OAT protein; (iii) mis-regulation of the gene; and (iv) aberrant post-translational modification of an OAT protein, wherein a wild-type form of the gene encodes a protein with an OAT activity. “Misexpression or aberrant expression”, as used herein, refers to a non-wild type pattern of gene expression, at the RNA or protein level. It includes, but is not limited to, expression at non-wild type levels (e.g., over or under expression); a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the time or stage at which the gene is expressed (e.g., increased or decreased expression (as compared with wild type) at a predetermined developmental period or stage); a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of decreased expression (as compared with wild type) in a predetermined cell type or tissue type; a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the splicing size, amino acid sequence, post-transitional modification, or biological activity of the expressed polypeptide; a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the effect of an environmental stimulus or extracellular stimulus on expression of the gene (e.g., a pattern of increased or decreased expression (as compared with wild type) in the presence of an increase or decrease in the strength of the stimulus).

[0634] In one embodiment, the biological sample contains protein molecules from the test subject. Alternatively, the biological sample can contain mRNA molecules from the test subject or genomic DNA molecules from the test subject. A preferred biological sample is a serum sample isolated by conventional means from a subject.

[0635] In another embodiment, the methods further involve obtaining a control biological sample from a control subject, contacting the control sample with a compound or agent capable of detecting OAT protein, mRNA, or genomic DNA, such that the presence of OAT protein, mRNA or genomic DNA is detected in the biological sample, and comparing the presence of OAT protein, mRNA or genomic DNA in the control sample with the presence of OAT protein, mRNA or genomic DNA in the test sample.

[0636] The invention also encompasses kits for detecting the presence of OAT in a biological sample. For example, the kit can comprise a labeled compound or agent capable of detecting OAT protein or mRNA in a biological sample; means for determining the amount of OAT in the sample; and means for comparing the amount of OAT in the sample with a standard. The compound or agent can be packaged in a suitable container. The kit can further comprise instructions for using the kit to detect OAT protein or nucleic acid.

[0637] 2. Prognostic Assays

[0638] The diagnostic methods described herein can furthermore be utilized to identify subjects having or at risk of developing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted OAT expression or activity. As used herein, the term “aberrant” includes an OAT expression or activity which deviates from the wild type OAT expression or activity. Aberrant expression or activity includes increased or decreased expression or activity, as well as expression or activity which does not follow the wild type developmental pattern of expression or the subcellular pattern of expression. For example, aberrant OAT expression or activity is intended to include the cases in which a mutation in the OAT gene causes the OAT gene to be under-expressed or over-expressed and situations in which such mutations result in a non-functional OAT protein or a protein which does not function in a wild-type fashion, e.g., a protein which does not interact with or transport an OAT substrate or target molecule, or one which interacts with a non-OAT substrate or target molecule. As used herein, the term “unwanted” includes an unwanted phenomenon involved in a biological response such as the improper cellular localization of an OAT substrate or deregulated cell proliferation. For example, the term unwanted includes an OAT expression or activity which is undesirable in a subject.

[0639] The assays described herein, such as the preceding diagnostic assays or the following assays, can be utilized to identify a subject having or at risk of developing an OAT associated disorder, e.g., a disorder associated with a misregulation in OAT protein activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a CNS disorder (e.g., a cognitive or neurodegenerative disorder), a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration disorder, a cardiovascular disorder, a musculoskeletal disorder, an immune disorder, or a hormonal disorder. Alternatively, the prognostic assays can be utilized to identify a subject having or at risk for developing a disorder associated with a misregulation in OAT protein activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a CNS disorder (e.g., a cognitive or neurodegenerative disorder), a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration disorder, a cardiovascular disorder, a musculoskeletal disorder, an immune disorder, or a hormonal disorder. Thus, the present invention provides a method for identifying a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted OAT expression or activity in which a test sample is obtained from a subject and OAT protein or nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA or genomic DNA) is detected, wherein the presence of OAT protein or nucleic acid is diagnostic for a subject having or at risk of developing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted OAT expression or activity. As used herein, a “test sample” refers to a biological sample obtained from a subject of interest. For example, a test sample can be a biological fluid (e.g., serum), cell sample, or tissue.

[0640] Furthermore, the prognostic assays described herein can be used to determine whether a subject can be administered an agent (e.g., an agonist, antagonist, peptidomimetic, protein, peptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or other drug candidate) to treat a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted OAT expression or activity. For example, such methods can be used to determine whether a subject can be effectively treated with an agent for a CNS disorder (e.g., a cognitive or neurodegenerative disorder), a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration disorder, a cardiovascular disorder, a musculoskeletal disorder, an immune disorder, or a hormonal disorder. Thus, the present invention provides methods for determining whether a subject can be effectively treated with an agent for a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted OAT expression or activity in which a test sample is obtained and OAT protein or nucleic acid expression or activity is detected (e.g., wherein the abundance of OAT protein or nucleic acid expression or activity is diagnostic for a subject that can be administered the agent to treat a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted OAT expression or activity).

[0641] The methods of the invention can also be used to detect genetic alterations in an OAT gene, thereby determining if a subject with the altered gene is at risk for a disorder characterized by misregulation in OAT protein activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a CNS disorder (e.g., a cognitive or neurodegenerative disorder), a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration disorder, a cardiovascular disorder, a musculoskeletal disorder, an immune disorder, or a hormonal disorder. In preferred embodiments, the methods include detecting, in a sample of cells from the subject, the presence or absence of a genetic alteration characterized by at least one of an alteration affecting the integrity of a gene encoding an OAT-protein, or the mis-expression of the OAT gene. For example, such genetic alterations can be detected by ascertaining the existence of at least one of 1) a deletion of one or more nucleotides from an OAT gene; 2) an addition of one or more nucleotides to an OAT gene; 3) a substitution of one or more nucleotides of an OAT gene, 4) a chromosomal rearrangement of an OAT gene; 5) an alteration in the level of a messenger RNA transcript of an OAT gene, 6) aberrant modification of an OAT gene, such as of the methylation pattern of the genomic DNA, 7) the presence of a non-wild type splicing pattern of a messenger RNA transcript of an OAT gene, 8) a non-wild type level of an OAT-protein, 9) allelic loss of an OAT gene, and 10) inappropriate post-translational modification of an OAT-protein. As described herein, there are a large number of assays known in the art which can be used for detecting alterations in an OAT gene. A preferred biological sample is a tissue or serum sample isolated by conventional means from a subject.

[0642] In certain embodiments, detection of the alteration involves the use of a probe/primer in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195 and 4,683,202), such as anchor PCR or RACE PCR, or, alternatively, in a ligation chain reaction (LCR) (see, e.g., Landegran et al. (1988) Science 241:1077-1080; and Nakazawa et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:360-364), the latter of which can be particularly useful for detecting point mutations in the OAT-gene (see Abravaya et al. (1995) Nucleic Acids Res. 23:675-682). This method can include the steps of collecting a sample of cells from a subject, isolating nucleic acid (e.g., genomic, mRNA or both) from the cells of the sample, contacting the nucleic acid sample with one or more primers which specifically hybridize to an OAT gene under conditions such that hybridization and amplification of the OAT-gene (if present) occurs, and detecting the presence or absence of an amplification product, or detecting the size of the amplification product and comparing the length to a control sample. It is anticipated that PCR and/or LCR may be desirable to use as a preliminary amplification step in conjunction with any of the techniques used for detecting mutations described herein.

[0643] Alternative amplification methods include: self sustained sequence replication (Guatelli, J. C. et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:1874-1878), transcriptional amplification system (Kwoh, D. Y. et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:1173-1177), Q-Beta Replicase (Lizardi, P. M. et al. (1988) Bio-Technology 6:1197), or any other nucleic acid amplification method, followed by the detection of the amplified molecules using techniques well known to those of skill in the art. These detection schemes are especially useful for the detection of nucleic acid molecules if such molecules are present in very low numbers.

[0644] In an alternative embodiment, mutations in an OAT gene from a sample cell can be identified by alterations in restriction enzyme cleavage patterns. For example, sample and control DNA is isolated, amplified (optionally), digested with one or more restriction endonucleases, and fragment length sizes are determined by gel electrophoresis and compared. Differences in fragment length sizes between sample and control DNA indicates mutations in the sample DNA. Moreover, the use of sequence specific ribozymes (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,531) can be used to score for the presence of specific mutations by development or loss of a ribozyme cleavage site.

[0645] In other embodiments, genetic mutations in OAT can be identified by hybridizing a sample and control nucleic acids, e.g., DNA or RNA, to high density arrays containing hundreds or thousands of oligonucleotides probes (Cronin, M. T. et al. (1996) Human Mutation 7:244-255; Kozal, M. J. et al. (1996) Nature Medicine 2:753-759). For example, genetic mutations in OAT can be identified in two dimensional arrays containing light-generated DNA probes as described in Cronin, M. T. et al. (1996) supra. Briefly, a first hybridization array of probes can be used to scan through long stretches of DNA in a sample and control to identify base changes between the sequences by making linear arrays of sequential overlapping probes. This step allows the identification of point mutations. This step is followed by a second hybridization array that allows the characterization of specific mutations by using smaller, specialized probe arrays complementary to all variants or mutations detected. Each mutation array is composed of parallel probe sets, one complementary to the wild-type gene and the other complementary to the mutant gene.

[0646] In yet another embodiment, any of a variety of sequencing reactions known in the art can be used to directly sequence the OAT gene and detect mutations by comparing the sequence of the sample OAT with the corresponding wild-type (control) sequence. Examples of sequencing reactions include those based on techniques developed by Maxam and Gilbert ((1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:560) or Sanger ((1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:5463). It is also contemplated that any of a variety of automated sequencing procedures can be utilized when performing the diagnostic assays (Naeve, C. W. (1995) Biotechniques 19:448), including sequencing by mass spectrometry (see, e.g., PCT International Publication No. WO 94/16101; Cohen et al. (1996) Adv. Chromatogr. 36:127-162; and Griffin et al. (1993) Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 38:147-159).

[0647] Other methods for detecting mutations in the OAT gene include methods in which protection from cleavage agents is used to detect mismatched bases in RNA/RNA or RNA/DNA heteroduplexes (Myers et al. (1985) Science 230:1242). In general, the art technique of “mismatch cleavage” starts by providing heteroduplexes formed by hybridizing (labeled) RNA or DNA containing the wild-type OAT sequence with potentially mutant RNA or DNA obtained from a tissue sample. The double-stranded duplexes are treated with an agent which cleaves single-stranded regions of the duplex such as which will exist due to basepair mismatches between the control and sample strands. For instance, RNA/DNA duplexes can be treated with RNase and DNA/DNA hybrids treated with S1 nuclease to enzymatically digesting the mismatched regions. In other embodiments, either DNA/DNA or RNA/DNA duplexes can be treated with hydroxylamine or osmium tetroxide and with piperidine in order to digest mismatched regions. After digestion of the mismatched regions, the resulting material is then separated by size on denaturing polyacrylamide gels to determine the site of mutation. See, for example, Cotton et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:4397; Saleeba et al. (1992) Methods Enzymol. 217:286-295. In a preferred embodiment, the control DNA or RNA can be labeled for detection.

[0648] In still another embodiment, the mismatch cleavage reaction employs one or more proteins that recognize mismatched base pairs in double-stranded DNA (so called “DNA mismatch repair” enzymes) in defined systems for detecting and mapping point mutations in OAT cDNAs obtained from samples of cells. For example, the mutY enzyme of E. coli cleaves A at G/A mismatches and the thymidine DNA glycosylase from HeLa cells cleaves T at G/T mismatches (Hsu et al. (1994) Carcinogenesis 15:1657-1662). According to an exemplary embodiment, a probe based on an OAT sequence, e.g., a wild-type OAT sequence, is hybridized to a CDNA or other DNA product from a test cell(s). The duplex is treated with a DNA mismatch repair enzyme, and the cleavage products, if any, can be detected from electrophoresis protocols or the like. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,039.

[0649] In other embodiments, alterations in electrophoretic mobility will be used to identify mutations in OAT genes. For example, single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) may be used to detect differences in electrophoretic mobility between mutant and wild type nucleic acids (Orita et al. (1989) Proc Natl. Acad. Sci USA 86:2766, see also Cotton (1993) Mutat. Res. 285:125-144; and Hayashi (1992) Genet. Anal. Tech. Appl. 9:73-79). Single-stranded DNA fragments of sample and control OAT nucleic acids will be denatured and allowed to renature. The secondary structure of single-stranded nucleic acids varies according to sequence, the resulting alteration in electrophoretic mobility enables the detection of even a single base change. The DNA fragments may be labeled or detected with labeled probes. The sensitivity of the assay may be enhanced by using RNA (rather than DNA), in which the secondary structure is more sensitive to a change in sequence. In a preferred embodiment, the subject method utilizes heteroduplex analysis to separate double stranded heteroduplex molecules on the basis of changes in electrophoretic mobility (Keen et al. (1991) Trends Genet. 7:5).

[0650] In yet another embodiment the movement of mutant or wild-type fragments in polyacrylamide gels containing a gradient of denaturant is assayed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) (Myers et al. (1985) Nature 313:495). When DGGE is used as the method of analysis, DNA will be modified to insure that it does not completely denature, for example by adding a GC clamp of approximately 40 bp of high-melting GC-rich DNA by PCR. In a further embodiment, a temperature gradient is used in place of a denaturing gradient to identify differences in the mobility of control and sample DNA (Rosenbaum and Reissner (1987) Biophys Chem 265:12753).

[0651] Examples of other techniques for detecting point mutations include, but are not limited to, selective oligonucleotide hybridization, selective amplification, or selective primer extension. For example, oligonucleotide primers may be prepared in which the known mutation is placed centrally and then hybridized to target DNA under conditions which permit hybridization only if a perfect match is found (Saiki et al. (1986) Nature 324:163); Saiki et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6230). Such allele specific oligonucleotides are hybridized to PCR amplified target DNA or a number of different mutations when the oligonucleotides are attached to the hybridizing membrane and hybridized with labeled target DNA.

[0652] Alternatively, allele specific amplification technology which depends on selective PCR amplification may be used in conjunction with the instant invention. Oligonucleotides used as primers for specific amplification may carry the mutation of interest in the center of the molecule (so that amplification depends on differential hybridization) (Gibbs et al. (1989) Nucleic Acids Res. 17:2437-2448) or at the extreme 3′ end of one primer where, under appropriate conditions, mismatch can prevent, or reduce polymerase extension (Prossner (1993) Tibtech 11:238). In addition it may be desirable to introduce a novel restriction site in the region of the mutation to create cleavage-based detection (Gasparini et al. (1992) Mol. Cell Probes 6:1). It is anticipated that in certain embodiments amplification may also be performed using Taq ligase for amplification (Barany (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 88:189). In such cases, ligation will occur only if there is a perfect match at the 3′ end of the 5′ sequence making it possible to detect the presence of a known mutation at a specific site by looking for the presence or absence of amplification.

[0653] The methods described herein may be performed, for example, by utilizing pre-packaged diagnostic kits comprising at least one probe nucleic acid or antibody reagent described herein, which may be conveniently used, e.g., in clinical settings to diagnose patients exhibiting symptoms or family history of a disease or illness involving an OAT gene.

[0654] Furthermore, any cell type or tissue in which OAT is expressed may be utilized in the prognostic assays described herein.

[0655] 3. Monitoring of Effects During Clinical Trials

[0656] Monitoring the influence of agents (e.g., drugs) on the expression or activity of an OAT protein (e.g., the modulation of gene expression, and or cell growth and differentiation mechanisms) can be applied not only in basic drug screening, but also in clinical trials. For example, the effectiveness of an agent determined by a screening assay as described herein to increase OAT gene expression, protein levels, or upregulate OAT activity, can be monitored in clinical trials of subjects exhibiting decreased OAT gene expression, protein levels, or downregulated OAT activity. Alternatively, the effectiveness of an agent determined by a screening assay to decrease OAT gene expression, protein levels, or downregulate OAT activity, can be monitored in clinical trials of subjects exhibiting increased OAT gene expression, protein levels, or upregulated OAT activity. In such clinical trials, the expression or activity of an OAT gene, and preferably, other genes that have been implicated in, for example, an OAT-associated disorder can be used as a “read out” or markers of the phenotype of a particular cell.

[0657] For example, and not by way of limitation, genes, including OAT, that are modulated in cells by treatment with an agent (e.g., compound, drug or small molecule) which modulates OAT activity (e.g., identified in a screening assay as described herein) can be identified. Thus, to study the effect of agents on OAT-associated disorders (e.g., disorders characterized by deregulated organic anion transport, gene expression, and/or cell growth and differentiation mechanisms), for example, in a clinical trial, cells can be isolated and RNA prepared and analyzed for the levels of expression of OAT and other genes implicated in the OAT-associated disorder, respectively. The levels of gene expression (e.g., a gene expression pattern) can be quantified by northern blot analysis or RT-PCR, as described herein, or alternatively by measuring the amount of protein produced, by one of the methods as described herein, or by measuring the levels of activity of OAT or other genes. In this way, the gene expression pattern can serve as a marker, indicative of the physiological response of the cells to the agent. Accordingly, this response state may be determined before, and at various points during treatment of the individual with the agent.

[0658] In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method for monitoring the effectiveness of treatment of a subject with an agent (e.g., an agonist, antagonist, peptidomimetic, protein, peptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or other drug candidate identified by the screening assays described herein) including the steps of (i) obtaining a pre-administration sample from a subject prior to administration of the agent; (ii) detecting the level of expression of an OAT protein, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the preadministration sample; (iii) obtaining one or more post-administration samples from the subject; (iv) detecting the level of expression or activity of the OAT protein, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the post-administration samples; (v) comparing the level of expression or activity of the OAT protein, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the pre-administration sample with the OAT protein, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the post administration sample or samples; and (vi) altering the administration of the agent to the subject accordingly. For example, increased administration of the agent may be desirable to increase the expression or activity of OAT to higher levels than detected, i.e., to increase the effectiveness of the agent. Alternatively, decreased administration of the agent may be desirable to decrease expression or activity of OAT to lower levels than detected, i.e., to decrease the effectiveness of the agent. According to such an embodiment, OAT expression or activity may be used as an indicator of the effectiveness of an agent, even in the absence of an observable phenotypic response.

[0659] D. Methods of Treatment:

[0660] The present invention provides for both prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treating a subject at risk of (or susceptible to) a disorder or having an OAT-associated disorder, e.g., a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted OAT expression or activity. As used herein, “treatment” of a subject includes the application or administration of a therapeutic agent to a subject, or application or administration of a therapeutic agent to a cell or tissue from a subject, who has a diseases or disorder, has a symptom of a disease or disorder, or is at risk of (or susceptible to) a disease or disorder, with the purpose to cure, heal, alleviate, relieve, alter, remedy, ameliorate, improve, or affect the disease or disorder, the symptom of the disease or disorder, or the risk of (or susceptibility to) the disease or disorder. As used herein, a “therapeutic agent” includes, but is not limited to, small molecules, peptides, polypeptides, antibodies, ribozymes, and antisense oligonucleotides.

[0661] With regards to both prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treatment, such treatments may be specifically tailored or modified, based on knowledge obtained from the field of pharmacogenomics. “Pharmacogenomics”, as used herein, refers to the application of genomics technologies such as gene sequencing, statistical genetics, and gene expression analysis to drugs in clinical development and on the market. More specifically, the term refers the study of how a patient's genes determine his or her response to a drug (e.g., a patient's “drug response phenotype”, or “drug response genotype”). Thus, another aspect of the invention provides methods for tailoring an individual's prophylactic or therapeutic treatment with either the OAT molecules of the present invention or OAT modulators according to that individual's drug response genotype. Pharmacogenomics allows a clinician or physician to target prophylactic or therapeutic treatments to patients who will most benefit from the treatment and to avoid treatment of patients who will experience toxic drug-related side effects.

[0662] 1. Prophylactic Methods

[0663] In one aspect, the invention provides a method for preventing in a subject, a disease or condition associated with an aberrant or unwanted OAT expression or activity, by administering to the subject an OAT or an agent which modulates OAT expression or at least one OAT activity. Subjects at risk for a disease which is caused or contributed to by aberrant or unwanted OAT expression or activity can be identified by, for example, any or a combination of diagnostic or prognostic assays as described herein. Administration of a prophylactic agent can occur prior to the manifestation of symptoms characteristic of the OAT aberrancy, such that a disease or disorder is prevented or, alternatively, delayed in its progression. Depending on the type of OAT aberrancy, for example, an OAT, OAT agonist or OAT antagonist agent can be used for treating the subject. The appropriate agent can be determined based on screening assays described herein.

[0664] 2. Therapeutic Methods

[0665] Another aspect of the invention pertains to methods of modulating OAT expression or activity for therapeutic purposes. Accordingly, in an exemplary embodiment, the modulatory method of the invention involves contacting a cell capable of expressing OAT with an agent that modulates one or more of the activities of OAT protein activity associated with the cell, such that OAT activity in the cell is modulated. An agent that modulates OAT protein activity can be an agent as described herein, such as a nucleic acid or a protein, a naturally-occurring target molecule of an OAT protein (e.g., an OAT substrate), an OAT antibody, an OAT agonist or antagonist, a peptidomimetic of an OAT agonist or antagonist, or other small molecule. In one embodiment, the agent stimulates one or more OAT activities. Examples of such stimulatory agents include active OAT protein and a nucleic acid molecule encoding OAT that has been introduced into the cell. In another embodiment, the agent inhibits one or more OAT activities. Examples of such inhibitory agents include antisense OAT nucleic acid molecules, anti-OAT antibodies, and OAT inhibitors. These modulatory methods can be performed in vitro (e.g., by culturing the cell with the agent) or, alternatively, in vivo (e.g., by administering the agent to a subject). As such, the present invention provides methods of treating an individual afflicted with a disease or disorder characterized by aberrant or unwanted expression or activity of an OAT protein or nucleic acid molecule. In one embodiment, the method involves administering an agent (e.g., an agent identified by a screening assay described herein), or combination of agents that modulates (e.g., upregulates or downregulates) OAT expression or activity. In another embodiment, the method involves administering an OAT protein or nucleic acid molecule as therapy to compensate for reduced, aberrant, or unwanted OAT expression or activity.

[0666] Stimulation of OAT activity is desirable in situations in which OAT is abnormally downregulated and/or in which increased OAT activity is likely to have a beneficial effect. For example, stimulation of OAT activity is desirable in situations in which an OAT is downregulated and/or in which increased OAT activity is likely to have a beneficial effect. Likewise, inhibition of OAT activity is desirable in situations in which OAT is abnormally upregulated and/or in which decreased OAT activity is likely to have a beneficial effect.

[0667] 3. Pharmacogenomics

[0668] The OAT molecules of the present invention, as well as agents, or modulators which have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on OAT activity (e.g., OAT gene expression) as identified by a screening assay described herein can be administered to individuals to treat (prophylactically or therapeutically) OAT-associated disorders (e.g., disorders characterized by aberrant organic anion transport, and/or gene expression, CNS, cardiac, musculoskeletal, metabolic, cell proliferation and/or differentiation disorders) associated with aberrant or unwanted OAT activity. In conjunction with such treatment, pharmacogenomics (i.e., the study of the relationship between an individual's genotype and that individual's response to a foreign compound or drug) may be considered. Differences in metabolism of therapeutics can lead to severe toxicity or therapeutic failure by altering the relation between dose and blood concentration of the pharmacologically active drug. Thus, a physician or clinician may consider applying knowledge obtained in relevant pharmacogenomics studies in determining whether to administer an OAT molecule or OAT modulator as well as tailoring the dosage and/or therapeutic regimen of treatment with an OAT molecule or OAT modulator.

[0669] Pharmacogenomics deals with clinically significant hereditary variations in the response to drugs due to altered drug disposition and abnormal action in affected persons. See, for example, Eichelbaum, M. et al. (1996) Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol. 23(10-11):983-985 and Linder, M. W. et al. (1997) Clin. Chem. 43(2):254-266. In general, two types of pharmacogenetic conditions can be differentiated. Genetic conditions transmitted as a single factor altering the way drugs act on the body (altered drug action) or genetic conditions transmitted as single factors altering the way the body acts on drugs (altered drug metabolism). These pharmacogenetic conditions can occur either as rare genetic defects or as naturally-occurring polymorphisms. For example, glucose-6-phosphate organic anion transporter deficiency (G6PD) is a common inherited enzymopathy in which the main clinical complication is haemolysis after ingestion of oxidant drugs (anti-malarials, sulfonamides, analgesics, nitrofurans) and consumption of fava beans.

[0670] One pharmacogenomics approach to identifying genes that predict drug response, known as “a genome-wide association”, relies primarily on a high-resolution map of the human genome consisting of already known gene-related markers (e.g., a “bi-allelic” gene marker map which consists of 60,000-100,000 polymorphic or variable sites on the human genome, each of which has two variants). Such a high-resolution genetic map can be compared to a map of the genome of each of a statistically significant number of patients taking part in a Phase II/III drug trial to identify markers associated with a particular observed drug response or side effect. Alternatively, such a high resolution map can be generated from a combination of some ten-million known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human genome. As used herein, a “SNP” is a common alteration that occurs in a single nucleotide base in a stretch of DNA. For example, a SNP may occur once per every 1000 bases of DNA. A SNP may be involved in a disease process, however, the vast majority may not be disease-associated. Given a genetic map based on the occurrence of such SNPs, individuals can be grouped into genetic categories depending on a particular pattern of SNPs in their individual genome. In such a manner, treatment regimens can be tailored to groups of genetically similar individuals, taking into account traits that may be common among such genetically similar individuals.

[0671] Alternatively, a method termed the “candidate gene approach” can be utilized to identify genes that predict drug response. According to this method, if a gene that encodes a drug's target is known (e.g., an OAT protein of the present invention), all common variants of that gene can be fairly easily identified in the population and it can be determined if having one version of the gene versus another is associated with a particular drug response.

[0672] As an illustrative embodiment, the activity of drug metabolizing enzymes is a major determinant of both the intensity and duration of drug action. The discovery of genetic polymorphisms of drug metabolizing enzymes (e.g., N-organic anion transporter 2 (NAT 2) and cytochrome P450 enzymes CYP2D6 and CYP2C19) has provided an explanation as to why some patients do not obtain the expected drug effects or show exaggerated drug response and serious toxicity after taking the standard and safe dose of a drug. These polymorphisms are expressed in two phenotypes in the population, the extensive metabolizer (EM) and poor metabolizer (PM). The prevalence of PM is different among different populations. For example, the gene coding for CYP2D6 is highly polymorphic and several mutations have been identified in PM, which all lead to the absence of functional CYP2D6. Poor metabolizers of CYP2D6 and CYP2C 19 quite frequently experience exaggerated drug response and side effects when they receive standard doses. If a metabolite is the active therapeutic moiety, PM show no therapeutic response, as demonstrated for the analgesic effect of codeine mediated by its CYP2D6-formed metabolite morphine. The other extreme are the so called ultra-rapid metabolizers who do not respond to standard doses. Recently, the molecular basis of ultra-rapid metabolism has been identified to be due to CYP2D6 gene amplification.

[0673] Alternatively, a method termed the “gene expression profiling”, can be utilized to identify genes that predict drug response. For example, the gene expression of an animal dosed with a drug (e.g., an OAT molecule or OAT modulator of the present invention) can give an indication whether gene pathways related to toxicity have been turned on.

[0674] Information generated from more than one of the above pharmacogenomics approaches can be used to determine appropriate dosage and treatment regimens for prophylactic or therapeutic treatment an individual. This knowledge, when applied to dosing or drug selection, can avoid adverse reactions or therapeutic failure and thus enhance therapeutic or prophylactic efficiency when treating a subject with an OAT molecule or OAT modulator, such as a modulator identified by one of the exemplary screening assays described herein.

[0675] 4. Use of OAT Molecules as Surrogate Markers

[0676] The OAT molecules of the invention are also useful as markers of disorders or disease states, as markers for precursors of disease states, as markers for predisposition of disease states, as markers of drug activity, or as markers of the pharmacogenomic profile of a subject. Using the methods described herein, the presence, absence and/or quantity of the OAT molecules of the invention may be detected, and may be correlated with one or more biological states in vivo. For example, the OAT molecules of the invention may serve as surrogate markers for one or more disorders or disease states or for conditions leading up to disease states. As used herein, a “surrogate marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates with the absence or presence of a disease or disorder, or with the progression of a disease or disorder (e.g., with the presence or absence of a tumor). The presence or quantity of such markers is independent of the disease. Therefore, these markers may serve to indicate whether a particular course of treatment is effective in lessening a disease state or disorder. Surrogate markers are of particular use when the presence or extent of a disease state or disorder is difficult to assess through standard methodologies (e.g., early stage tumors), or when an assessment of disease progression is desired before a potentially dangerous clinical endpoint is reached (e.g., an assessment of cardiovascular disease may be made using cholesterol levels as a surrogate marker, and an analysis of HIV infection may be made using HIV RNA levels as a surrogate marker, well in advance of the undesirable clinical outcomes of myocardial infarction or fully-developed AIDS). Examples of the use of surrogate markers in the art include: Koomen et al. (2000) J. Mass. Spectrom. 35:258-264; and James (1994) AIDS Treatment News Archive 209.

[0677] The OAT molecules of the invention are also useful as pharmacodynamic markers. As used herein, a “pharmacodynamic marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates specifically with drug effects. The presence or quantity of a pharmacodynamic marker is not related to the disease state or disorder for which the drug is being administered; therefore, the presence or quantity of the marker is indicative of the presence or activity of the drug in a subject. For example, a pharmacodynamic marker may be indicative of the concentration of the drug in a biological tissue, in that the marker is either expressed or transcribed or not expressed or transcribed in that tissue in relationship to the level of the drug. In this fashion, the distribution or uptake of the drug may be monitored by the pharmacodynamic marker. Similarly, the presence or quantity of the pharmacodynamic marker may be related to the presence or quantity of the metabolic product of a drug, such that the presence or quantity of the marker is indicative of the relative breakdown rate of the drug in vivo. Pharmacodynamic markers are of particular use in increasing the sensitivity of detection of drug effects, particularly when the drug is administered in low doses. Since even a small amount of a drug may be sufficient to activate multiple rounds of marker (e.g., an OAT marker) transcription or expression, the amplified marker may be in a quantity which is more readily detectable than the drug itself. Also, the marker may be more easily detected due to the nature of the marker itself; for example, using the methods described herein, anti-OAT antibodies may be employed in an immune-based detection system for an OAT protein marker, or OAT-specific radiolabeled probes may be used to detect an OAT mRNA marker. Furthermore, the use of a pharmacodynamic marker may offer mechanism-based prediction of risk due to drug treatment beyond the range of possible direct observations. Examples of the use of pharmacodynamic markers in the art include: Matsuda et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,862; Hattis et al. (1991) Env. Health Perspect. 90:229-238; Schentag (1999) Am. J. Health-Syst. Pharm. 56 Suppl. 3:S21-S24; and Nicolau (1999) Am. J. Health-Syst. Pharm. 56 Suppl. 3:S16-S20.

[0678] The OAT molecules of the invention are also useful as pharmacogenomic markers. As used herein, a “pharmacogenomic marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates with a specific clinical drug response or susceptibility in a subject (see, e.g., McLeod et al. (1999) Eur. J. Cancer 35(12):1650-1652). The presence or quantity of the pharmacogenomic marker is related to the predicted response of the subject to a specific drug or class of drugs prior to administration of the drug. By assessing the presence or quantity of one or more pharmacogenomic markers in a subject, a drug therapy which is most appropriate for the subject, or which is predicted to have a greater degree of success, may be selected. For example, based on the presence or quantity of RNA, or protein (e.g., OAT protein or RNA) for specific tumor markers in a subject, a drug or course of treatment may be selected that is optimized for the treatment of the specific tumor likely to be present in the subject. Similarly, the presence or absence of a specific sequence mutation in OAT DNA may correlate OAT drug response. The use of pharmacogenomic markers therefore permits the application of the most appropriate treatment for each subject without having to administer the therapy.

[0679] E. Electronic Apparatus Readable Media and Arrays

[0680] Electronic apparatus readable media comprising OAT sequence information is also provided. As used herein, “OAT sequence information” refers to any nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence information particular to the OAT molecules of the present invention, including but not limited to full-length nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, partial nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, polymorphic sequences including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), epitope sequences, and the like. Moreover, information “related to” said OAT sequence information includes detection of the presence or absence of a sequence (e.g., detection of expression of a sequence, fragment, polymorphism, etc.), determination of the level of a sequence (e.g., detection of a level of expression, for example, a quantitative detection), detection of a reactivity to a sequence (e.g., detection of protein expression and/or levels, for example, using a sequence-specific antibody), and the like. As used herein, “electronic apparatus readable media” refers to any suitable medium for storing, holding, or containing data or information that can be read and accessed directly by an electronic apparatus. Such media can include, but are not limited to: magnetic storage media, such as floppy discs, hard disc storage medium, and magnetic tape; optical storage media such as compact discs; electronic storage media such as RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM and the like; and general hard disks and hybrids of these categories such as magnetic/optical storage media. The medium is adapted or configured for having recorded thereon OAT sequence information of the present invention.

[0681] As used herein, the term “electronic apparatus” is intended to include any suitable computing or processing apparatus or other device configured or adapted for storing data or information. Examples of electronic apparatus suitable for use with the present invention include stand-alone computing apparatuses; networks, including a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) Internet, Intranet, and Extranet; electronic appliances such as a personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular phone, pager and the like; and local and distributed processing systems.

[0682] As used herein, “recorded” refers to a process for storing or encoding information on the electronic apparatus readable medium. Those skilled in the art can readily adopt any of the presently known methods for recording information on known media to generate manufactures comprising the OAT sequence information.

[0683] A variety of software programs and formats can be used to store the sequence information on the electronic apparatus readable medium. For example, the sequence information can be represented in a word processing text file, formatted in commercially-available software such as WordPerfect and Microsoft Word, represented in the form of an ASCII file, or stored in a database application, such as DB2, Sybase, Oracle, or the like, as well as in other forms. Any number of dataprocessor structuring formats (e.g., text file or database) may be employed in order to obtain or create a medium having recorded thereon the OAT sequence information.

[0684] By providing OAT sequence information in readable form, one can routinely access the sequence information for a variety of purposes. For example, one skilled in the art can use the sequence information in readable form to compare a target sequence or target structural motif with the sequence information stored within the data storage means. Search means are used to identify fragments or regions of the sequences of the invention which match a particular target sequence or target motif.

[0685] The present invention therefore provides a medium for holding instructions for performing a method for determining whether a subject has a OAT associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a OAT associated disease or disorder, wherein the method comprises the steps of determining OAT sequence information associated with the subject and based on the OAT sequence information, determining whether the subject has a OAT associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a OAT associated disease or disorder, and/or recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder, or pre-disease condition.

[0686] The present invention further provides in an electronic system and/or in a network, a method for determining whether a subject has a OAT associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a disease associated with OAT wherein the method comprises the steps of determining OAT sequence information associated with the subject, and based on the OAT sequence information, determining whether the subject has a OAT associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a OAT associated disease or disorder, and/or recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition. The method may further comprise the step of receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject and/or acquiring from a network phenotypic information associated with the subject.

[0687] The present invention also provides in a network, a method for determining whether a subject has a OAT associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a OAT associated disease or disorder associated with OAT, said method comprising the steps of receiving OAT sequence information from the subject and/or information related thereto, receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject, acquiring information from the network corresponding to OAT and/or a OAT associated disease or disorder, and based on one or more of the phenotypic information, the OAT information (e.g., sequence information and/or information related thereto), and the acquired information, determining whether the subject has a OAT associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a OAT associated disease or disorder. The method may further comprise the step of recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[0688] The present invention also provides a business method for determining whether a subject has a OAT associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a OAT associated disease or disorder, said method comprising the steps of receiving information related to OAT (e.g., sequence information and/or information related thereto), receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject, acquiring information from the network related to OAT and/or related to a OAT associated disease or disorder, and based on one or more of the phenotypic information, the OAT information, and the acquired information, determining whether the subject has a OAT associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a OAT associated disease or disorder. The method may further comprise the step of recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[0689] The invention also includes an array comprising a OAT sequence of the present invention. The array can be used to assay expression of one or more genes in the array. In one embodiment, the array can be used to assay gene expression in a tissue to ascertain tissue specificity of genes in the array. In this manner, up to about 7600 genes can be simultaneously assayed for expression, one of which can be OAT. This allows a profile to be developed showing a battery of genes specifically expressed in one or more tissues.

[0690] In addition to such qualitative determination, the invention allows the quantitation of gene expression. Thus, not only tissue specificity, but also the level of expression of a battery of genes in the tissue is ascertainable. Thus, genes can be grouped on the basis of their tissue expression per se and level of expression in that tissue. This is useful, for example, in ascertaining the relationship of gene expression between or among tissues. Thus, one tissue can be perturbed and the effect on gene expression in a second tissue can be determined. In this context, the effect of one cell type on another cell type in response to a biological stimulus can be determined. Such a determination is useful, for example, to know the effect of cell-cell interaction at the level of gene expression. If an agent is administered therapeutically to treat one cell type but has an undesirable effect on another cell type, the invention provides an assay to determine the molecular basis of the undesirable effect and thus provides the opportunity to co-administer a counteracting agent or otherwise treat the undesired effect. Similarly, even within a single cell type, undesirable biological effects can be determined at the molecular level. Thus, the effects of an agent on expression of other than the target gene can be ascertained and counteracted.

[0691] In another embodiment, the array can be used to monitor the time course of expression of one or more genes in the array. This can occur in various biological contexts, as disclosed herein, for example development of a OAT associated disease or disorder, progression of OAT associated disease or disorder, and processes, such a cellular transformation associated with the OAT associated disease or disorder.

[0692] The array is also useful for ascertaining the effect of the expression of a gene on the expression of other genes in the same cell or in different cells (e.g., ascertaining the effect of OAT expression on the expression of other genes). This provides, for example, for a selection of alternate molecular targets for therapeutic intervention if the ultimate or downstream target cannot be regulated.

[0693] The array is also useful for ascertaining differential expression patterns of one or more genes in normal and abnormal cells. This provides a battery of genes (e.g., including OAT) that could serve as a molecular target for diagnosis or therapeutic intervention.

[0694] This invention is further illustrated by the following examples which should not be construed as limiting. The contents of all references, patents and published patent applications cited throughout this application, as well as the Figures and the Sequence Listing, are incorporated herein by reference.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Identification and Characterization of Human OAT cDNA

[0695] In this example, the identification and characterization of the genes encoding human OAT4 (clone Fbh57312) and human OAT5 (clone Fbh53659) is described.

[0696] Isolation of the Human OAT cDNA

[0697] The invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of genes encoding novel members of the organic anion transporter family. The entire sequence of human clone Fbh57312 was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “OAT4”. The entire sequence of human clone Fbh53659 was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “OAT5”.

[0698] The nucleotide sequence encoding the human OAT4 is shown in FIGS. 5A-B and is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4. The protein encoded by this nucleic acid comprises about 550 amino acids and has the amino acid sequence shown in FIGS. 5A-B and set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 4 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6. Clone Fbh57312, comprising the coding region of human OAT4, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on __, and assigned Accession No. ______.

[0699] The nucleotide sequence encoding the human OAT5 is shown in FIG. 10 and is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7. The protein encoded by this nucleic acid comprises about 724 amino acids and has the amino acid sequence shown in FIGS. 6A-B and set forth as SEQ ID NO: 8. The coding region (open reading frame) is shown in FIGS. 6A-B and is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9. Clone Fbh53659, comprising the coding region of human OAT5, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on __, and assigned Accession No. ______.

[0700] Analysis of the Human OAT Molecules

[0701] The amino acid sequences of human OAT4 and OAT5 were analyzed using the program PSORT (available online) to predict the localization of the proteins within the cell. This program assesses the presence of different targeting and localization amino acid sequences within the query sequence. The results of the analyses show that human OAT4 may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, the nucleus, or the mitochondria. The results of the analyses further show that human OAT 5 may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, vacuoles, secretory vesicles, or the mitochondria.

[0702] Additionally, searches of the amino acid sequences of human OAT4 and OAT5 were performed against the Memsat database. These searches resulted in the identification of 12 transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human OAT4 at residues 1-31, 148-165, 172-195, 202-219, 228-252, 260-276, 347-365, 375-399, 406-422, 431-451, 466-484, and 495-512 of SEQ ID NO: 5 (FIG. 11). These searches further resulted in the identification of 12 transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human OAT5 at residues 106-130, 143-166, 174-191, 230-254, 265-284, 314-335, 382-405, 419-443, 456-473, 579-603, 613-636, and 667-690 of SEQ ID NO: 8 (FIG. 12).

[0703] Searches of the amino acid sequences of human OAT4 and OAT5 were also performed against the HMM database. These searches resulted in the identification of a “sugar (and other) transporter domain” at about residues 103-527 (score=34.7) of SEQ ID NO: 5 (FIG. 7). These searches further resulted in the identification of a “sugar (and other) transporter domain” at about residues 141-555 of SEQ ID NO: 8 (FIGS. 8A-B).

[0704] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human OAT were further performed against the Prosite database. These searches resulted in the identification of two ATP/GTP-binding site motif A (P-loop) domains in the amino acid sequence of human OAT5 at about residues 343-350 and 360-367 of SEQ ID NO: 8. These searches also resulted in the identification of a number of potential N-glycosylation sites, protein kinase C phosphorylation sites, casein kinase II phosphorylation sites, N-myristoylation sites, amidation sites, and leucine zipper patterns in the amino acid sequence of human OAT4. These searches further resulted in the identification in the amino acid sequence of human OAT5 of a potential cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation site and an number of potential N-glycosylation sites, protein kinase C phosphorylation sites, casein kinase II phosphorylation sites, and N-myristoylation sites.

[0705] Tissue Distribution of OAT mRNA

[0706] This example describes the tissue distribution of human OAT mRNA, as may be determined using in situ hybridization analysis. For in situ analysis, various tissues, e.g., tissues obtained from brain, are first frozen on dry ice. Ten-micrometer-thick sections of the tissues are postfixed with 4% formaldehyde in DEPC-treated 1× phosphate-buffered saline at room temperature for 10 minutes before being rinsed twice in DEPC 1× phosphate-buffered saline and once in 0.1 M triethanolamine-HCl (pH 8.0). Following incubation in 0.25% acetic anhydride-0.1 M triethanolamine-HCl for 10 minutes, sections are rinsed in DEPC 2× SSC (1× SSC is 0.15 M NaCl plus 0.015 M sodium citrate). Tissue is then dehydrated through a series of ethanol washes, incubated in 100% chloroform for 5 minutes, and then rinsed in 100% ethanol for 1 minute and 95% ethanol for 1 minute and allowed to air dry.

[0707] Hybridizations are performed with ³⁵S-radiolabeled (5×10⁷ cpm/ml) cRNA probes. Probes are incubated in the presence of a solution containing 600 mM NaCl, 10 mM Tris (pH 7.5), 1 mM EDTA, 0.01% sheared salmon sperm DNA, 0.01% yeast tRNA, 0.05% yeast total RNA type X1, 1× Denhardt's solution, 50% formamide, 10% dextran sulfate, 100 mM dithiothreitol, 0.1 % sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and 0.1 % sodium thiosulfate for 18 hours at 55° C.

[0708] After hybridization, slides are washed with 2X SSC. Sections are then sequentially incubated at 37° C. in TNE (a solution containing 10 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.6), 500 mM NaCl, and 1 mM EDTA), for 10 minutes, in TNE with 10 μg of RNase A per ml for 30 minutes, and finally in TNE for 10 minutes. Slides are then rinsed with 2× SSC at room temperature, washed with 2× SSC at 50° C. for 1 hour, washed with 0.2× SSC at 55° C. for 1 hour, and 0.2× SSC at 60° C. for 1 hour. Sections are then dehydrated rapidly through serial ethanol-0.3 M sodium acetate concentrations before being air dried and exposed to Kodak Biomax MR scientific imaging film for 24 hours and subsequently dipped in NB-2 photoemulsion and exposed at 4° C. for 7 days before being developed and counter stained.

[0709] Analysis of Human OAT Expression using the Taqman Procedure

[0710] The Taqman™ procedure is a quantitative, real-time PCR-based approach to detecting mRNA. The RT-PCR reaction exploits the 5′ nuclease activity of AmpliTaq Gold™ DNA Polymerase to cleave a TaqMan™ probe during PCR. Briefly, cDNA was generated from the samples of interest and served as the starting material for PCR amplification. In addition to the 5′ and 3′ gene-specific primers, a gene-specific oligonucleotide probe (complementary to the region being amplified) was included in the reaction (i.e., the Taqman™ probe). The TaqMan™ probe included an oligonucleotide with a fluorescent reporter dye covalently linked to the 5′ end of the probe (such as FAM (6-carboxyfluorescein), TET (6-carboxy-4,7,2′,7′-tetrachlorofluorescein), JOE (6-carboxy-4,5-dichloro-2,7-dimethoxyfluorescein), or VIC) and a quencher dye (TAMRA (6-carboxy-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylrhodamine) at the 3′ end of the probe.

[0711] During the PCR reaction, cleavage of the probe separated the reporter dye and the quencher dye, resulting in increased fluorescence of the reporter. Accumulation of PCR products was detected directly by monitoring the increase in fluorescence of the reporter dye. When the probe was intact, the proximity of the reporter dye to the quencher dye resulted in suppression of the reporter fluorescence. During PCR, if the target of interest was present, the probe specifically annealed between the forward and reverse primer sites. The 5′-3′ nucleolytic activity of the AmpliTaq™ Gold DNA Polymerase cleaved the probe between the reporter and the quencher only if the probe hybridized to the target. The probe fragments were then displaced from the target, and polymerization of the strand continued. The 3′ end of the probe was blocked to prevent extension of the probe during PCR. This process occurred in every cycle and did not interfere with the exponential accumulation of product. RNA was prepared using the trizol method and treated with DNase to remove contaminating genomic DNA. CDNA was synthesized using standard techniques. Mock CDNA synthesis in the absence of reverse transcriptase resulted in samples with no detectable PCR amplification of the control GAPDH or β-actin gene confirming efficient removal of genomic DNA contamination.

[0712] Taqman analysis showed that human OAT5 was highly expressed in the kidney, primary osteoblasts, brain cortex, lung, liver, bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNC), and neutrophils (see FIG. 13).

Example 2 Expression of Recombinant OAT Protein in Bacterial Cells

[0713] In this example, human OAT is expressed as a recombinant glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion polypeptide in E. coli and the fusion polypeptide is isolated and characterized. Specifically, human OAT is fused to GST and this fusion polypeptide is expressed in E. coli, e.g., strain PEB199. Expression of the GST-OAT fusion protein in PEB199 is induced with IPTG. The recombinant fusion polypeptide is purified from crude bacterial lysates of the induced PEB199 strain by affinity chromatography on glutathione beads. Using polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis of the polypeptide purified from the bacterial lysates, the molecular weight of the resultant fusion polypeptide is determined.

Example 3 Expression of Recombinant OAT Protein in COS Cells

[0714] To express the human OAT gene in COS cells, the pcDNA/Amp vector by Invitrogen Corporation (San Diego, Calif.) is used. This vector contains an SV40 origin of replication, an ampicillin resistance gene, an E. coli replication origin, a CMV promoter followed by a polylinker region, and an SV40 intron and polyadenylation site. A DNA fragment encoding the entire human OAT protein and an HA tag (Wilson et al. (1984) Cell 37:767) or a FLAG tag fused in-frame to its 3′ end of the fragment is cloned into the polylinker region of the vector, thereby placing the expression of the recombinant protein under the control of the CMV promoter.

[0715] To construct the plasmid, the human OAT DNA sequence is amplified by PCR using two primers. The 5′ primer contains the restriction site of interest followed by approximately twenty nucleotides of the human OAT coding sequence starting from the initiation codon; the 3′ end sequence contains complementary sequences to the other restriction site of interest, a translation stop codon, the HA tag or FLAG tag and the last 20 nucleotides of the human OAT coding sequence. The PCR amplified fragment and the pCDNA/Amp vector are digested with the appropriate restriction enzymes and the vector is dephosphorylated using the CIAP enzyme (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.). Preferably the two restriction sites chosen are different so that the human OAT gene is inserted in the correct orientation. The ligation mixture is transformed into E. coli cells (strains HB 101, DH5□, SURE, available from Stratagene Cloning Systems, La Jolla, Calif., can be used), the transformed culture is plated on ampicillin media plates, and resistant colonies are selected. Plasmid DNA is isolated from transformants and examined by restriction analysis for the presence of the correct fragment.

[0716] COS cells are subsequently transfected with the OAT-pcDNA/Amp plasmid DNA using the calcium phosphate or calcium chloride co-precipitation methods, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, lipofection, or electroporation. Other suitable methods for transfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook, J. et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989. The expression of the OAT polypeptide is detected by radiolabeling (³⁵S-methionine or ³⁵S-cysteine available from NEN, Boston, Mass., can be used) and immunoprecipitation (Harlow, E. and Lane, D. Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1988) using an HA specific monoclonal antibody. Briefly, the cells are labeled for 8 hours with ³⁵S-methionine (or ³⁵S-cysteine). The culture media are then collected and the cells are lysed using detergents (RIPA buffer, 150 mM NaCl, 1% NP-40, 0.1% SDS, 0.5% DOC, 50 mM Tris, pH 7.5). Both the cell lysate and the culture media are precipitated with an HA specific monoclonal antibody. Precipitated polypeptides are then analyzed by SDS-PAGE.

[0717] Alternatively, DNA containing the OAT coding sequence is cloned directly into the polylinker of the pCDNA/Amp vector using the appropriate restriction sites. The resulting plasmid is transfected into COS cells in the manner described above, and the expression of the OAT polypeptide is detected by radiolabeling and immunoprecipitation using an OAT-specific monoclonal antibody.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0718] Cellular membranes serve to differentiate the contents of a cell from the surrounding environment, and may also serve as effective barriers against the unregulated influx of hazardous or unwanted compounds, and the unregulated efflux of desirable compounds. Membranes are by nature impervious to the unfacilitated diffusion of hydrophilic compounds such as proteins, water molecules, and ions due to their structure: a bilayer of lipid molecules in which the polar head groups face outward (towards the exterior and interior of the cell) and the nonpolar tails face inward (at the center of bilayer, forming a hydrophobic core). Membranes enable a cell to maintain a relatively higher intracellular concentration of desired compounds and a relatively lower intracellular concentration of undesired compounds than are contained within the surrounding environment.

[0719] Membranes also present a structural difficulty for cells, in that most desired compounds cannot readily enter the cell, nor can most waste products readily exit the cell through this lipid bilayer. The import and export of such compounds is regulated by proteins which are embedded (singly or in complexes) in the cellular membrane. Two mechanisms exist whereby membrane proteins allow the passage of compounds: non-mediated and mediated transport. Simple diffusion is an example of non-mediated transport, while facilitated diffusion and active transport are examples of mediated transport. Permeases, porters, translocases, translocators, and transporters are proteins that engage in mediated transport (Voet and Voet (1990) Biochemistry, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, N.Y. pp. 484-505).

[0720] Sugar transporters are members of the major facilitator superfamily of transporters. These transporters are passive in the sense that they are driven by the substrate concentration gradient and they exhibit distinct kinetics as well as sugar substrate specificity. Members of this family share several characteristics: (1) they contain twelve transmembrane domains separated by hydrophilic loops; (2) they have intracellular N- and C-termini; and (3) they are thought to function as oscillating pores. The transport mechanism occurs via sugar binding to the exofacial binding site of the transporter, which is thought to trigger a conformational change causing the sugar binding site to re-orient to the endofacial conformation, allowing the release of substrate. These transporters are specific for various sugars and are found in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In mammals, sugar transporters transport various monosaccharides across the cell membrane (Walmsley et al. (1998) Trends in Biochem. Sci. 23:476-481; Barrett et al. (1999) Curr. Op. Cell Biol. 11:496-502).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0721] The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel human sugar transporter family members, referred to herein as “human sugar transporter-1” or “HST-1” nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules. The HST-1 nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules of the present invention are useful as modulating agents in regulating a variety of cellular processes, e.g., sugar homeostasis. Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding HST-1 polypeptides or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments suitable as primers or hybridization probes for the detection of HST-1-encoding nucleic acids.

[0722] In one embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that includes the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14. In another embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that encodes a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 13. In another embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that includes the nucleotide sequence contained in the plasmid deposited with ATCC® as Accession Number ______.

[0723] In still other embodiments, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules including nucleotide sequences that are substantially identical (e.g., 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical) to the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14. The invention further features isolated nucleic acid molecules including at least 50, 57, 63, 72, 100, 124, 150, 172, 175, 200, 250, 268, 300, 305, 328, 350, 400, 431, 450, 495, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 804, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1600, 1650, 1700, 1750, 1800, 1850, 1900 or more contiguous nucleotides of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14. In another embodiment, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence that is substantially identical (e.g., 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% identical) to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13. The present invention also features nucleic acid molecules which encode allelic variants of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13. In addition to isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding full-length polypeptides, the present invention also features nucleic acid molecules which encode fragments, for example, biologically active or antigenic fragments, of the full-length polypeptides of the present invention (e.g., fragments including at least 10, 20, 50, 100, 150, 155, 200, 250, 300, 350, 350, 400, 450, 500 or more contiguous amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13). In still other embodiments, the invention features nucleic acid molecules that are complementary to, antisense to, or hybridize under stringent conditions to the isolated nucleic acid molecules described herein.

[0724] In another aspect, the invention provides vectors including the isolated nucleic acid molecules described herein (e.g., HST-1-encoding nucleic acid molecules). Such vectors can optionally include nucleotide sequences encoding heterologous polypeptides. Also featured are host cells including such vectors (e.g., host cells including vectors suitable for producing HST-1 nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides).

[0725] In another aspect, the invention features isolated HST-1 polypeptides and/or biologically active or antigenic fragments thereof. Exemplary embodiments feature a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13, a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence at least 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13, a polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid molecule including a nucleotide sequence at least 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14. Also featured are fragments of the full-length polypeptides described herein (e.g., fragments including at least 10, 20, 50, 100, 150, 155, 200, 250, 300, 350, 350, 400, 450, 500 or more contiguous amino acid residues of the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13) as well as allelic variants of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13.

[0726] The HST-1 polypeptides and/or biologically active or antigenic fragments thereof, are useful, for example, as reagents or targets in assays applicable to treatment and/or diagnosis of HST-1 mediated or related disorders. In one embodiment, an HST-1 polypeptide or fragment thereof, has an HST-1 activity. In another embodiment, an HST-1 polypeptide or fragment thereof, has a transmembrane domain and/or a sugar transporter family domain, and optionally, has an HST-1 activity. In a related aspect, the invention features antibodies (e.g., antibodies which specifically bind to any one of the polypeptides described herein) as well as fusion polypeptides including all or a fragment of a polypeptide described herein.

[0727] The present invention further features methods for detecting HST-1 polypeptides and/or HST-1 nucleic acid molecules, such methods featuring, for example, a probe, primer or antibody described herein. Also featured are kits e.g., kits for the detection of HST-1 polypeptides and/or HST-1 nucleic acid molecules. In a related aspect, the invention features methods for identifying compounds which bind to and/or modulate the activity of an HST-1 polypeptide or HST-1 nucleic acid molecule described herein. Further featured are methods for modulating an HST-1 activity.

[0728] Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0729] The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel molecules, referred to herein as “human sugar transporter-1” or “HST-1” nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules, which are novel members of the sugar transporter family. These novel molecules are capable of, for example, modulating a transporter mediated activity (e.g., a sugar transporter mediated activity) in a cell, e.g., a liver cell, fat cell, muscle cell, or blood cell, such as an erythrocyte. These novel molecules are capable of transporting molecules, e.g., monosaccharides such as D-glucose, D-fructose or D-galactose, across biological membranes and, thus, play a role in or function in a variety of cellular processes, e.g., maintenance of sugar homeostasis.

[0730] As used herein, a “sugar transporter” includes a protein or polypeptide which is involved in transporting a molecule, e.g., a monosaccharide such as D-glucose, D-fructose or D-galactose, across the plasma membrane of a cell, e.g., a liver cell, fat cell, muscle cell, or blood cell, such as an erythrocyte. Sugar transporters regulate sugar homeostasis in a cell and, typically, have sugar substrate specificity. Examples of sugar transporters include glucose transporters, fructose transporters, and galactose transporters.

[0731] As used herein, a “sugar transporter mediated activity” includes an activity which involves a sugar transporter, e.g., a sugar transporter in a liver cell, fat cell, muscle cell, or blood cell, such as an erythrocyte. Sugar transporter mediated activities include the transport of sugars, e.g., D-glucose, D-fructose or D-galactose, into and out of cells; the stimulation of molecules that regulate glucose homeostasis (e.g., insulin and glucagon), in cells, e.g., pancreatic cells; and the participation in signal transduction pathways associated with sugar metabolism.

[0732] As the HST-1 molecules of the present invention are sugar transporters, they may be useful for developing novel diagnostic and therapeutic agents for sugar transporter associated disorders. As used herein, the term “sugar transporter associated disorder” includes a disorder, disease, or condition which is characterized by an aberrant, e.g., upregulated or downregulated, sugar transporter mediated activity. Sugar transporter associated disorders typically result in, for example, upregulated or downregulated, sugar levels in a cell. Examples of sugar transporter associated disorders include disorders associated with sugar homeostasis, such as obesity, anorexia, type-1 diabetes, type-2 diabetes, hypoglycemia, glycogen storage disease (Von Gierke disease), type I glycogenosis, bipolar disorder, seasonal affective disorder, and cluster B personality disorders. HST-1-associated disorders may also include cellular growth or proliferation disorders. Further examples of sugar transporter associated disorders include cellular growth or proliferation disorders, such as cancer, e.g., carcinoma, sarcoma, or leukemia, examples of which include, but are not limited to, colon, ovarian, lung, breast, endometrial, uterine, hepatic, gastrointestinal, prostate, and brain cancer; tumorigenesis and metastasis; skeletal dysplasia; and hematopoietic and/or myeloproliferative disorders.

[0733] The term “family” when referring to the polypeptide and nucleic acid molecules of the invention is intended to mean two or more polypeptides or nucleic acid molecules having a common structural domain or motif and having sufficient amino acid or nucleotide sequence homology as defined herein. Such family members can be naturally or non-naturally occurring and can be from either the same or different species. For example, a family can contain a first polypeptide of human origin, as well as other, distinct polypeptides of human origin or alternatively, can contain homologues of non-human origin, e.g., mouse or monkey polypeptides. Members of a family may also have common functional characteristics.

[0734] For example, the family of HST-1 polypeptides comprise at least one “transmembrane domain” and preferably twelve transmembrane domains. As used herein, the term “transmembrane domain” includes an amino acid sequence of about 20-45 amino acid residues in length which spans the plasma membrane. More preferably, a transmembrane domain includes about at least 20, 25, 30, or 35 amino acid residues and spans the plasma membrane. Transmembrane domains are rich in hydrophobic residues, and typically have an alpha-helical structure. In a preferred embodiment, at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or more of the amino acids of a transmembrane domain are hydrophobic, e.g., leucines, isoleucines, alanines, valines, phenylalanines, prolines or methionines. Transmembrane domains are described in, for example, Zagotta W. N. et al, (1996) Annual Rev. Neurosci. 19: 235-263, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. A MEMSAT analysis resulted in the identification of twelve transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human HST-1 (SEQ ID NO: 13) at about residues 20-36, 150-167, 174-196, 204-220, 231-255, 263-282, 355-372, 387-405, 413-431, 438-462, 469-485, and 505-521 as set forth in FIG. 17.

[0735] Accordingly, HST-1 polypeptides having at least 50-60% homology, preferably about 60-70%, more preferably about 70-80%, or about 80-90% homology with a transmembrane domain of human HST-1 are within the scope of the invention.

[0736] In another embodiment, an HST-1 molecule of the present invention is identified based on the presence of at least one “sugar transporter family domain.” As used herein, the term “sugar transporter family domain” includes a protein domain having at least about 350-500 amino acid residues and a sugar transporter mediated activity. Preferably, a sugar transporter family domain includes a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of about 350-450, 400-450, or more preferably, about 419 amino acid residues and a sugar transporter mediated activity. To identify the presence of a sugar transporter family domain in an HST-1 protein, and make the determination that a protein of interest has a particular profile, the amino acid sequence of the protein may be searched against a database of known protein domains (e.g., the PFAM HMM database). A PFAM sugar transporter family domain has been assigned the PFAM Accession PF00083. A search was performed against the PFAM HMM database resulting in the identification of a sugar transporter family domain in the amino acid sequence of human HST-1 (SEQ ID NO: 13) at about residues 117-536 of SEQ ID NO: 13. The results of the search are set forth in FIG. 16.

[0737] Preferably a “sugar transporter family domain” has a “sugar transporter mediated activity” as described herein. For example, a sugar transporter family domain may have the ability to bind a monosaccharide, such as D-glucose, D-fructose, and/or D-galactose; the ability to transport a monosaccharide such as D-glucose, D-fructose, and/or D-galactose, across a cell membrane (e.g., a liver cell membrane, fat cell membrane, muscle cell membrane, and/or blood cell membrane, such as an erythrocyte membrane); and the ability to modulate sugar homeostasis in a cell. Accordingly, identifying the presence of a “sugar transporter family domain” can include isolating a fragment of an HST-1 molecule (e.g., an HST-1 polypeptide) and assaying for the ability of the fragment to exhibit one of the aforementioned sugar transporter mediated activities.

[0738] A description of the Pfam database can be found in Sonhammer et al. (1997) Proteins 28:405-420 and a detailed description of HMMs can be found, for example, in Gribskov et al.(1990) Meth. Enzymol. 183:146-159; Gribskov et al.(1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:4355-4358; Krogh et al.(1994) J. Mol. Biol. 235:1501-1531; and Stultz et al.(1993) Protein Sci. 2:305-314, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0739] In a preferred embodiment, the NPM-1 molecules of the invention include at least one, preferably two, even more preferably twelve transmembrane domain(s) and/or at least one sugar transporter family domain.

[0740] Isolated polypeptides of the present invention, preferably HST-1 polypeptides, have an amino acid sequence sufficiently identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13 or are encoded by a nucleotide sequence sufficiently identical to SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14. As used herein, the term “sufficiently identical” refers to a first amino acid or nucleotide sequence which contains a sufficient or minimum number of identical or equivalent (e.g., an amino acid residue which has a similar side chain) amino acid residues or nucleotides to a second amino acid or nucleotide sequence such that the first and second amino acid or nucleotide sequences share common structural domains or motifs and/or a common functional activity. For example, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share common structural domains having at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homology or identity across the amino acid sequences of the domains and contain at least one and preferably two structural domains or motifs, are defined herein as sufficiently identical. Furthermore, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homology or identity and share a common functional activity are defined herein as sufficiently identical.

[0741] In a preferred embodiment, an HST-1 polypeptide includes at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain and/or a sugar transporter family domain, and has an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homologous or identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13, or the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. In yet another preferred embodiment, an HST-1 polypeptide includes at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain and/or a sugar transporter family domain, and is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule having a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14. In another preferred embodiment, an HST-1 polypeptide includes at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain and/or a sugar transporter family domain, and has an HST-1 activity.

[0742] As used interchangeably herein, an “HST-1 activity”, “biological activity of HST-1” or “functional activity of HST-1,” refers to an activity exerted by an HST-1 polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule on an HST-1 responsive cell or tissue, or on an HST-1 polypeptide substrate, as determined in vivo, or in vitro, according to standard techniques. In one embodiment, an HST-1 activity is a direct activity, such as an association with an HST-1-target molecule. As used herein, a “substrate,” “target molecule,” or “binding partner” is a molecule with which an HST-1 polypeptide binds or interacts in nature, such that HST-1-mediated function is achieved. An HST-1 target molecule can be a non-HST-1 molecule or an HST-1 polypeptide or polypeptide of the present invention. In an exemplary embodiment, an HST-1 target molecule is an HST-1 ligand, e.g., a sugar transporter ligand such as D-glucose, D-fructose, and/or D-galactose. Alternatively, an HST-1 activity is an indirect activity, such as a cellular signaling activity mediated by interaction of the HST-1 polypeptide with an HST-1 ligand. The biological activities of HST-1 are described herein. For example, the HST-1 polypeptides of the present invention can have one or more of the following activities: (1) maintain sugar homeostasis in a cell, (2) influence insulin and/or glucagon secretion, (3) bind a monosaccharide, e.g., D-glucose, D-fructose, and/or D-galactose, and/or (4) transport monosaccharides across a cell membrane.

[0743] The nucleotide sequence of the isolated human HST-1 cDNA and the predicted amino acid sequence of the human HST-1 polypeptide are shown in FIGS. 14A-B and in SEQ ID NOs: 12 and 14, respectively. A plasmid containing the nucleotide sequence encoding human HST-1 was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______ and assigned Accession Number ______. This deposit will be maintained under the terms of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure. This deposit was made merely as a convenience for those of skill in the art and is not an admission that a deposit is required under 35 U.S.C. §112.

[0744] The human HST-1 gene, which is approximately 1917 nucleotides in length, encodes a polypeptide which is approximately 572 amino acid residues in length.

[0745] Various aspects of the invention are described in further detail in the following subsections:

[0746] I. Isolated Nucleic Acid Molecules

[0747] One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated nucleic acid molecules that encode HST-1 polypeptides or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments sufficient for use as hybridization probes to identify HST-1-encoding nucleic acid molecules (e.g., HST-1 mRNA) and fragments for use as PCR primers for the amplification or mutation of HST-1 nucleic acid molecules. As used herein, the term “nucleic acid molecule” is intended to include DNA molecules (e.g., cDNA or genomic DNA) and RNA molecules (e.g., mRNA) and analogs of the DNA or RNA generated using nucleotide analogs. The nucleic acid molecule can be single-stranded or double-stranded, but preferably is double-stranded DNA.

[0748] The term “isolated nucleic acid molecule” includes nucleic acid molecules which are separated from other nucleic acid molecules which are present in the natural source of the nucleic acid. For example, with regards to genomic DNA, the term “isolated” includes nucleic acid molecules which are separated from the chromosome with which the genomic DNA is naturally associated. Preferably, an “isolated” nucleic acid is free of sequences which naturally flank the nucleic acid (i.e., sequences located at the 5′ and 3′ ends of the nucleic acid) in the genomic DNA of the organism from which the nucleic acid is derived. For example, in various embodiments, the isolated HST-1 nucleic acid molecule can contain less than about 5 kb, 4kb, 3kb, 2kb, 1 kb, 0.5 kb or 0.1 kb of nucleotide sequences which naturally flank the nucleic acid molecule in genomic DNA of the cell from which the nucleic acid is derived. Moreover, an “isolated” nucleic acid molecule, such as a cDNA molecule, can be substantially free of other cellular material, or culture medium when produced by recombinant techniques, or substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized.

[0749] A nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, e.g., a nucleic acid molecule having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or a portion thereof, can be isolated using standard molecular biology techniques and the sequence information provided herein. Using all or a portion of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, as a hybridization probe, HST-1 nucleic acid molecules can be isolated using standard hybridization and cloning techniques (e.g., as described in Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989).

[0750] Moreover, a nucleic acid molecule encompassing all or a portion of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ can be isolated by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using synthetic oligonucleotide primers designed based upon the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number______.

[0751] A nucleic acid of the invention can be amplified using cDNA, mRNA or alternatively, genomic DNA, as a template and appropriate oligonucleotide primers according to standard PCR amplification techniques. The nucleic acid so amplified can be cloned into an appropriate vector and characterized by DNA sequence analysis. Furthermore, oligonucleotides corresponding to HST-1 nucleotide sequences can be prepared by standard synthetic techniques, e.g., using an automated DNA synthesizer.

[0752] In one embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 12. The sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 corresponds to the human HST-1 cDNA. This cDNA comprises sequences encoding the human HST-1 polypeptide (i.e., “the coding region”, from nucleotides 13-1732) as well as 5′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1-12) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1733-1917). Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 12 (e.g., nucleotides 13-1732, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 14). Accordingly, in another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 14 and nucleotides 1-12 and 1733-1917 of SEQ ID NO: 12. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14.

[0753] In still another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises a nucleic acid molecule which is a complement of the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or a portion of any of these nucleotide sequences. A nucleic acid molecule which is complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, is one which is sufficiently complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, such that it can hybridize to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, thereby forming a stable duplex.

[0754] In still another preferred embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or more identical to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14 (e.g., to the entire length of the nucleotide sequence), or to the nucleotide sequence (e.g., the entire length of the nucleotide sequence) of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or a portion of any of these nucleotide sequences. In one embodiment, a nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least (or no greater than) 50, 57, 63, 72, 100, 124, 150, 172, 175, 200, 250, 268, 300, 305, 328, 350, 400, 431, 450, 495, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 804, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1600, 1650, 1700, 1750, 1800, 1850, 1900 or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______.

[0755] Moreover, the nucleic acid molecule of the invention can comprise only a portion of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, for example, a fragment which can be used as a probe or primer or a fragment encoding a portion of an HST-1 polypeptide, e.g., a biologically active portion of an HST-1 polypeptide. The nucleotide sequence determined from the cloning of the HST-1 gene allows for the generation of probes and primers designed for use in identifying and/or cloning other HST-1 family members, as well as HST-1 homologues from other species. The probe/primer typically comprises substantially purified oligonucleotide. The probe/primer (e.g., oligonucleotide) typically comprises a region of nucleotide sequence that hybridizes under stringent conditions to at least about 12 or 15, preferably about 20 or 25, more preferably about 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, or 100 or more consecutive nucleotides of a sense sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, of an anti-sense sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or of a naturally occurring allelic variant or mutant of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______.

[0756] Exemplary probes or primers are at least 12, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75 or more nucleotides in length and/or comprise consecutive nucleotides of an isolated nucleic acid molecule described herein. Probes based on the HST-1 nucleotide sequences can be used to detect (e.g., specifically detect) transcripts or genomic sequences encoding the same or homologous polypeptides. In preferred embodiments, the probe further comprises a label group attached thereto, e.g., the label group can be a radioisotope, a fluorescent compound, an enzyme, or an enzyme co-factor. In another embodiment a set of primers is provided, e.g., primers suitable for use in a PCR, which can be used to amplify a selected region of an HST-1 sequence, e.g., a domain, region, site or other sequence described herein. The primers should be at least 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 or more nucleotides in length. Such probes can be used as a part of a diagnostic test kit for identifying cells or tissue which misexpress an HST-1 polypeptide, such as by measuring a level of an HST-1-encoding nucleic acid in a sample of cells from a subject e.g., detecting HST-1 mRNA levels or determining whether a genomic HST-1 gene has been mutated or deleted.

[0757] A nucleic acid fragment encoding a “biologically active portion of an HST-1 polypeptide” can be prepared by isolating a portion of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, which encodes a polypeptide having an HST-1 biological activity (the biological activities of the HST-1 polypeptides are described herein), expressing the encoded portion of the HST-1 polypeptide (e.g., by recombinant expression in vitro) and assessing the activity of the encoded portion of the HST-1 polypeptide. In an exemplary embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule is at least 50, 57, 63, 72, 100, 124, 150, 172, 175, 200, 250, 268, 300, 305, 328, 350, 400, 431, 450, 495, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 804, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1600, 1650, 1700, 1750, 1800, 1850, 1900 or more nucleotides in length and encodes a polypeptide having an HST-1 activity (as described herein).

[0758] The invention further encompasses nucleic acid molecules that differ from the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. Such differences can be due to due to degeneracy of the genetic code, thus resulting in a nucleic acid which encodes the same HST-1 polypeptides as those encoded by the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. In another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention has a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence which differs by at least 1, but no greater than 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 150, 155, 200, 250, 300, 350, 350, 400, 450, or 500 amino acid residues from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 13, or the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule encodes the amino acid sequence of human HST-1. If an alignment is needed for this comparison, the sequences should be aligned for maximum homology.

[0759] Nucleic acid variants can be naturally occurring, such as allelic variants (same locus), homologues (different locus), and orthologues (different organism) or can be non naturally occurring. Non-naturally occurring variants can be made by mutagenesis techniques, including those applied to polynucleotides, cells, or organisms. The variants can contain nucleotide substitutions, deletions, inversions and insertions. Variation can occur in either or both the coding and non-coding regions. The variations can produce both conservative and non-conservative amino acid substitutions (as compared in the encoded product).

[0760] Allelic variants result, for example, from DNA sequence polymorphisms within a population (e.g., the human population) that lead to changes in the amino acid sequences of the HST-1 polypeptides. Such genetic polymorphism in the HST-1 genes may exist among individuals within a population due to natural allelic variation. As used herein, the terms “gene” and “recombinant gene” refer to nucleic acid molecules which include an open reading frame encoding an HST-1 polypeptide, preferably a mammalian HST-1 polypeptide, and can further include non-coding regulatory sequences, and introns.

[0761] Accordingly, in one embodiment, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode a naturally occurring allelic variant of a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, wherein the nucleic acid molecule hybridizes to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, for example, under stringent hybridization conditions.

[0762] Allelic variants of human HST-1 include both functional and non-functional HST-1 polypeptides. Functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the human HST-1 polypeptide that have an HST-1 activity, e.g., maintain the ability to bind an HST-1 ligand or substrate and/or modulate sugar transport, or sugar homeostasis. Functional allelic variants will typically contain only conservative substitution of one or more amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 13, or substitution, deletion or insertion of non-critical residues in non-critical regions of the polypeptide.

[0763] Non-functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the human HST-1 polypeptide that do not have an HST-1 activity, e.g., they do not have the ability to transport sugars into and out of cells or to modulate sugar homeostasis. Non-functional allelic variants will typically contain a non-conservative substitution, a deletion, or insertion or premature truncation of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13, or a substitution, insertion or deletion in critical residues or critical regions.

[0764] The present invention further provides non-human orthologues of the human HST-1 polypeptide. Orthologues of human HST-1 polypeptides are polypeptides that are isolated from non-human organisms and possess the same HST-1 activity, e.g., ligand binding and/or modulation of sugar transport mechanisms, as the human HST-1 polypeptide. Orthologues of the human HST-1 polypeptide can readily be identified as comprising an amino acid sequence that is substantially identical to SEQ ID NO: 13.

[0765] Moreover, nucleic acid molecules encoding other HST-1 family members and, thus, which have a nucleotide sequence which differs from the HST-1 sequences of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, another HST-1 cDNA can be identified based on the nucleotide sequence of human HST-1. Moreover, nucleic acid molecules encoding HST-1 polypeptides from different species, and which, thus, have a nucleotide sequence which differs from the HST-1 sequences of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, a mouse HST-1 cDNA can be identified based on the nucleotide sequence of a human HST-1.

[0766] Nucleic acid molecules corresponding to natural allelic variants and homologues of the HST-1 cDNAs of the invention can be isolated based on their homology to the HST-1 nucleic acids disclosed herein using the cDNAs disclosed herein, or a portion thereof, as a hybridization probe according to standard hybridization techniques under stringent hybridization conditions. Nucleic acid molecules corresponding to natural allelic variants and homologues of the HST-1 cDNAs of the invention can further be isolated by mapping to the same chromosome or locus as the HST-1 gene.

[0767] Orthologues, homologues and allelic variants can be identified using methods known in the art (e.g., by hybridization to an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, for example, under stringent hybridization conditions). In one embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention is at least 15, 20, 25, 30 or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. In other embodiment, the nucleic acid is at least 50, 57, 63, 72, 100, 124, 150, 172, 175, 200, 250, 268, 300, 305, 328, 350, 400, 431, 450, 495, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 804, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1600, 1650, 1700, 1750, 1800, 1850, 1900 or more nucleotides in length.

[0768] As used herein, the term “hybridizes under stringent conditions” is intended to describe conditions for hybridization and washing under which nucleotide sequences that are significantly identical or homologous to each other remain hybridized to each other. Preferably, the conditions are such that sequences at least about 70%, more preferably at least about 80%, even more preferably at least about 85% or 90% identical to each other remain hybridized to each other. Such stringent conditions are known to those skilled in the art and can be found in Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Ausubel et al., eds., John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1995), sections 2, 4 and 6. Additional stringent conditions can be found in Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Sambrook et al., Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989), chapters 7, 9 and 11. A preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 4× sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC), at about 65-70° C. (or hybridization in 4× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 42-50° C.) followed by one or more washes in IX SSC, at about 65-70° C. A preferred, non-limiting example of highly stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 1× SSC, at about 65-70° C. (or hybridization in 1× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 42-50° C.) followed by one or more washes in 0.3× SSC, at about 65-70° C. A preferred, non-limiting example of reduced stringency hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 4× SSC, at about 50-60° C. (or alternatively hybridization in 6× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 40-45° C.) followed by one or more washes in 2× SSC, at about 50-60° C. Ranges intermediate to the above-recited values, e.g., at 65-70° C. or at 42-50° C. are also intended to be encompassed by the present invention. SSPE (1×SSPE is 0.15M NaCl, 10 mM NaH₂PO₄, and 1.25 mM EDTA, pH 7.4) can be substituted for SSC (1×SSC is 0.15M NaCl and 15 mM sodium citrate) in the hybridization and wash buffers; washes are performed for 15 minutes each after hybridization is complete. The hybridization temperature for hybrids anticipated to be less than 50 base pairs in length should be 5-10° C. less than the melting temperature (T_(m)) of the hybrid, where T_(m) is determined according to the following equations. For hybrids less than 18 base pairs in length, T_(m)(°C.)=2(# of A+T bases)+4(# of G+C bases). For hybrids between 18 and 49 base pairs in length, T_(m)(°C.)=81.5+16.6(log₁₀[Na⁺])+0.41(%G+C)−(600/N), where N is the number of bases in the hybrid, and [Na⁺] is the concentration of sodium ions in the hybridization buffer ([Na⁺] for 1×SSC=0.165 M). It will also be recognized by the skilled practitioner that additional reagents may be added to hybridization and/or wash buffers to decrease non-specific hybridization of nucleic acid molecules to membranes, for example, nitrocellulose or nylon membranes, including but not limited to blocking agents (e.g., BSA or salmon or herring sperm carrier DNA), detergents (e.g., SDS), chelating agents (e.g., EDTA), Ficoll, PVP and the like. When using nylon membranes, in particular, an additional preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions is hybridization in 0.25-0.5M NaH₂PO₄, 7% SDS at about 65° C., followed by one or more washes at 0.02M NaH₂PO₄, 1% SDS at 65° C., see e.g., Church and Gilbert (1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:1991-1995, (or alternatively 0.2× SSC, 1% SDS).

[0769] Preferably, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14 and corresponds to a naturally-occurring nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, a “naturally-occurring” nucleic acid molecule refers to an RNA or DNA molecule having a nucleotide sequence that occurs in nature (e.g., encodes a natural polypeptide).

[0770] In addition to naturally-occurring allelic variants of the HST-1 sequences that may exist in the population, the skilled artisan will further appreciate that changes can be introduced by mutation into the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, thereby leading to changes in the amino acid sequence of the encoded HST-1 polypeptides, without altering the functional ability of the HST-1 polypeptides. For example, nucleotide substitutions leading to amino acid substitutions at “non-essential” amino acid residues can be made in the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. A “non-essential” amino acid residue is a residue that can be altered from the wild-type sequence of HST-1 (e.g., the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13) without altering the biological activity, whereas an “essential” amino acid residue is required for biological activity. For example, amino acid residues that are conserved among the HST-1 polypeptides of the present invention, e.g., those present in a transmembrane domain and/or a sugar transporter family domain, are predicted to be particularly unamenable to alteration. Furthermore, additional amino acid residues that are conserved between the HST-1 polypeptides of the present invention and other members of the HST-1 family are not likely to be amenable to alteration.

[0771] Accordingly, another aspect of the invention pertains to nucleic acid molecules encoding HST-1 polypeptides that contain changes in amino acid residues that are not essential for activity. Such HST-1 polypeptides differ in amino acid sequence from SEQ ID NO: 13, yet retain biological activity. In one embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide, wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9% or more identical to SEQ ID NO: 13 (e.g., to the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 13).

[0772] An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding an HST-1 polypeptide identical to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 13, can be created by introducing one or more nucleotide substitutions, additions or deletions into the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, such that one or more amino acid substitutions, additions or deletions are introduced into the encoded polypeptide. Mutations can be introduced into SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ by standard techniques, such as site-directed mutagenesis and PCR-mediated mutagenesis. Preferably, conservative amino acid substitutions are made at one or more predicted non-essential amino acid residues. A “conservative amino acid substitution” is one in which the amino acid residue is replaced with an amino acid residue having a similar side chain. Families of amino acid residues having similar side chains have been defined in the art. These families include amino acids with basic side chains (e.g., lysine, arginine, histidine), acidic side chains (e.g., aspartic acid, glutamic acid), uncharged polar side chains (e.g., glycine, asparagine, glutamine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, cysteine, tryptophan), nonpolar side chains (e.g., alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, proline, phenylalanine, methionine), beta-branched side chains (e.g., threonine, valine, isoleucine) and aromatic side chains (e.g., tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, histidine). Thus, a predicted nonessential amino acid residue in an HST-1 polypeptide is preferably replaced with another amino acid residue from the same side chain family. Alternatively, in another embodiment, mutations can be introduced randomly along all or part of an HST-1 coding sequence, such as by saturation mutagenesis, and the resultant mutants can be screened for HST-1 biological activity to identify mutants that retain activity. Following mutagenesis of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, the encoded polypeptide can be expressed recombinantly and the activity of the polypeptide can be determined.

[0773] In a preferred embodiment, a mutant HST-1 polypeptide can be assayed for the ability to (1) maintain sugar homeostasis in a cell, (2) influence insulin and/or glucagon secretion, (3) bind a monosaccharide, e.g., D-glucose, D-fructose, and/or D-galactose, and (4) transport monosaccharides across a cell membrane.

[0774] In addition to the nucleic acid molecules encoding HST-1 polypeptides described above, another aspect of the invention pertains to isolated nucleic acid molecules which are antisense thereto. In an exemplary embodiment, the invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule which is antisense to an HST-1 nucleic acid molecule (e.g., is antisense to the coding strand of an HST-1 nucleic acid molecule). An “antisense” nucleic acid comprises a nucleotide sequence which is complementary to a “sense” nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide, e.g., complementary to the coding strand of a double-stranded cDNA molecule or complementary to an mRNA sequence. Accordingly, an antisense nucleic acid can hydrogen bond to a sense nucleic acid. The antisense nucleic acid can be complementary to an entire HST-1 coding strand, or to only a portion thereof. In one embodiment, an antisense nucleic acid molecule is antisense to a “coding region” of the coding strand of a nucleotide sequence encoding HST-1. The term “coding region” refers to the region of the nucleotide sequence comprising codons which are translated into amino acid residues (e.g., the coding region of human HST-1 corresponds to SEQ ID NO: 14). In another embodiment, the antisense nucleic acid molecule is antisense to a “noncoding region” of the coding strand of a nucleotide sequence encoding HST-1. The term “noncoding region” refers to 5′ and 3′ sequences which flank the coding region that are not translated into amino acids (i.e., also referred to as 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions).

[0775] Given the coding strand sequences encoding HST-1 disclosed herein (e.g., SEQ ID NO: 14), antisense nucleic acids of the invention can be designed according to the rules of Watson and Crick base pairing. The antisense nucleic acid molecule can be complementary to the entire coding region of HST-1 mRNA, but more preferably is an oligonucleotide which is antisense to only a portion of the coding or noncoding region of HST-1 mRNA. For example, the antisense oligonucleotide can be complementary to the region surrounding the translation start site of HST-1 mRNA (e.g., between the −10 and +10 regions of the start site of a gene nucleotide sequence). An antisense oligonucleotide can be, for example, about 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 or 50 nucleotides in length. An antisense nucleic acid of the invention can be constructed using chemical synthesis and enzymatic ligation reactions using procedures known in the art. For example, an antisense nucleic acid (e.g., an antisense oligonucleotide) can be chemically synthesized using naturally occurring nucleotides or variously modified nucleotides designed to increase the biological stability of the molecules or to increase the physical stability of the duplex formed between the antisense and sense nucleic acids, e.g., phosphorothioate derivatives and acridine substituted nucleotides can be used. Examples of modified nucleotides which can be used to generate the antisense nucleic acid include 5-fluorouracil, 5-bromouracil, 5-chlorouracil, 5-iodouracil, hypoxanthine, xantine, 4-acetylcytosine, 5-(carboxyhydroxylmethyl) uracil, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyl-2-thiouridine, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyluracil, dihydrouracil, beta-D-galactosylqueosine, inosine, N6-isopentenyladenine, 1-methylguanine, 1-methylinosine, 2,2-dimethylguanine, 2-methyladenine, 2-methylguanine, 3-methylcytosine, 5-methylcytosine, N6-adenine, 7-methylguanine, 5-methylaminomethyluracil, 5-methoxyaminomethyl-2-thiouracil, beta-D-mannosylqueosine, 5′-methoxycarboxymethyluracil, 5-methoxyuracil, 2-methylthio-N6-isopentenyladenine, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), wybutoxosine, pseudouracil, queosine, 2-thiocytosine, 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 2-thiouracil, 4-thiouracil, 5-methyluracil, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid methylester, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 3-(3-amino-3-N-2-carboxypropyl) uracil, (acp3)w, and 2,6-diaminopurine. Alternatively, the antisense nucleic acid can be produced biologically using an expression vector into which a nucleic acid has been subcloned in an antisense orientation (i.e., RNA transcribed from the inserted nucleic acid will be of an antisense orientation to a target nucleic acid of interest, described further in the following subsection).

[0776] The antisense nucleic acid molecules of the invention are typically administered to a subject or generated in situ such that they hybridize with or bind to cellular mRNA and/or genomic DNA encoding an HST-1 polypeptide to thereby inhibit expression of the polypeptide, e.g., by inhibiting transcription and/or translation. The hybridization can be by conventional nucleotide complementarity to form a stable duplex, or, for example, in the case of an antisense nucleic acid molecule which binds to DNA duplexes, through specific interactions in the major groove of the double helix. An example of a route of administration of antisense nucleic acid molecules of the invention include direct injection at a tissue site. Alternatively, antisense nucleic acid molecules can be modified to target selected cells and then administered systemically. For example, for systemic administration, antisense molecules can be modified such that they specifically bind to receptors or antigens expressed on a selected cell surface, e.g., by linking the antisense nucleic acid molecules to peptides or antibodies which bind to cell surface receptors or antigens. The antisense nucleic acid molecules can also be delivered to cells using the vectors described herein. To achieve sufficient intracellular concentrations of the antisense molecules, vector constructs in which the antisense nucleic acid molecule is placed under the control of a strong pol II or pol III promoter are preferred.

[0777] In yet another embodiment, the antisense nucleic acid molecule of the invention is an α-anomeric nucleic acid molecule. An α-anomeric nucleic acid molecule forms specific double-stranded hybrids with complementary RNA in which, contrary to the usual β-units, the strands run parallel to each other (Gaultier et al. (1987) Nucleic Acids. Res. 15:6625-6641). The antisense nucleic acid molecule can also comprise a 2′-o-methylribonucleotide (Inoue et al. (1987) Nucleic Acids Res. 15:6131-6148) or a chimeric RNA-DNA analogue (Inoue et al. (1987) FEBS Lett. 215:327-330).

[0778] In still another embodiment, an antisense nucleic acid of the invention is a ribozyme. Ribozymes are catalytic RNA molecules with ribonuclease activity which are capable of cleaving a single-stranded nucleic acid, such as an mRNA, to which they have a complementary region. Thus, ribozymes (e.g., hammerhead ribozymes (described in Haseloff and Gerlach (1988) Nature 334:585-591)) can be used to catalytically cleave HST-1 mRNA transcripts to thereby inhibit translation of HST-1 mRNA. A ribozyme having specificity for an HST-1-encoding nucleic acid can be designed based upon the nucleotide sequence of an HST-1 CDNA disclosed herein (i.e., SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______). For example, a derivative of a Tetrahymena L-19 IVS RNA can be constructed in which the nucleotide sequence of the active site is complementary to the nucleotide sequence to be cleaved in an HST-1-encoding mRNA. See, e.g., Cech et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,071; and Cech et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,742. Alternatively, HST-1 mRNA can be used to select a catalytic RNA having a specific ribonuclease activity from a pool of RNA molecules. See, e.g., Bartel, D. and Szostak, J. W. (1993) Science 261:1411-1418.

[0779] Alternatively, HST-1 gene expression can be inhibited by targeting nucleotide sequences complementary to the regulatory region of the HST-1 (e.g., the HST-1 promoter and/or enhancers) to form triple helical structures that prevent transcription of the HST-1 gene in target cells. See generally, Helene, C. (1991) Anticancer Drug Des. 6(6):569-84; Helene, C. et al. (1992) Ann. N.Y Acad. Sci. 660:27-36; and Maher, L. J. (1992) Bioassays 14(12):807-15.

[0780] In yet another embodiment, the HST-1 nucleic acid molecules of the present invention can be modified at the base moiety, sugar moiety or phosphate backbone to improve, e.g., the stability, hybridization, or solubility of the molecule. For example, the deoxyribose phosphate backbone of the nucleic acid molecules can be modified to generate peptide nucleic acids (see Hyrup B. et al. (1996) Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry 4 (1): 5-23). As used herein, the terms “peptide nucleic acids” or “PNAs” refer to nucleic acid mimics, e.g., DNA mimics, in which the deoxyribose phosphate backbone is replaced by a pseudopeptide backbone and only the four natural nucleobases are retained. The neutral backbone of PNAs has been shown to allow for specific hybridization to DNA and RNA under conditions of low ionic strength. The synthesis of PNA oligomers can be performed using standard solid phase peptide synthesis protocols as described in Hyrup B. et al. (1996) supra; Perry-O'Keefe et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 93: 14670-675.

[0781] PNAs of HST-1 nucleic acid molecules can be used in therapeutic and diagnostic applications. For example, PNAs can be used as antisense or antigene agents for sequence-specific modulation of gene expression by, for example, inducing transcription or translation arrest or inhibiting replication. PNAs of HST-1 nucleic acid molecules can also be used in the analysis of single base pair mutations in a gene, (e.g., by PNA-directed PCR clamping); as ‘artificial restriction enzymes’ when used in combination with other enzymes, (e.g., S1 nucleases (Hyrup B. (1996) supra)); or as probes or primers for DNA sequencing or hybridization (Hyrup B. et al. (1996) supra; Perry-O'Keefe supra).

[0782] In another embodiment, PNAs of HST-1 can be modified, (e.g., to enhance their stability or cellular uptake), by attaching lipophilic or other helper groups to PNA, by the formation of PNA-DNA chimeras, or by the use of liposomes or other techniques of drug delivery known in the art. For example, PNA-DNA chimeras of HST-1 nucleic acid molecules can be generated which may combine the advantageous properties of PNA and DNA. Such chimeras allow DNA recognition enzymes, (e.g., RNase H and DNA polymerases), to interact with the DNA portion while the PNA portion would provide high binding affinity and specificity. PNA-DNA chimeras can be linked using linkers of appropriate lengths selected in terms of base stacking, number of bonds between the nucleobases, and orientation (Hyrup B. (1996) supra). The synthesis of PNA-DNA chimeras can be performed as described in Hyrup B. (1996) supra and Finn P. J. et al. (1996) Nucleic Acids Res. 24 (17): 3357-63. For example, a DNA chain can be synthesized on a solid support using standard phosphoramidite coupling chemistry and modified nucleoside analogs, e.g., 5′-(4-methoxytrityl)amino-5′-deoxy-thymidine phosphoramidite, can be used as a between the PNA and the 5′ end of DNA (Mag, M. et al. (1989) Nucleic Acid Res. 17: 5973-88). PNA monomers are then coupled in a stepwise manner to produce a chimeric molecule with a 5′ PNA segment and a 3′ DNA segment (Finn P. J. et al. (1996) supra). Alternatively, chimeric molecules can be synthesized with a 5′ DNA segment and a 3′ PNA segment (Peterser, K. H. et al. (1975) Bioorganic Med. Chem. Lett. 5: 1119-11124).

[0783] In other embodiments, the oligonucleotide may include other appended groups such as peptides (e.g., for targeting host cell receptors in vivo), or agents facilitating transport across the cell membrane (see, e.g., Letsinger et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6553-6556; Lemaitre et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:648-652; PCT Publication No. W088/09810) or the blood-brain barrier (see, e.g., PCT Publication No. W089/10134). In addition, oligonucleotides can be modified with hybridization-triggered cleavage agents (See, e.g., Krol et al. (1988) Bio-Techniques 6:958-976) or intercalating agents. (See, e.g., Zon (1988) Pharm. Res. 5:539-549). To this end, the oligonucleotide may be conjugated to another molecule, (e.g., a peptide, hybridization triggered cross-linking agent, transport agent, or hybridization-triggered cleavage agent).

[0784] Alternatively, the expression characteristics of an endogenous HST-1 gene within a cell line or microorganism may be modified by inserting a heterologous DNA regulatory element into the genome of a stable cell line or cloned microorganism such that the inserted regulatory element is operatively linked with the endogenous HST-1 gene. For example, an endogenous HST-1 gene which is normally “transcriptionally silent”, i.e., an HST-1 gene which is normally not expressed, or is expressed only at very low levels in a cell line or microorganism, may be activated by inserting a regulatory element which is capable of promoting the expression of a normally expressed gene product in that cell line or microorganism. Alternatively, a transcriptionally silent, endogenous HST-1 gene may be activated by insertion of a promiscuous regulatory element that works across cell types.

[0785] A heterologous regulatory element may be inserted into a stable cell line or cloned microorganism, such that it is operatively linked with an endogenous HST-1 gene, using techniques, such as targeted homologous recombination, which are well known to those of skill in the art, and described, e.g., in Chappel, U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,071; PCT publication No. WO 91/06667, published May 16, 1991.

[0786] II. Isolated HST-1 Polypeptides and Anti-HST-1 Antibodies

[0787] One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated HST-1 or recombinant polypeptides and polypeptides, and biologically active portions thereof, as well as polypeptide fragments suitable for use as immunogens to raise anti-HST-1 antibodies. In one embodiment, native HST-1 polypeptides can be isolated from cells or tissue sources by an appropriate purification scheme using standard protein purification techniques. In another embodiment, HST-1 polypeptides are produced by recombinant DNA techniques. Alternative to recombinant expression, an HST-1 polypeptide or polypeptide can be synthesized chemically using standard peptide synthesis techniques.

[0788] An “isolated” or “purified” polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is substantially free of cellular material or other contaminating proteins from the cell or tissue source from which the HST-1 polypeptide is derived, or substantially free from chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized. The language “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of HST-1 polypeptide in which the polypeptide is separated from cellular components of the cells from which it is isolated or recombinantly produced. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of HST-1 polypeptide having less than about 30% (by dry weight) of non-HST-1 polypeptide (also referred to herein as a “contaminating protein”), more preferably less than about 20% of non-HST-1 polypeptide, still more preferably less than about 10% of non-HST-1 polypeptide, and most preferably less than about 5% non-HST-1 polypeptide. When the HST-1 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is recombinantly produced, it is also preferably substantially free of culture medium, i.e., culture medium represents less than about 20%, more preferably less than about 10%, and most preferably less than about 5% of the volume of the protein preparation.

[0789] The language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of HST-1 polypeptide in which the polypeptide is separated from chemical precursors or other chemicals which are involved in the synthesis of the polypeptide. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of HST-1 polypeptide having less than about 30% (by dry weight) of chemical precursors or non-HST-1 chemicals, more preferably less than about 20% chemical precursors or non-HST-1 chemicals, still more preferably less than about 10% chemical precursors or non-HST-1 chemicals, and most preferably less than about 5% chemical precursors or non-HST-1 chemicals.

[0790] As used herein, a “biologically active portion” of an HST-1 polypeptide includes a fragment of an HST-1 polypeptide which participates in an interaction between an HST-1 molecule and a non-HST-1 molecule. Biologically active portions of an HST-1 polypeptide include peptides comprising amino acid sequences sufficiently identical to or derived from the amino acid sequence of the HST-1 polypeptide, e.g., the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 13, which include less amino acids than the full length HST-1 polypeptides, and exhibit at least one activity of an HST-1 polypeptide. Typically, biologically active portions comprise a domain or motif with at least one activity of the HST-1 polypeptide, e.g., modulating sugar transport mechanisms. A biologically active portion of an HST-1 polypeptide can be a polypeptide which is, for example, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 155, 175, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, 400, 425, 450, 475, 500, 525, 550 or more amino acids in length. Biologically active portions of an HST-1 polypeptide can be used as targets for developing agents which modulate an HST-1 mediated activity, e.g., a sugar transport mechanism.

[0791] In one embodiment, a biologically active portion of an HST-1 polypeptide comprises at least one transmembrane domain. It is to be understood that a preferred biologically active portion of an HST-1 polypeptide of the present invention comprises at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain and/or a sugar transporter family domain. Moreover, other biologically active portions, in which other regions of the polypeptide are deleted, can be prepared by recombinant techniques and evaluated for one or more of the functional activities of a native HST-1 polypeptide.

[0792] Another aspect of the invention features fragments of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13, for example, for use as immunogens. In one embodiment, a fragment comprises at least 5 amino acids (e.g., contiguous or consecutive amino acids) of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______. In another embodiment, a fragment comprises at least 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 or more amino acids (e.g., contiguous or consecutive amino acids) of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______.

[0793] In a preferred embodiment, an HST-1 polypeptide has an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 13. In other embodiments, the HST-1 polypeptide is substantially identical to SEQ ID NO: 13, and retains the functional activity of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 13, yet differs in amino acid sequence due to natural allelic variation or mutagenesis, as described in detail in subsection I above. In another embodiment, the HST-1 polypeptide is a polypeptide which comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9% or more identical to SEQ ID NO: 13.

[0794] In another embodiment, the invention features an HST-1 polypeptide which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9% or more identical to a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or a complement thereof. This invention further features an HST-1 polypeptide which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or a complement thereof.

[0795] To determine the percent identity of two amino acid sequences or of two nucleic acid sequences, the sequences are aligned for optimal comparison purposes (e.g., gaps can be introduced in one or both of a first and a second amino acid or nucleic acid sequence for optimal alignment and non-identical sequences can be disregarded for comparison purposes). In a preferred embodiment, the length of a reference sequence aligned for comparison purposes is at least 30%, preferably at least 40%, more preferably at least 50%, even more preferably at least 60%, and even more preferably at least 70%, 80%, or 90% of the length of the reference sequence (e.g., when aligning a second sequence to the HST-1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13 having 419 amino acid residues, at least 126, preferably at least 168, more preferably at least 210, more preferably at least 251, even more preferably at least 293, and even more preferably at least 335 or 377 or more amino acid residues are aligned). The amino acid residues or nucleotides at corresponding amino acid positions or nucleotide positions are then compared. When a position in the first sequence is occupied by the same amino acid residue or nucleotide as the corresponding position in the second sequence, then the molecules are identical at that position (as used herein amino acid or nucleic acid “identity” is equivalent to amino acid or nucleic acid “homology”). The percent identity between the two sequences is a function of the number of identical positions shared by the sequences, taking into account the number of gaps, and the length of each gap, which need to be introduced for optimal alignment of the two sequences.

[0796] The comparison of sequences and determination of percent identity between two sequences can be accomplished using a mathematical algorithm. In a preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid sequences is determined using the Needleman and Wunsch (J. Mol. Biol. (48):444-453 (1970)) algorithm which has been incorporated into the GAP program in the GCG software package (available at http://www.gcg.com), using either a Blosum 62 matrix or a PAM250 matrix, and a gap weight of 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, or 4 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. In yet another preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two nucleotide sequences is determined using the GAP program in the GCG software package (available at http://www.gcg.com), using a NWSgapdna.CMP matrix and a gap weight of 40, 50, 60, 70, or 80 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. A preferred, non-limiting example of parameters to be used in conjunction with the GAP program include a Blosum 62 scoring matrix with a gap penalty of 12, a gap extend penalty of 4, and a frameshift gap penalty of 5.

[0797] In another embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid or nucleotide sequences is determined using the algorithm of E. Meyers and W. Miller (Comput. Appl. Biosci., 4:11-17 (1988)) which has been incorporated into the ALIGN program (version 2.0 or version 2.OU), using a PAM120 weight residue table, a gap length penalty of 12 and a gap penalty of 4.

[0798] The nucleic acid and polypeptide sequences of the present invention can further be used as a “query sequence” to perform a search against public databases to, for example, identify other family members or related sequences. Such searches can be performed using the NBLAST and XBLAST programs (version 2.0) of Altschul, et al. (1990) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-10. BLAST nucleotide searches can be performed with the NBLAST program, score=100, wordlength=12 to obtain nucleotide sequences homologous to HST-1 nucleic acid molecules of the invention. BLAST protein searches can be performed with the XBLAST program, score=100, wordlength=3, and a Blosum62 matrix to obtain amino acid sequences homologous to HST-1 polypeptide molecules of the invention. To obtain gapped alignments for comparison purposes, Gapped BLAST can be utilized as described in Altschul et al., (1997) Nucleic Acids Res. 25(17):3389-3402. When utilizing BLAST and Gapped BLAST programs, the default parameters of the respective programs (e.g., XBLAST and NBLAST) can be used. See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

[0799] The invention also provides HST-1 chimeric or fusion proteins. As used herein, an HST-1 “chimeric protein” or “fusion protein” comprises an HST-1 polypeptide operatively linked to a non-HST-1 polypeptide. An “HST-1 polypeptide” refers to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to HST-1, whereas a “non-HST-1 polypeptide” refers to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to a polypeptide which is not substantially homologous to the HST-1 polypeptide, e.g., a polypeptide which is different from the HST-1 polypeptide and which is derived from the same or a different organism. Within an HST-1 fusion protein the HST-1 polypeptide can correspond to all or a portion of an HST-1 polypeptide. In a preferred embodiment, an HST-1 fusion protein comprises at least one biologically active portion of an HST-1 polypeptide. In another preferred embodiment, an HST-1 fusion protein comprises at least two biologically active portions of an HST-1 polypeptide. Within the fusion protein, the term “operatively linked” is intended to indicate that the HST-1 polypeptide and the non-HST-1 polypeptide are fused in-frame to each other. The non-HST-1 polypeptide can be fused to the N-terminus or C-terminus of the HST-1 polypeptide.

[0800] For example, in one embodiment, the fusion protein is a GST-HST-1 fusion protein in which the HST-1 sequences are fused to the C-terminus of the GST sequences. Such fusion proteins can facilitate the purification of recombinant HST-1.

[0801] In another embodiment, the fusion protein is an HST-1 polypeptide containing a heterologous signal sequence at its N-terminus. In certain host cells (e.g., mammalian host cells), expression and/or secretion of HST-1 can be increased through the use of a heterologous signal sequence.

[0802] The HST-1 fusion proteins of the invention can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions and administered to a subject in vivo. The HST-1 fusion proteins can be used to affect the bioavailability of an HST-1 substrate. Use of HST-1 fusion proteins may be useful therapeutically for the treatment of disorders caused by, for example, (i) aberrant modification or mutation of a gene encoding an HST-1 polypeptide; (ii) mis-regulation of the HST-1 gene; and (iii) aberrant post-translational modification of an HST-1 polypeptide. Moreover, the HST-1-fusion proteins of the invention can be used as immunogens to produce anti-HST-1 antibodies in a subject, to purify HST-1 ligands and in screening assays to identify molecules which inhibit the interaction of HST-1 with an HST-1 substrate.

[0803] Preferably, an HST-1 chimeric or fusion protein of the invention is produced by standard recombinant DNA techniques. For example, DNA fragments coding for the different polypeptide sequences are ligated together in-frame in accordance with conventional techniques, for example by employing blunt-ended or stagger-ended termini for ligation, restriction enzyme digestion to provide for appropriate termini, filling-in of cohesive ends as appropriate, alkaline phosphatase treatment to avoid undesirable joining, and enzymatic ligation. In another embodiment, the fusion gene can be synthesized by conventional techniques including automated DNA synthesizers. Alternatively, PCR amplification of gene fragments can be carried out using anchor primers which give rise to complementary overhangs between two consecutive gene fragments which can subsequently be annealed and reamplified to generate a chimeric gene sequence (see, for example, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, eds. Ausubel et al. John Wiley & Sons: 1992). Moreover, many expression vectors are commercially available that already encode a fusion moiety (e.g., a GST polypeptide). An HST-1-encoding nucleic acid can be cloned into such an expression vector such that the fusion moiety is linked in-frame to the HST-1 polypeptide.

[0804] The present invention also pertains to variants of the HST-1 polypeptides which function as either HST-1 agonists (mimetics) or as HST-1 antagonists. Variants of the HST-1 polypeptides can be generated by mutagenesis, e.g., discrete point mutation or truncation of an HST-1 polypeptide. An agonist of the HST-1 polypeptides can retain substantially the same, or a subset, of the biological activities of the naturally occurring form of an HST-1 polypeptide. An antagonist of an HST-1 polypeptide can inhibit one or more of the activities of the naturally occurring form of the HST-1 polypeptide by, for example, competitively modulating an HST-1-mediated activity of an HST-1 polypeptide. Thus, specific biological effects can be elicited by treatment with a variant of limited function. In one embodiment, treatment of a subject with a variant having a subset of the biological activities of the naturally occurring form of the polypeptide has fewer side effects in a subject relative to treatment with the naturally occurring form of the HST-1 polypeptide.

[0805] In one embodiment, variants of an HST-1 polypeptide which function as either HST-1 agonists (mimetics) or as HST-1 antagonists can be identified by screening combinatorial libraries of mutants, e.g., truncation mutants, of an HST-1 polypeptide for HST-1 polypeptide agonist or antagonist activity. In one embodiment, a variegated library of HST-1 variants is generated by combinatorial mutagenesis at the nucleic acid level and is encoded by a variegated gene library. A variegated library of HST-1 variants can be produced by, for example, enzymatically ligating a mixture of synthetic oligonucleotides into gene sequences such that a degenerate set of potential HST-1 sequences is expressible as individual polypeptides, or alternatively, as a set of larger fusion proteins (e.g., for phage display) containing the set of HST-1 sequences therein. There are a variety of methods which can be used to produce libraries of potential HST-1 variants from a degenerate oligonucleotide sequence. Chemical synthesis of a degenerate gene sequence can be performed in an automatic DNA synthesizer, and the synthetic gene then ligated into an appropriate expression vector. Use of a degenerate set of genes allows for the provision, in one mixture, of all of the sequences encoding the desired set of potential HST-1 sequences. Methods for synthesizing degenerate oligonucleotides are known in the art (see, e.g., Narang, S. A. (1983) Tetrahedron 39:3; Itakura et al. (1984) Annu. Rev. Biochem. 53:323; Itakura et al. (1984) Science 198:1056; Ike et al. (1983) Nucleic Acid Res. 11:477.

[0806] In addition, libraries of fragments of an HST-1 polypeptide coding sequence can be used to generate a variegated population of HST-1 fragments for screening and subsequent selection of variants of an HST-1 polypeptide. In one embodiment, a library of coding sequence fragments can be generated by treating a double stranded PCR fragment of an HST-1 coding sequence with a nuclease under conditions wherein nicking occurs only about once per molecule, denaturing the double stranded DNA, renaturing the DNA to form double stranded DNA which can include sense/antisense pairs from different nicked products, removing single stranded portions from reformed duplexes by treatment with S1 nuclease, and ligating the resulting fragment library into an expression vector. By this method, an expression library can be derived which encodes N-terminal, C-terminal and internal fragments of various sizes of the HST-1 polypeptide.

[0807] Several techniques are known in the art for screening gene products of combinatorial libraries made by point mutations or truncation, and for screening cDNA libraries for gene products having a selected property. Such techniques are adaptable for rapid screening of the gene libraries generated by the combinatorial mutagenesis of HST-1 polypeptides. The most widely used techniques, which are amenable to high through-put analysis, for screening large gene libraries typically include cloning the gene library into replicable expression vectors, transforming appropriate cells with the resulting library of vectors, and expressing the combinatorial genes under conditions in which detection of a desired activity facilitates isolation of the vector encoding the gene whose product was detected. Recursive ensemble mutagenesis (REM), a new technique which enhances the frequency of functional mutants in the libraries, can be used in combination with the screening assays to identify HST-1 variants (Arkin and Youvan (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:7811-7815; Delagrave et al. (1993) Protein Engineering 6(3):327-331).

[0808] In one embodiment, cell based assays can be exploited to analyze a variegated HST-1 library. For example, a library of expression vectors can be transfected into a cell line, e.g., an endothelial cell line, which ordinarily responds to HST-1 in a particular HST-1 substrate-dependent manner. The transfected cells are then contacted with HST-1 and the effect of expression of the mutant on signaling by the HST-1 substrate can be detected, e.g., by monitoring intracellular calcium, IP3, or diacylglycerol concentration, phosphorylation profile of intracellular proteins, or the activity of an HST-1-regulated transcription factor. Plasmid DNA can then be recovered from the cells which score for inhibition, or alternatively, potentiation of signaling by the HST-1 substrate, and the individual clones further characterized.

[0809] An isolated HST-1 polypeptide, or a portion or fragment thereof, can be used as an immunogen to generate antibodies that bind HST-1 using standard techniques for polyclonal and monoclonal antibody preparation. A full-length HST-1 polypeptide can be used or, alternatively, the invention provides antigenic peptide fragments of HST-1 for use as immunogens. The antigenic peptide of HST-1 comprises at least 8 amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 13 and encompasses an epitope of HST-1 such that an antibody raised against the peptide forms a specific immune complex with HST-1. Preferably, the antigenic peptide comprises at least 10 amino acid residues, more preferably at least 15 amino acid residues, even more preferably at least 20 amino acid residues, and most preferably at least 30 amino acid residues.

[0810] Preferred epitopes encompassed by the antigenic peptide are regions of HST-1 that are located on the surface of the polypeptide, e.g., hydrophilic regions, as well as regions with high antigenicity (see, for example, FIG. 15).

[0811] An HST-1 immunogen typically is used to prepare antibodies by immunizing a suitable subject, (e.g., rabbit, goat, mouse or other mammal) with the immunogen. An appropriate immunogenic preparation can contain, for example, recombinantly expressed HST-1 polypeptide or a chemically synthesized HST-1 polypeptide. The preparation can further include an adjuvant, such as Freund's complete or incomplete adjuvant, or similar immunostimulatory agent. Immunization of a suitable subject with an immunogenic HST-1 preparation induces a polyclonal anti-HST-1 antibody response.

[0812] Accordingly, another aspect of the invention pertains to anti-HST-1 antibodies. The term “antibody” as used herein refers to immunoglobulin molecules and immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules, i.e., molecules that contain an antigen binding site which specifically binds (immunoreacts with) an antigen, such as HST-1. Examples of immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules include F(ab) and F(ab′)₂ fragments which can be generated by treating the antibody with an enzyme such as pepsin. The invention provides polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies that bind HST-1. The term “monoclonal antibody” or “monoclonal antibody composition”, as used herein, refers to a population of antibody molecules that contain only one species of an antigen binding site capable of immunoreacting with a particular epitope of HST-1. A monoclonal antibody composition thus typically displays a single binding affinity for a particular HST-1 polypeptide with which it immunoreacts.

[0813] Polyclonal anti-HST-1 antibodies can be prepared as described above by immunizing a suitable subject with an HST-1 immunogen. The anti-HST-1 antibody titer in the immunized subject can be monitored over time by standard techniques, such as with an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using immobilized HST-1. If desired, the antibody molecules directed against HST-1 can be isolated from the mammal (e.g., from the blood) and further purified by well known techniques, such as protein A chromatography to obtain the IgG fraction. At an appropriate time after immunization, e.g., when the anti-HST-1 antibody titers are highest, antibody-producing cells can be obtained from the subject and used to prepare monoclonal antibodies by standard techniques, such as the hybridoma technique originally described by Kohler and Milstein (1975) Nature 256:495-497) (see also, Brown et al. (1981) J. Immunol. 127:539-46; Brown et al. (1980) J. Biol. Chem .255:4980-83; Yeh et al. (1976) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 76:2927-31; and Yeh et al. (1982) Int. J. Cancer 29:269-75), the more recent human B cell hybridoma technique (Kozbor et al. (1983) Immunol Today 4:72), the EBV-hybridoma technique (Cole et al. (1985), Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, Inc., pp. 77-96) or trioma techniques. The technology for producing monoclonal antibody hybridomas is well known (see generally R. H. Kenneth, in Monoclonal Antibodies: A New Dimension In Biological Analyses, Plenum Publishing Corp., New York, N.Y. (1980); E. A. Lemer (1981) Yale J. Biol. Med., 54:387-402; M. L. Gefter et al. (1977) Somatic Cell Genet. 3:231-36). Briefly, an immortal cell line (typically a myeloma) is fused to lymphocytes (typically splenocytes) from a mammal immunized with an HST-1 immunogen as described above, and the culture supernatants of the resulting hybridoma cells are screened to identify a hybridoma producing a monoclonal antibody that binds HST-1.

[0814] Any of the many well known protocols used for fusing lymphocytes and immortalized cell lines can be applied for the purpose of generating an anti-HST-1 monoclonal antibody (see, e.g., G. Galfre et al. (1977) Nature 266:55052; Gefter et al. Somatic Cell Genet., cited supra; Lemer, Yale J. Biol. Med., cited supra; Kenneth, Monoclonal Antibodies, cited supra). Moreover, the ordinarily skilled worker will appreciate that there are many variations of such methods which also would be useful. Typically, the immortal cell line (e.g., a myeloma cell line) is derived from the same mammalian species as the lymphocytes. For example, murine hybridomas can be made by fusing lymphocytes from a mouse immunized with an immunogenic preparation of the present invention with an immortalized mouse cell line. Preferred immortal cell lines are mouse myeloma cell lines that are sensitive to culture medium containing hypoxanthine, aminopterin and thymidine (“HAT medium”). Any of a number of myeloma cell lines can be used as a fusion partner according to standard techniques, e.g., the P3-NS1/1-Ag4-1, P3-x63-Ag8.653 or Sp2/O-Ag14 myeloma lines. These myeloma lines are available from ATCC. Typically, HAT-sensitive mouse myeloma cells are fused to mouse splenocytes using polyethylene glycol (“PEG”). Hybridoma cells resulting from the fusion are then selected using HAT medium, which kills unfused and unproductively fused myeloma cells (unfused splenocytes die after several days because they are not transformed). Hybridoma cells producing a monoclonal antibody of the invention are detected by screening the hybridoma culture supernatants for antibodies that bind HST-1, e.g., using a standard ELISA assay.

[0815] Alternative to preparing monoclonal antibody-secreting hybridomas, a monoclonal anti-HST-1 antibody can be identified and isolated by screening a recombinant combinatorial immunoglobulin library (e.g., an antibody phage display library) with HST-1 to thereby isolate immunoglobulin library members that bind HST-1. Kits for generating and screening phage display libraries are commercially available (e.g., the Pharmacia Recombinant Phage Antibody System, Catalog No. 27-9400-01; and the Stratagene SurZAP™ Phage Display Kit, Catalog No. 240612). Additionally, examples of methods and reagents particularly amenable for use in generating and screening antibody display library can be found in, for example, Ladner et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409; Kang et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/18619; Dower et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 91/17271; Winter et al. PCT International Publication WO 92/20791; Markland et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/15679; Breitling et al. PCT International Publication WO 93/01288; McCafferty et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/01047; Garrard et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/09690; Ladner et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 90/02809; Fuchs et al. (1991) Bio/Technology 9:1369-1372; Hay et al. (1992) Hum. Antibod. Hybridomas 3:81-85; Huse et al. (1989) Science 246:1275-1281; Griffiths et al. (1993) EMBO J 12:725-734; Hawkins et al. (1992) J. Mol. Biol. 226:889-896; Clackson et al. (1991) Nature 352:624-628; Gram et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:3576-3580; Garrard et al. (1991) Bio/Technology 9:1373-1377; Hoogenboom et al. (1991) Nuc. Acid Res. 19:4133-4137; Barbas et al. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:7978-7982; and McCafferty et al. Nature (1990) 348:552-554.

[0816] Additionally, recombinant anti-HST-1 antibodies, such as chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies, comprising both human and non-human portions, which can be made using standard recombinant DNA techniques, are within the scope of the invention. Such chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies can be produced by recombinant DNA techniques known in the art, for example using methods described in Robinson et al. International Application No. PCT/US86/02269; Akira, et al. European Patent Application 184,187; Taniguchi, M., European Patent Application 171,496; Morrison et al. European Patent Application 173,494; Neuberger et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 86/01533; Cabilly et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,567; Cabilly et al. European Patent Application 125,023; Better et al. (1988) Science 240:1041-1043; Liu et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:3439-3443; Liu et al. (1987) J. Immunol. 139:3521-3526; Sun et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:214-218; Nishimura et al. (1987) Canc. Res. 47:999-1005; Wood et al. (1985) Nature 314:446-449; and Shaw et al. (1988) J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 80:1553-1559); Morrison, S. L. (1985) Science 229:1202-1207; Oi et al. (1986) BioTechniques 4:214; Winter U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,539; Jones et al. (1986) Nature 321:552-525; Verhoeyen et al. (1988) Science 239:1534; and Beidler et al. (1988) J. Immunol. 141:4053-4060.

[0817] An anti-HST-1 antibody (e.g., monoclonal antibody) can be used to isolate HST-1 by standard techniques, such as affinity chromatography or immunoprecipitation. An anti-HST-1 antibody can facilitate the purification of natural HST-1 from cells and of recombinantly produced HST-1 expressed in host cells. Moreover, an anti-HST-1 antibody can be used to detect HST-1 polypeptide (e.g., in a cellular lysate or cell supernatant) in order to evaluate the abundance and pattern of expression of the HST-1 polypeptide. Anti-HST-1 antibodies can be used diagnostically to monitor polypeptide levels in tissue as part of a clinical testing procedure, e.g., to, for example, determine the efficacy of a given treatment regimen. Detection can be facilitated by coupling (i.e., physically linking) the antibody to a detectable substance. Examples of detectable substances include various enzymes, prosthetic groups, fluorescent materials, luminescent materials, bioluminescent materials, and radioactive materials. Examples of suitable enzymes include horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, β-galactosidase, or acetylcholinesterase; examples of suitable prosthetic group complexes include streptavidin/biotin and avidin/biotin; examples of suitable fluorescent materials include umbelliferone, fluorescein, fluorescein isothiocyanate, rhodamine, dichlorotriazinylamine fluorescein, dansyl chloride or phycoerythrin; an example of a luminescent material includes luminol; examples of bioluminescent materials include luciferase, luciferin, and aequorin, and examples of suitable radioactive material include ¹²⁵I, ¹³¹I, ³⁵S or ³H.

[0818] III. Recombinant Expression Vectors and Host Cells

[0819] Another aspect of the invention pertains to vectors, for example recombinant expression vectors, containing a nucleic acid containing an HST-1 nucleic acid molecule or vectors containing a nucleic acid molecule which encodes an HST-1 polypeptide (or a portion thereof). As used herein, the term “vector” refers to a nucleic acid molecule capable of transporting another nucleic acid to which it has been linked. One type of vector is a “plasmid”, which refers to a circular double stranded DNA loop into which additional DNA segments can be ligated. Another type of vector is a viral vector, wherein additional DNA segments can be ligated into the viral genome. Certain vectors are capable of autonomous replication in a host cell into which they are introduced (e.g., bacterial vectors having a bacterial origin of replication and episomal mammalian vectors). Other vectors (e.g., non-episomal mammalian vectors) are integrated into the genome of a host cell upon introduction into the host cell, and thereby are replicated along with the host genome. Moreover, certain vectors are capable of directing the expression of genes to which they are operatively linked. Such vectors are referred to herein as “expression vectors”. In general, expression vectors of utility in recombinant DNA techniques are often in the form of plasmids. In the present specification, “plasmid” and “vector” can be used interchangeably as the plasmid is the most commonly used form of vector. However, the invention is intended to include such other forms of expression vectors, such as viral vectors (e.g., replication defective retroviruses, adenoviruses and adeno-associated viruses), which serve equivalent functions.

[0820] The recombinant expression vectors of the invention comprise a nucleic acid of the invention in a form suitable for expression of the nucleic acid in a host cell, which means that the recombinant expression vectors include one or more regulatory sequences, selected on the basis of the host cells to be used for expression, which is operatively linked to the nucleic acid sequence to be expressed. Within a recombinant expression vector, “operably linked” is intended to mean that the nucleotide sequence of interest is linked to the regulatory sequence(s) in a manner which allows for expression of the nucleotide sequence (e.g., in an in vitro transcription/translation system or in a host cell when the vector is introduced into the host cell). The term “regulatory sequence” is intended to include promoters, enhancers and other expression control elements (e.g., polyadenylation signals). Such regulatory sequences are described, for example, in Goeddel; Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990). Regulatory sequences include those which direct constitutive expression of a nucleotide sequence in many types of host cells and those which direct expression of the nucleotide sequence only in certain host cells (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory sequences). It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the design of the expression vector can depend on such factors as the choice of the host cell to be transformed, the level of expression of polypeptide desired, and the like. The expression vectors of the invention can be introduced into host cells to thereby produce proteins or peptides, including fusion proteins or peptides, encoded by nucleic acids as described herein (e.g., HST-1 polypeptides, mutant forms of HST-1 polypeptides, fusion proteins, and the like).

[0821] Accordingly, an exemplary embodiment provides a method for producing a polypeptide, preferably an HST-1 polypeptide, by culturing in a suitable medium a host cell of the invention (e.g., a mammalian host cell such as a non-human mammalian cell) containing a recombinant expression vector, such that the polypeptide is produced.

[0822] The recombinant expression vectors of the invention can be designed for expression of HST-1 polypeptides in prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells. For example, HST-1 polypeptides can be expressed in bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells (using baculovirus expression vectors) yeast cells or mammalian cells. Suitable host cells are discussed further in Goeddel, Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990). Alternatively, the recombinant expression vector can be transcribed and translated in vitro, for example using T7 promoter regulatory sequences and T7 polymerase.

[0823] Expression of proteins in prokaryotes is most often carried out in E. coli with vectors containing constitutive or inducible promoters directing the expression of either fusion or non-fusion proteins. Fusion vectors add a number of amino acids to a protein encoded therein, usually to the amino terminus of the recombinant protein. Such fusion vectors typically serve three purposes: 1) to increase expression of recombinant protein; 2) to increase the solubility of the recombinant protein; and 3) to aid in the purification of the recombinant protein by acting as a ligand in affinity purification. Often, in fusion expression vectors, a proteolytic cleavage site is introduced at the junction of the fusion moiety and the recombinant protein to enable separation of the recombinant protein from the fusion moiety subsequent to purification of the fusion protein. Such enzymes, and their cognate recognition sequences, include Factor Xa, thrombin and enterokinase. Typical fusion expression vectors include pGEX (Pharmacia Biotech Inc; Smith, D. B. and Johnson, K. S. (1988) Gene 67:31-40), pMAL (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.) and pRIT5 (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.) which fuse glutathione S-transferase (GST), maltose E binding protein, or protein A, respectively, to the target recombinant protein.

[0824] Purified fusion proteins can be utilized in HST-1 activity assays, (e.g., direct assays or competitive assays described in detail below), or to generate antibodies specific for HST-1 polypeptides, for example. In a preferred embodiment, an HST-1 fusion protein expressed in a retroviral expression vector of the present invention can be utilized to infect bone marrow cells which are subsequently transplanted into irradiated recipients. The pathology of the subject recipient is then examined after sufficient time has passed (e.g., six (6) weeks).

[0825] Examples of suitable inducible non-fusion E. coli expression vectors include pTrc (Amann et al., (1988) Gene 69:301-315) and pET 11d (Studier et al., Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990) 60-89). Target gene expression from the pTrc vector relies on host RNA polymerase transcription from a hybrid trp-lac fusion promoter. Target gene expression from the pET 11d vector relies on transcription from a T7 gn10-lac fusion promoter mediated by a coexpressed viral RNA polymerase (T7 gn1). This viral polymerase is supplied by host strains BL21(DE3) or HMS174(DE3) from a resident prophage harboring a T7 gnl gene under the transcriptional control of the lacUV 5 promoter.

[0826] One strategy to maximize recombinant protein expression in E. coli is to express the protein in a host bacteria with an impaired capacity to proteolytically cleave the recombinant protein (Gottesman, S., Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990) 119-128). Another strategy is to alter the nucleic acid sequence of the nucleic acid to be inserted into an expression vector so that the individual codons for each amino acid are those preferentially utilized in E. coli (Wada et al., (1992) Nucleic Acids Res. 20:2111-2118). Such alteration of nucleic acid sequences of the invention can be carried out by standard DNA synthesis techniques.

[0827] In another embodiment, the HST-1 expression vector is a yeast expression vector. Examples of vectors for expression in yeast S. cerevisiae include pYepSec1 (Baldari, et al., (1987) EMBO J. 6:229-234), pMFa (Kurjan and Herskowitz, (1982) Cell 30:933-943), pJRY88 (Schultz et al., (1987) Gene 54:113-123), pYES2 (Invitrogen Corporation, San Diego, Calif.), and picZ (Invitrogen Corporation, San Diego, Calif.).

[0828] Alternatively, HST-1 polypeptides can be expressed in insect cells using baculovirus expression vectors. Baculovirus vectors available for expression of proteins in cultured insect cells (e.g., Sf9 cells) include the pAc series (Smith et al. (1983) Mol. Cell Biol. 3:2156-2165) and the pVL series (Lucklow and Summers (1989) Virology 170:31-39).

[0829] In yet another embodiment, a nucleic acid of the invention is expressed in mammalian cells using a mammalian expression vector. Examples of mammalian expression vectors include pCDM8 (Seed, B. (1987) Nature 329:840) and pMT2PC (Kauf mnan et al. (1987) EMBO J. 6:187-195). When used in mammalian cells, the expression vector's control functions are often provided by viral regulatory elements. For example, commonly used promoters are derived from polyoma, Adenovirus 2, cytomegalovirus and Simian Virus 40. For other suitable expression systems for both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells see chapters 16 and 17 of Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989.

[0830] In another embodiment, the recombinant mammalian expression vector is capable of directing expression of the nucleic acid preferentially in a particular cell type (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory elements are used to express the nucleic acid). Tissue-specific regulatory elements are known in the art. Non-limiting examples of suitable tissue-specific promoters include the albumin promoter (liver-specific; Pinkert et al. (1987) Genes Dev. 1:268-277), lymphoid-specific promoters (Calame and Eaton (1988) Adv. Immunol. 43:235-275), in particular promoters of T cell receptors (Winoto and Baltimore (1989) EMBO J. 8:729-733) and immunoglobulins (Banerji et al. (1983) Cell 33:729-740; Queen and Baltimore (1983) Cell 33:741-748), neuron-specific promoters (e.g., the neurofilament promoter; Byrne and Ruddle (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:5473-5477), pancreas-specific promoters (Edlund et al. (1985) Science 230:912-916), and mammary gland-specific promoters (e.g., milk whey promoter; U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,316 and European Application Publication No. 264,166). Developmentally-regulated promoters are also encompassed, for example the murine hox promoters (Kessel and Gruss (1990) Science 249:374-379) and the α-fetoprotein promoter (Campes and Tilghman (1989) Genes Dev. 3:537-546).

[0831] The invention further provides a recombinant expression vector comprising a DNA molecule of the invention cloned into the expression vector in an antisense orientation. That is, the DNA molecule is operatively linked to a regulatory sequence in a manner which allows for expression (by transcription of the DNA molecule) of an RNA molecule which is antisense to HST-1 mRNA. Regulatory sequences operatively linked to a nucleic acid cloned in the antisense orientation can be chosen which direct the continuous expression of the antisense RNA molecule in a variety of cell types, for instance viral promoters and/or enhancers, or regulatory sequences can be chosen which direct constitutive, tissue specific or cell type specific expression of antisense RNA. The antisense expression vector can be in the form of a recombinant plasmid, phagemid or attenuated virus in which antisense nucleic acids are produced under the control of a high efficiency regulatory region, the activity of which can be determined by the cell type into which the vector is introduced. For a discussion of the regulation of gene expression using antisense genes see Weintraub, H. et al., Antisense RNA as a molecular tool for genetic analysis, Reviews—Trends in Genetics, Vol. 1(1) 1986.

[0832] Another aspect of the invention pertains to host cells into which an HST-1 nucleic acid molecule of the invention is introduced, e.g., an HST-1 nucleic acid molecule within a vector (e.g., a recombinant expression vector) or an HST-1 nucleic acid molecule containing sequences which allow it to homologously recombine into a specific site of the host cell's genome. The terms “host cell” and “recombinant host cell” are used interchangeably herein. It is understood that such terms refer not only to the particular subject cell but to the progeny or potential progeny of such a cell. Because certain modifications may occur in succeeding generations due to either mutation or environmental influences, such progeny may not, in fact, be identical to the parent cell, but are still included within the scope of the term as used herein.

[0833] A host cell can be any prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell. For example, an HST-1 polypeptide can be expressed in bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells, yeast or mammalian cells (such as Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) or COS cells). Other suitable host cells are known to those skilled in the art.

[0834] Vector DNA can be introduced into prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells via conventional transformation or transfection techniques. As used herein, the terms “transformation” and “transfection” are intended to refer to a variety of art-recognized techniques for introducing foreign nucleic acid (e.g., DNA) into a host cell, including calcium phosphate or calcium chloride co-precipitation, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, lipofection, or electroporation. Suitable methods for transforming or transfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook, et al. (Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), and other laboratory manuals.

[0835] For stable transfection of mammalian cells, it is known that, depending upon the expression vector and transfection technique used, only a small fraction of cells may integrate the foreign DNA into their genome. In order to identify and select these integrants, a gene that encodes a selectable marker (e.g., resistance to antibiotics) is generally introduced into the host cells along with the gene of interest. Preferred selectable markers include those which confer resistance to drugs, such as G418, hygromycin and methotrexate. Nucleic acid encoding a selectable marker can be introduced into a host cell on the same vector as that encoding an HST-1 polypeptide or can be introduced on a separate vector. Cells stably transfected with the introduced nucleic acid can be identified by drug selection (e.g., cells that have incorporated the selectable marker gene will survive, while the other cells die).

[0836] A host cell of the invention, such as a prokaryotic or eukaryotic host cell in culture, can be used to produce (i.e., express) an HST-1 polypeptide. Accordingly, the invention further provides methods for producing an HST-1 polypeptide using the host cells of the invention. In one embodiment, the method comprises culturing the host cell of the invention (into which a recombinant expression vector encoding an HST-1 polypeptide has been introduced) in a suitable medium such that an HST-1 polypeptide is produced. In another embodiment, the method further comprises isolating an HST-1 polypeptide from the medium or the host cell.

[0837] The host cells of the invention can also be used to produce non-human transgenic animals. For example, in one embodiment, a host cell of the invention is a fertilized oocyte or an embryonic stem cell into which HST-1 -coding sequences have been introduced. Such host cells can then be used to create non-human transgenic animals in which exogenous HST-1 sequences have been introduced into their genome or homologous recombinant animals in which endogenous HST-1 sequences have been altered. Such animals are useful for studying the function and/or activity of an HST-1 and for identifying and/or evaluating modulators of HST-1 activity. As used herein, a “transgenic animal” is a non-human animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a rodent such as a rat or mouse, in which one or more of the cells of the animal includes a transgene. Other examples of transgenic animals include non-human primates, sheep, dogs, cows, goats, chickens, amphibians, and the like. A transgene is exogenous DNA which is integrated into the genome of a cell from which a transgenic animal develops and which remains in the genome of the mature animal, thereby directing the expression of an encoded gene product in one or more cell types or tissues of the transgenic animal. As used herein, a “homologous recombinant animal” is a non-human animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a mouse, in which an endogenous HST-1 gene has been altered by homologous recombination between the endogenous gene and an exogenous DNA molecule introduced into a cell of the animal, e.g., an embryonic cell of the animal, prior to development of the animal.

[0838] A transgenic animal of the invention can be created by introducing an HST-1-encoding nucleic acid into the male pronuclei of a fertilized oocyte, e.g., by microinjection, retroviral infection, and allowing the oocyte to develop in a pseudopregnant female foster animal. The HST-1 cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 can be introduced as a transgene into the genome of a non-human animal. Alternatively, a nonhuman homologue of a human HST-1 gene, such as a mouse or rat HST-1 gene, can be used as a transgene. Alternatively, an HST-1 gene homologue, such as another HST-1 family member, can be isolated based on hybridization to the HST-1 cDNA sequences of SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ (described further in subsection I above) and used as a transgene. Intronic sequences and polyadenylation signals can also be included in the transgene to increase the efficiency of expression of the transgene. A tissue-specific regulatory sequence(s) can be operably linked to an HST-1 transgene to direct expression of an HST-1 polypeptide to particular cells. Methods for generating transgenic animals via embryo manipulation and microinjection, particularly animals such as mice, have become conventional in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,736,866 and 4,870,009, both by Leder et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,191 by Wagner et al. and in Hogan, B., Manipulating the Mouse Embryo, (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1986). Similar methods are used for production of other transgenic animals. A transgenic founder animal can be identified based upon the presence of an HST-1 transgene in its genome and/or expression of HST-1 mRNA in tissues or cells of the animals. A transgenic founder animal can then be used to breed additional animals carrying the transgene. Moreover, transgenic animals carrying a transgene encoding an HST-1 polypeptide can further be bred to other transgenic animals carrying other transgenes.

[0839] To create a homologous recombinant animal, a vector is prepared which contains at least a portion of an HST-1 gene into which a deletion, addition or substitution has been introduced to thereby alter, e.g., functionally disrupt, the HST-1 gene. The HST-1 gene can be a human gene (e.g., the cDNA of SEQ ID NO: 14), but more preferably, is a non-human homologue of a human HST-1 gene (e.g., a cDNA isolated by stringent hybridization with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12). For example, a mouse HST-1 gene can be used to construct a homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule, e.g., a vector, suitable for altering an endogenous HST-1 gene in the mouse genome. In a preferred embodiment, the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule is designed such that, upon homologous recombination, the endogenous HST-1 gene is functionally disrupted (i.e., no longer encodes a functional protein; also referred to as a “knock out” vector). Alternatively, the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule can be designed such that, upon homologous recombination, the endogenous HST-1 gene is mutated or otherwise altered but still encodes functional polypeptide (e.g., the upstream regulatory region can be altered to thereby alter the expression of the endogenous HST-1 polypeptide). In the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule, the altered portion of the HST-1 gene is flanked at its 5′ and 3′ ends by additional nucleic acid sequence of the HST-1 gene to allow for homologous recombination to occur between the exogenous HST-1 gene carried by the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule and an endogenous HST-1 gene in a cell, e.g., an embryonic stem cell. The additional flanking HST-1 nucleic acid sequence is of sufficient length for successful homologous recombination with the endogenous gene. Typically, several kilobases of flanking DNA (both at the 5′ and 3′ ends) are included in the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule (see, e.g., Thomas, K. R. and Capecchi, M. R. (1987) Cell 51:503 for a description of homologous recombination vectors). The homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule is introduced into a cell, e.g., an embryonic stem cell line (e.g., by electroporation) and cells in which the introduced HST-1 gene has homologously recombined with the endogenous HST-1 gene are selected (see e.g., Li, E. et al. (1992) Cell 69:915). The selected cells can then injected into a blastocyst of an animal (e.g., a mouse) to form aggregation chimeras (see e.g., Bradley, A. in Teratocarcinomas and Embryonic Stem Cells: A Practical Approach, E. J. Robertson, ed. (IRL, Oxford, 1987) pp. 113-152). A chimeric embryo can then be implanted into a suitable pseudopregnant female foster animal and the embryo brought to term. Progeny harboring the homologously recombined DNA in their germ cells can be used to breed animals in which all cells of the animal contain the homologously recombined DNA by germline transmission of the transgene. Methods for constructing homologous recombination nucleic acid molecules, e.g., vectors, or homologous recombinant animals are described further in Bradley, A. (1991) Current Opinion in Biotechnology 2:823-829 and in PCT International Publication Nos.: WO 90/11354 by Le Mouellec et al.; WO 91/01140 by Smithies et al.; WO 92/0968 by Zijlstra et al.; and WO 93/04169 by Bems et al.

[0840] In another embodiment, transgenic non-human animals can be produced which contain selected systems which allow for regulated expression of the transgene. One example of such a system is the cre/loxP recombinase system of bacteriophage P1. For a description of the cre/loxP recombinase system, see, e.g., Lakso et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:6232-6236. Another example of a recombinase system is the FLP recombinase system of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (O'Gorman et al. (1991) Science 251:1351-1355. If a cre/loxP recombinase system is used to regulate expression of the transgene, animals containing transgenes encoding both the Cre recombinase and a selected protein are required. Such animals can be provided through the construction of “double” transgenic animals, e.g., by mating two transgenic animals, one containing a transgene encoding a selected protein and the other containing a transgene encoding a recombinase.

[0841] Clones of the non-human transgenic animals described herein can also be produced according to the methods described in Wilmut, T. et al. (1997) Nature 385:810-813 and PCT International Publication Nos. WO 97/07668 and WO 97/07669. In brief, a cell, e.g., a somatic cell, from the transgenic animal can be isolated and induced to exit the growth cycle and enter G_(O) phase. The quiescent cell can then be fused, e.g., through the use of electrical pulses, to an enucleated oocyte from an animal of the same species from which the quiescent cell is isolated. The reconstructed oocyte is then cultured such that it develops to morula or blastocyte and then transferred to pseudopregnant female foster animal. The offspring borne of this female foster animal will be a clone of the animal from which the cell, e.g., the somatic cell, is isolated.

[0842] IV. Pharmaceutical Compositions

[0843] The HST-1 nucleic acid molecules, fragments of HST-1 polypeptides, and anti-HST-1 antibodies (also referred to herein as “active compounds”) of the invention can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions suitable for administration. Such compositions typically comprise the nucleic acid molecule, polypeptide, or antibody and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. As used herein the language “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” is intended to include any and all solvents, dispersion media, coatings, antibacterial and antifungal agents, isotonic and absorption delaying agents, and the like, compatible with pharmaceutical administration. The use of such media and agents for pharmaceutically active substances is well known in the art. Except insofar as any conventional media or agent is incompatible with the active compound, use thereof in the compositions is contemplated. Supplementary active compounds can also be incorporated into the compositions.

[0844] A pharmaceutical composition of the invention is formulated to be compatible with its intended route of administration. Examples of routes of administration include parenteral, e.g., intravenous, intradermal, subcutaneous, oral (e.g., inhalation), transdermal (topical), transmucosal, and rectal administration. Solutions or suspensions used for parenteral, intradermal, or subcutaneous application can include the following components: a sterile diluent such as water for injection, saline solution, fixed oils, polyethylene glycols, glycerine, propylene glycol or other synthetic solvents; antibacterial agents such as benzyl alcohol or methyl parabens; antioxidants such as ascorbic acid or sodium bisulfite; chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; buffers such as acetates, citrates or phosphates and agents for the adjustment of tonicity such as sodium chloride or dextrose. pH can be adjusted with acids or bases, such as hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide. The parenteral preparation can be enclosed in ampoules, disposable syringes or multiple dose vials made of glass or plastic. Pharmaceutical compositions suitable for injectable use include sterile aqueous solutions (where water soluble) or dispersions and sterile powders for the extemporaneous preparation of sterile injectable solutions or dispersion. For intravenous administration, suitable carriers include physiological saline, bacteriostatic water, Cremophor EL™ (BASF, Parsippany, N.J.) or phosphate buffered saline (PBS). In all cases, the composition must be sterile and should be fluid to the extent that easy syringeability exists. It must be stable under the conditions of manufacture and storage and must be preserved against the contaminating action of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. The carrier can be a solvent or dispersion medium containing, for example, water, ethanol, polyol (for example, glycerol, propylene glycol, and liquid polyetheylene glycol, and the like), and suitable mixtures thereof. The proper fluidity can be maintained, for example, by the use of a coating such as lecithin, by the maintenance of the required particle size in the case of dispersion and by the use of surfactants. Prevention of the action of microorganisms can be achieved by various antibacterial and antifungal agents, for example, parabens, chlorobutanol, phenol, ascorbic acid, thimerosal, and the like. In many cases, it will be preferable to include isotonic agents, for example, sugars, polyalcohols such as manitol, sorbitol, sodium chloride in the composition. Prolonged absorption of the injectable compositions can be brought about by including in the composition an agent which delays absorption, for example, aluminum monostearate and gelatin.

[0845] Sterile injectable solutions can be prepared by incorporating the active compound (e.g., a fragment of an HST-1 polypeptide or an anti-HST-1 antibody) in the required amount in an appropriate solvent with one or a combination of ingredients enumerated above, as required, followed by filtered sterilization. Generally, dispersions are prepared by incorporating the active compound into a sterile vehicle which contains a basic dispersion medium and the required other ingredients from those enumerated above. In the case of sterile powders for the preparation of sterile injectable solutions, the preferred methods of preparation are vacuum drying and freeze-drying which yields a powder of the active ingredient plus any additional desired ingredient from a previously sterile-filtered solution thereof.

[0846] Oral compositions generally include an inert diluent or an edible carrier. They can be enclosed in gelatin capsules or compressed into tablets. For the purpose of oral therapeutic administration, the active compound can be incorporated with excipients and used in the form of tablets, troches, or capsules. Oral compositions can also be prepared using a fluid carrier for use as a mouthwash, wherein the compound in the fluid carrier is applied orally and swished and expectorated or swallowed. Pharmaceutically compatible binding agents, and/or adjuvant materials can be included as part of the composition. The tablets, pills, capsules, troches and the like can contain any of the following ingredients, or compounds of a similar nature: a binder such as microcrystalline cellulose, gum tragacanth or gelatin; an excipient such as starch or lactose, a disintegrating agent such as alginic acid, Primogel, or corn starch; a lubricant such as magnesium stearate or Sterotes; a glidant such as colloidal silicon dioxide; a sweetening agent such as sucrose or saccharin; or a flavoring agent such as peppermint, methyl salicylate, or orange flavoring.

[0847] For administration by inhalation, the compounds are delivered in the form of an aerosol spray from pressured container or dispenser which contains a suitable propellant, e.g., a gas such as carbon dioxide, or a nebulizer.

[0848] Systemic administration can also be by transmucosal or transdermal means. For transmucosal or transdermal administration, penetrants appropriate to the barrier to be permeated are used in the formulation. Such penetrants are generally known in the art, and include, for example, for transmucosal administration, detergents, bile salts, and fusidic acid derivatives. Transmucosal administration can be accomplished through the use of nasal sprays or suppositories. For transdermal administration, the active compounds are formulated into ointments, salves, gels, or creams as generally known in the art.

[0849] The compounds can also be prepared in the form of suppositories (e.g., with conventional suppository bases such as cocoa butter and other glycerides) or retention enemas for rectal delivery.

[0850] In one embodiment, the active compounds are prepared with carriers that will protect the compound against rapid elimination from the body, such as a controlled release formulation, including implants and microencapsulated delivery systems. Biodegradable, biocompatible polymers can be used, such as ethylene vinyl acetate, polyanhydrides, polyglycolic acid, collagen, polyorthoesters, and polylactic acid. Methods for preparation of such formulations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The materials can also be obtained commercially from Alza Corporation and Nova Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Liposomal suspensions (including liposomes targeted to infected cells with monoclonal antibodies to viral antigens) can also be used as pharmaceutically acceptable carriers. These can be prepared according to methods known to those skilled in the art, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,811.

[0851] It is especially advantageous to formulate oral or parenteral compositions in dosage unit form for ease of administration and uniformity of dosage. Dosage unit form as used herein refers to physically discrete units suited as unitary dosages for the subject to be treated; each unit containing a predetermined quantity of active compound calculated to produce the desired therapeutic effect in association with the required pharmaceutical carrier. The specification for the dosage unit forms of the invention are dictated by and directly dependent on the unique characteristics of the active compound and the particular therapeutic effect to be achieved, and the limitations inherent in the art of compounding such an active compound for the treatment of individuals.

[0852] Toxicity and therapeutic efficacy of such compounds can be determined by standard pharmaceutical procedures in cell cultures or experimental animals, e.g., for determining the LD50 (the dose lethal to 50% of the population) and the ED50 (the dose therapeutically effective in 50% of the population). The dose ratio between toxic and therapeutic effects is the therapeutic index and it can be expressed as the ratio LD50/ED50. Compounds which exhibit large therapeutic indices are preferred. While compounds that exhibit toxic side effects may be used, care should be taken to design a delivery system that targets such compounds to the site of affected tissue in order to minimize potential damage to uninfected cells and, thereby, reduce side effects.

[0853] The data obtained from the cell culture assays and animal studies can be used in formulating a range of dosage for use in humans. The dosage of such compounds lies preferably within a range of circulating concentrations that include the ED50 with little or no toxicity. The dosage may vary within this range depending upon the dosage form employed and the route of administration utilized. For any compound used in the method of the invention, the therapeutically effective dose can be estimated initially from cell culture assays. A dose may be formulated in animal models to achieve a circulating plasma concentration range that includes the IC50 (i.e., the concentration of the test compound which achieves a half-maximal inhibition of symptoms) as determined in cell culture. Such information can be used to more accurately determine usef uil doses in humans. Levels in plasma may be measured, for example, by high performance liquid chromatography.

[0854] As defined herein, a therapeutically effective amount of polypeptide (i.e., an effective dosage) ranges from about 0.001 to 30 mg/kg body weight, preferably about 0.01 to 25 mg/kg body weight, more preferably about 0.1 to 20 mg/kg body weight, and even more preferably about 1 to 10 mg/kg, 2 to 9 mg/kg, 3 to 8 mg/kg, 4 to 7 mg/kg, or 5 to 6 mg/kg body weight. The skilled artisan will appreciate that certain factors may influence the dosage required to effectively treat a subject, including but not limited to the severity of the disease or disorder, previous treatments, the general health and/or age of the subject, and other diseases present. Moreover, treatment of a subject with a therapeutically effective amount of a polypeptide or antibody can include a single treatment or, preferably, can include a series of treatments.

[0855] In a preferred example, a subject is treated with antibody or polypeptide in the range of between about 0.1 to 20 mg/kg body weight, one time per week for between about 1 to 10 weeks, preferably between 2 to 8 weeks, more preferably between about 3 to 7 weeks, and even more preferably for about 4, 5, or 6 weeks. It will also be appreciated that the effective dosage of antibody or polypeptide used for treatment may increase or decrease over the course of a particular treatment. Changes in dosage may result and become apparent from the results of diagnostic assays as described herein.

[0856] The present invention encompasses agents which modulate expression or activity. An agent may, for example, be a small molecule. For example, such small molecules include, but are not limited to, peptides, peptidomimetics, amino acids, amino acid analogs, polynucleotides, polynucleotide analogs, nucleotides, nucleotide analogs, organic or inorganic compounds (i.e.,. including heteroorganic and organometallic compounds) having a molecular weight less than about 10,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 5,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 1,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 500 grams per mole, and salts, esters, and other pharmaceutically acceptable forms of such compounds. It is understood that appropriate doses of small molecule agents depends upon a number of factors within the ken of the ordinarily skilled physician, veterinarian, or researcher. The dose(s) of the small molecule will vary, for example, depending upon the identity, size, and condition of the subject or sample being treated, further depending upon the route by which the composition is to be administered, if applicable, and the effect which the practitioner desires the small molecule to have upon the nucleic acid or polypeptide of the invention.

[0857] Exemplary doses include milligram or microgram amounts of the small molecule per kilogram of subject or sample weight (e.g., about 1 microgram per kilogram to about 500 milligrams per kilogram, about 100 micrograms per kilogram to about 5 milligrams per kilogram, or about 1 microgram per kilogram to about 50 micrograms per kilogram. It is furthermore understood that appropriate doses of a small molecule depend upon the potency of the small molecule with respect to the expression or activity to be modulated. Such appropriate doses may be determined using the assays described herein. When one or more of these small molecules is to be administered to an animal (e.g., a human) in order to modulate expression or activity of a polypeptide or nucleic acid of the invention, a physician, veterinarian, or researcher may, for example, prescribe a relatively low dose at first, subsequently increasing the dose until an appropriate response is obtained. In addition, it is understood that the specific dose level for any particular animal subject will depend upon a variety of factors including the activity of the specific compound employed, the age, body weight, general health, gender, and diet of the subject, the time of administration, the route of administration, the rate of excretion, any drug combination, and the degree of expression or activity to be modulated.

[0858] Further, an antibody (or fragment thereof) may be conjugated to a therapeutic moiety such as a cytotoxin, a therapeutic agent or a radioactive metal ion. A cytotoxin or cytotoxic agent includes any agent that is detrimental to cells. Examples include taxol, cytochalasin B, gramicidin D, ethidium bromide, emetine, mitomycin, etoposide, tenoposide, vincristine, vinblastine, colchicin, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, dihydroxy anthracin dione, mitoxantrone, mithramycin, actinomycin D, 1-dehydrotestosterone, glucocorticoids, procaine, tetracaine, lidocaine, propranolol, and puromycin and analogs or homologues thereof. Therapeutic agents include, but are not limited to, antimetabolites (e.g., methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, cytarabine, 5-fluorouracil decarbazine), alkylating agents (e.g., mechlorethamine, thioepa chlorambucil, melphalan, carmustine (BSNU) and lomustine (CCNU), cyclothosphamide, busulfan, dibromomannitol, streptozotocin, mitomycin C, and cis-dichlorodiamine platinum (II) (DDP) cisplatin), anthracyclines (e.g., daunorubicin (fo rmerly daunomycin) and doxorubicin), antibiotics (e.g., dactinomycin (formerly actinomycin), bleomycin, mithramycin, and anthramycin (AMC)), and anti-mitotic agents (e.g., vincristine and vinblastine).

[0859] The conjugates of the invention can be used for modifying a given biological response, the drug moiety is not to be construed as limited to classical chemical therapeutic agents. For example, the drug moiety may be a protein or polypeptide possessing a desired biological activity. Such proteins may include, for example, a toxin such as abrin, ricin A, pseudomonas exotoxin, or diphtheria toxin; a protein such as tumor necrosis factor, alpha-interferon, beta-interferon, nerve growth factor, platelet derived growth factor, tissue plasminogen activator; or, biological response modifiers such as, for example, lymphokines, interleukin-1 (“IL-1”), interleukin-2 (“IL-2”), interleukin-6 (“IL-6”), granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (“GM-CSF”), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (“G-CSF”), or other growth factors.

[0860] Techniques for conjugating such therapeutic moiety to antibodies are well known, see, e.g., Amon et al., “Monoclonal Antibodies For Immunotargeting Of Drugs In Cancer Therapy”, in Monoclonal Antibodies And Cancer Therapy, Reisfeld et al. (eds.), pp. 243-56 (Alan R. Liss, Inc. 1985); Hellstrom et al., “Antibodies For Drug Delivery”, in Controlled Drug Delivery (2nd Ed.), Robinson et al. (eds.), pp. 623-53 (Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1987); Thorpe, “Antibody Carriers Of Cytotoxic Agents In Cancer Therapy: A Review”, in Monoclonal Antibodies '84: Biological And Clinical Applications, Pinchera et al. (eds.), pp. 475-506 (1985); “Analysis, Results, And Future Prospective Of The Therapeutic Use Of Radiolabeled Antibody In Cancer Therapy”, in Monoclonal Antibodies For Cancer Detection And Therapy, Baldwin et al. (eds.), pp. 303-16 (Academic Press 1985), and Thorpe et al., “The Preparation And Cytotoxic Properties Of Antibody-Toxin Conjugates”, Immunol. Rev., 62:119-58 (1982). Alternatively, an antibody can be conjugated to a second antibody to form an antibody heteroconjugate as described by Segal in U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,980.

[0861] The nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be inserted into vectors and used as gene therapy vectors. Gene therapy vectors can be delivered to a subject by, for example, intravenous injection, local administration (see U.S. Pat.No. 5,328,470) or by stereotactic injection (see e.g., Chen et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:3054-3057). The pharmaceutical preparation of the gene therapy vector can include the gene therapy vector in an acceptable diluent, or can comprise a slow release matrix in which the gene delivery vehicle is imbedded. Alternatively, where the complete gene delivery vector can be produced intact from recombinant cells, e.g., retroviral vectors, the pharmaceutical preparation can include one or more cells which produce the gene delivery system. The pharmaceutical compositions can be included in a container, pack, or dispenser together with instructions for administration.

[0862] V. Uses and Methods of the Invention

[0863] The nucleic acid molecules, proteins, protein homologues, and antibodies described herein can be used in one or more of the following methods: a) screening assays; b) predictive medicine (e.g., diagnostic assays, prognostic assays, monitoring clinical trials, and pharmacogenetics); and c) methods of treatment (e.g., therapeutic and prophylactic). As described herein, an HST-1 polypeptide of the invention has one or more of the following activities: (1) maintain sugar homeostasis in a cell, (2) influence insulin and/or glucagon secretion, (3) bind a monosaccharide, e.g., D-glucose, D-fructose, and/or D-galactose, and (4) transport monosaccharides across a cell membrane.

[0864] The isolated nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be used, for example, to express HST-1 polypeptides (e.g., via a recombinant expression vector in a host cell in gene therapy applications), to detect HST-1 mRNA (e.g., in a biological sample) or a genetic alteration in an HST-1 gene, and to modulate HST-1 activity, as described further below. The HST-1 polypeptides can be used to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive production of an HST-1 substrate or production of HST-1 inhibitors. In addition, the HST-1 polypeptides can be used to screen for naturally occurring HST-1 substrates, to screen for drugs or compounds which modulate HST-1 activity, as well as to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive production of HST-1 polypeptide or production of HST-1 polypeptide forms which have decreased, aberrant or unwanted activity compared to HST-1 wild type polypeptide (e.g., sugar transporter disorders). Moreover, the anti-HST-1 antibodies of the invention can be used to detect and isolate HST-1 polypeptides, to regulate the bioavailability of HST-1 polypeptides, and modulate HST-1 activity.

[0865] A. Screening Assays

[0866] The invention provides a method (also referred to herein as a “screening assay”) for identifying modulators, i.e., candidate or test compounds or agents (e.g., peptides, peptidomimetics, small molecules or other drugs) which bind to HST-1 polypeptides, have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on, for example, HST-1 expression or HST-1 activity, or have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on, for example, the expression or activity of HST-1 substrate.

[0867] In one embodiment, the invention provides assays for screening candidate or test compounds which are substrates of an HST-1 polypeptide or polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof. In another embodiment, the invention provides assays for screening candidate or test compounds which bind to or modulate the activity of an HST-1 polypeptide or polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof. The test compounds of the present invention can be obtained using any of the numerous approaches in combinatorial library methods known in the art, including: biological libraries; spatially addressable parallel solid phase or solution phase libraries; synthetic library methods requiring deconvolution; the ‘one-bead one-compound’ library method; and synthetic library methods using affinity chromatography selection. The biological library approach is limited to peptide libraries, while the other four approaches are applicable to peptide, non-peptide oligomer or small molecule libraries of compounds (Lam, K. S. (1997) Anticancer Drug Des. 12:145).

[0868] Examples of methods for the synthesis of molecular libraries can be found in the art, for example in: DeWitt et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90:6909; Erb et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:11422; Zuckermann et al. (1994). J. Med. Chem. 37:2678; Cho et al. (1993) Science 261:1303; Carrell et al. (1994) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 33:2059; Carell et al. (1994) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 33:2061; and in Gallop et al. (1994) J. Med. Chem. 37:1233.

[0869] Libraries of compounds may be presented in solution (e.g., Houghten (1992) Biotechniques 13:412-421), or on beads (Lam (1991) Nature 354:82-84), chips (Fodor (1993) Nature 364:555-556), bacteria (Ladner U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409), spores (Ladner U.S. Pat. No. '409), plasmids (Cull et al. (1992) Proc Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:1865-1869) or onphage (Scott and Smith (1990) Science 249:386-390); (Devlin (1990) Science 249:404-406); (Cwirla et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 87:6378-6382); (Felici (1991) J. Mol. Biol. 222:301-310); (Ladner supra.).

[0870] In one embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay in which a cell which expresses an HST-1 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate HST-1 activity is determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate HST-1 activity can be accomplished by monitoring, for example, intracellular or extracellular D-glucose, D-fructose or D-galactose concentration, or insulin or glucagon secretion. The cell, for example, can be of mammalian origin, e.g., a liver cell, fat cell, muscle cell, or a blood cell, such as an erythrocyte.

[0871] The ability of the test compound to modulate HST-1 binding to a substrate or to bind to HST-1 can also be determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate HST-1 binding to a substrate can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the HST-1 substrate with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the HST-1 substrate to HST-1 can be determined by detecting the labeled HST-1 substrate in a complex. Alternatively, HST-1 could be coupled with a radioisotope or enzymatic label to monitor the ability of a test compound to modulate HST-1 binding to an HST-1 substrate in a complex. Determining the ability of the test compound to bind HST-1 can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the compound with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the compound to HST-1 can be determined by detecting the labeled HST-1 compound in a complex. For example, compounds (e.g., HST-1 substrates) can be labeled with ¹²⁵I, ³⁵S, ¹⁴C, or ³H, either directly or indirectly, and the radioisotope detected by direct counting of radioemission or by scintillation counting. Alternatively, compounds can be enzymatically labeled with, for example, horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, or luciferase, and the enzymatic label detected by determination of conversion of an appropriate substrate to product.

[0872] It is also within the scope of this invention to determine the ability of a compound (e.g., an HST-1 substrate) to interact with HST-1 without the labeling of any of the interactants. For example, a microphysiometer can be used to detect the interaction of a compound with HST-1 without the labeling of either the compound or the HST-1. McConnell, H. M. et al. (1992) Science 257:1906-1912. As used herein, a “microphysiometer” (e.g., Cytosensor) is an analytical instrument that measures the rate at which a cell acidifies its environment using a light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS). Changes in this acidification rate can be used as an indicator of the interaction between a compound and HST-1.

[0873] In another embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay comprising contacting a cell expressing an HST-1 target molecule (e.g., an HST-1 substrate) with a test compound and determining the ability of the test compound to modulate (e.g., stimulate or inhibit) the activity of the HST-1 target molecule. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of an HST-1 target molecule can be accomplished, for example, by determining the ability of the HST-1 polypeptide to bind to or interact with the HST-1 target molecule.

[0874] Determining the ability of the HST-1 polypeptide, or a biologically active fragment thereof, to bind to or interact with an HST-1 target molecule can be accomplished by one of the methods described above for determining direct binding. In a preferred embodiment, determining the ability of the HST-1 polypeptide to bind to or interact with an HST-1 target molecule can be accomplished by determining the activity of the target molecule. For example, the activity of the target molecule can be determined by detecting induction of a cellular second messenger of the target (i.e., intracellular Ca²⁺, diacylglycerol, IP₃, and the like), detecting catalytic/enzymatic activity of the target using an appropriate substrate, detecting the induction of a reporter gene (comprising a target-responsive regulatory element operatively linked to a nucleic acid encoding a detectable marker, e.g., luciferase), or detecting a target-regulated cellular response.

[0875] In yet another embodiment, an assay of the present invention is a cell-free assay in which an HST-1 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to bind to the HST-1 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is determined. Preferred biologically active portions of the HST-1 polypeptides to be used in assays of the present invention include fragments which participate in interactions with non-HST-1 molecules, e.g., fragments with high surface probability scores (see, for example, FIG. 15). Binding of the test compound to the HST-1 polypeptide can be determined either directly or indirectly as described above. In a preferred embodiment, the assay includes contacting the HST-1 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof with a known compound which binds HST-1 to form an assay mixture, contacting the assay mixture with a test compound, and determining the ability of the test compound to interact with an HST-1 polypeptide, wherein determining the ability of the test compound to interact with an HST-1 polypeptide comprises determining the ability of the test compound to preferentially bind to HST-1 or biologically active portion thereof as compared to the known compound.

[0876] In another embodiment, the assay is a cell-free assay in which an HST-1 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate (e.g., stimulate or inhibit) the activity of the HST-1 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of an HST-1 polypeptide can be accomplished, for example, by determining the ability of the HST-1 polypeptide to bind to an HST-1 target molecule by one of the methods described above for determining direct binding. Determining the ability of the HST-1 polypeptide to bind to an HST-1 target molecule can also be accomplished using a technology such as real-time Biomolecular Interaction Analysis (BIA). Sjolander, S. and Urbaniczky, C. (1991) Anal. Chem. 63:2338-2345 and Szabo et al. (1995) Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol. 5:699-705. As used herein, “BIA” is a technology for studying biospecific interactions in real time, without labeling any of the interactants (e.g., BIAcore). Changes in the optical phenomenon of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) can be used as an indication of real-time reactions between biological molecules.

[0877] In an alternative embodiment, determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of an HST-1 polypeptide can be accomplished by determining the ability of the HST-1 polypeptide to further modulate the activity of a downstream effector of an HST-1 target molecule. For example, the activity of the effector molecule on an appropriate target can be determined or the binding of the effector to an appropriate target can be determined as previously described.

[0878] In yet another embodiment, the cell-free assay involves contacting an HST-1 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof with a known compound which binds the HST-1 polypeptide to form an assay mixture, contacting the assay mixture with a test compound, and determining the ability of the test compound to interact with the HST-1 polypeptide, wherein determining the ability of the test compound to interact with the HST-1 polypeptide comprises determining the ability of the HST-1 polypeptide to preferentially bind to or modulate the activity of an HST-1 target molecule.

[0879] In more than one embodiment of the above assay methods of the present invention, it may be desirable to immobilize either HST-1 or its target molecule to facilitate separation of complexed from uncomplexed forms of one or both of the proteins, as well as to accommodate automation of the assay. Binding of a test compound to an HST-1 polypeptide, or interaction of an HST-1 polypeptide with a target molecule in the presence and absence of a candidate compound, can be accomplished in any vessel suitable for containing the reactants. Examples of such vessels include microtiter plates, test tubes, and micro-centrifuge tubes. In one embodiment, a fusion protein can be provided which adds a domain that allows one or both of the proteins to be bound to a matrix. For example, glutathione-S-transferase/HST-1 fusion proteins or glutathione-S-transferase/target fusion proteins can be adsorbed onto glutathione sepharose beads (Sigma Chemical, St. Louis, Mo.) or glutathione derivatized micrometer plates, which are then combined with the test compound or the test compound and either the non-adsorbed target protein or HST-1 polypeptide, and the mixture incubated under conditions conducive to complex formation (e.g., at physiological conditions for salt and pH). Following incubation, the beads or micrometer plate wells are washed to remove any unbound components, the matrix immobilized in the case of beads, complex determined either directly or indirectly, for example, as described above. Alternatively, the complexes can be dissociated from the matrix, and the level of HST-1 binding or activity determined using standard techniques.

[0880] Other techniques for immobilizing proteins on matrices can also be used in the screening assays of the invention. For example, either an HST-1 polypeptide or an HST-1 target molecule can be immobilized utilizing conjugation of biotin and streptavidin. Biotinylated HST-1 polypeptide or target molecules can be prepared from biotin-NHS (N-hydroxy-succinimide) using techniques known in the art (e.g., biotinylation kit, Pierce Chemicals, Rockford, Ill.), and immobilized in the wells of streptavidin-coated 96 well plates (Pierce Chemical). Alternatively, antibodies reactive with HST-1 polypeptide or target molecules but which do not interfere with binding of the HST-1 polypeptide to its target molecule can be derivatized to the wells of the plate, and unbound target or HST-1 polypeptide trapped in the wells by antibody conjugation. Methods for detecting such complexes, in addition to those described above for the GST-immobilized complexes, include immunodetection of complexes using antibodies reactive with the HST-1 polypeptide or target molecule, as well as enzyrne-linked assays which rely on detecting an enzymatic activity associated with the HST-1 polypeptide or target molecule.

[0881] In another embodiment, modulators of HST-1 expression are identified in a method wherein a cell is contacted with a candidate compound and the expression of HST-1 mRNA or polypeptide in the cell is deter mnined. The level of expression of HST-1 mRNA or polypeptide in the presence of the candidate compound is compared to the level of expression of HST-1 mRNA or polypeptide in the absence of the candidate compound. The candidate compound can then be identified as a modulator of HST-1 expression based on this comparison. For example, when expression of HST-1 mRNA or polypeptide is greater (statistically significantly greater) in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as a stimulator of HST-1 mRNA or polypeptide expression. Alternatively, when expression of HST-1 mRNA or polypeptide is less (statistically significantly less) in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as an inhibitor of HST-1 mRNA or polypeptide expression. The level of HST-1 mRNA or polypeptide expression in the cells can be determined by methods described herein for detecting HST-1 mRNA or polypeptide.

[0882] In yet another aspect of the invention, the HST-1 polypeptides can be used as “bait proteins” in a two-hybrid assay or three-hybrid assay (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,317; Zervos et al. (1993) Cell 72:223-232; Madura et al. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268:12046-12054; Bartel et al. (1993) Biotechniques 14:920-924; Iwabuchi et al. (1993) Oncogene 8:1693-1696; and Brent W094/10300), to identify other proteins, which bind to or interact with HST-1 ( “IHST-1 -binding proteins” or “HST-1-bp”) and are involved in HST-1 activity. Such HST-1-binding proteins are also likely to be involved in the propagation of signals by the HST-1 polypeptides or HST-1 targets as, for example, downstream elements of an HST-1-mediated signaling pathway. Alternatively, such HST-1-binding proteins are likely to be HST-1 inhibitors.

[0883] The two-hybrid system is based on the modular nature of most transcription factors, which consist of separable DNA-binding and activation domains. Briefly, the assay utilizes two different DNA constructs. In one construct, the gene that codes for an HST-1 polypeptide is fused to a gene encoding the DNA binding domain of a known transcription factor (e.g., GAL-4). In the other construct, a DNA sequence, from a library of DNA sequences, that encodes an unidentified protein (“prey” or “sample”) is fused to a gene that codes for the activation domain of the known transcription factor. If the “bait” and the “prey” proteins are able to interact, in vivo, forming an HST-1-dependent complex, the DNA-binding and activation domains of the transcription factor are brought into close proximity. This proximity allows transcription of a reporter gene (e.g., LacZ) which is operably linked to a transcriptional regulatory site responsive to the transcription factor. Expression of the reporter gene can be detected and cell colonies containing the functional transcription factor can be isolated and used to obtain the cloned gene which encodes the protein which interacts with the HST-1 polypeptide.

[0884] In another aspect, the invention pertains to a combination of two or more of the assays described herein. For example, a modulating agent can be identified using a cell-based or a cell free assay, and the ability of the agent to modulate the activity of an HST-1 polypeptide can be confirmed in vivo, e.g., in an animal such as an animal model for obesity, or diabetes. Examples of animals that can be used include the transgenic mouse described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,932,779 that contains a mutation in an endogenous melanocortin-4-receptor (MC4-R) gene; animals having mutations which lead to syndromes that include obesity symptoms (described in, for example, Friedman, J. M. et al. (1991) Mamm. Gen. 1:130-144; Friedman, J. M. and Liebel, R. L. (1992) Cell 69:217-220; Bray, G. A. (1992) Prog. Brain Res. 93:333-341; and Bray, G. A. (1989) Amer. J. Clin. Nutr. 5:891-902); the animals described in Stubdal H. et al. (2000) Mol. Cell Biol. 20(3):878-82 (the mouse tubby phenotype characterized by maturity-onset obesity); the animals described in Abadie J. M. et al. Lipids (2000) 35(6):613-20 (the obese Zucker rat (ZR), a genetic model of human youth-onset obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus); the animals described in Shaughnessy S. et al. (2000) Diabetes 49(6):904-11 (mice null for the adipocyte fatty acid binding protein); or the animals described in Loskutoff D. J. et al. (2000) Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 902:272-81 (the fat mouse). Other examples of animals that may be used include non-recombinant, non-genetic animal models of obesity such as, for example, rabbit, mouse, or rat models in which the animal has been exposed to either prolonged cold or long-term over-eating, thereby, inducing hypertrophy of BAT and increasing BAT thermogenesis (Himms-Hagen, J. (1990), supra). Additionally, animals created by ablation of BAT through use of targeted expression of a toxin gene (Lowell, B. et al. (1993) Nature 366:740-742) may be used.

[0885] This invention further pertains to novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays. Accordingly, it is within the scope of this invention to further use an agent identified as described herein in an appropriate animal model. For example, an agent identified as described herein (e.g., an HST-1 modulating agent, an antisense HST-1 nucleic acid molecule, an HST-1 -specific antibody, or an HST-1-binding partner) can be used in an animal model to determine the efficacy, toxicity, or side effects of treatment with such an agent. Alternatively, an agent identified as described herein can be used in an animal model to determine the mechanism of action of such an agent. Furthermore, this invention pertains to uses of novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays for treatments as described herein.

[0886] B. Detection Assays

[0887] Portions or fragments of the cDNA sequences identified herein (and the corresponding complete gene sequences) can be used in numerous ways as polynucleotide reagents. For example, these sequences can be used to: (i) map their respective genes on a chromosome; and, thus, locate gene regions associated with genetic disease; (ii) identify an individual from a minute biological sample (tissue typing); and (iii) aid in forensic identification of a biological sample. These applications are described in the subsections below.

[0888] 5 1. Chromosome Mapping

[0889] Once the sequence (or a portion of the sequence) of a gene has been isolated, this sequence can be used to map the location of the gene on a chromosome. This process is called chromosome mapping. Accordingly, portions or fragments of the HST-1 nucleotide sequences, described herein, can be used to map the location of the HST-1 genes on a chromosome. The mapping of the HST-1 sequences to chromosomes is an important first step in correlating these sequences with genes associated with disease.

[0890] Briefly, HST-1 genes can be mapped to chromosomes by preparing PCR primers (preferably 15-25 bp in length) from the HST-1 nucleotide sequences. Computer analysis of the HST-1 sequences can be used to predict primers that do not span more than one exon in the genomic DNA, thus complicating the amplification process. These primers can then be used for PCR screening of somatic cell hybrids containing individual human chromosomes. Only those hybrids containing the human gene corresponding to the HST-1 sequences will yield an amplified fragment.

[0891] Somatic cell hybrids are prepared by fusing somatic cells from different mammals (e.g., human and mouse cells). As hybrids of human and mouse cells grow and divide, they gradually lose human chromosomes in random order, but retain the mouse chromosomes. By using media in which mouse cells cannot grow, because they lack a particular enzyme, but human cells can, the one human chromosome that contains the gene encoding the needed enzyme, will be retained. By using various media, panels of hybrid cell lines can be established. Each cell line in a panel contains either a single human chromosome or a small number of human chromosomes, and a full set of mouse chromosomes, allowing easy mapping of individual genes to specific human chromosomes. (D'Eustachio P. et al. (1983) Science 220:919-924). Somatic cell hybrids containing only fragments of human chromosomes can also be produced by using human chromosomes with translocations and deletions.

[0892] PCR mapping of somatic cell hybrids is a rapid procedure for assigning a particular sequence to a particular chromosome. Three or more sequences can be assigned per day using a single thermal cycler. Using the HST-1 nucleotide sequences to design oligonucleotide primers, sublocalization can be achieved with panels of fragments from specific chromosomes. Other mapping strategies which can similarly be used to map an HST-1 sequence to its chromosome include in situ hybridization (described in Fan, Y. et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 87:6223-27), pre-screening with labeled flow-sorted chromosomes, and pre-selection by hybridization to chromosome specific cDNA libraries.

[0893] Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of a DNA sequence to a metaphase chromosomal spread can further be used to provide a precise chromosomal location in one step. Chromosome spreads can be made using cells whose division has been blocked in metaphase by a chemical such as colcemid that disrupts the mitotic spindle. The chromosomes can be treated briefly with trypsin, and then stained with Giemsa. A pattern of light and dark bands develops on each chromosome, so that the chromosomes can be identified individually. The FISH technique can be used with a DNA sequence as short as 500 or 600 bases. However, clones larger than 1,000 bases have a higher likelihood of binding to a unique chromosomal location with sufficient signal intensity for simple detection. Preferably 1,000 bases, and more preferably 2,000 bases will suffice to get good results at a reasonable amount of time. For a review of this technique, see Verma et al., Human Chromosomes: A Manual of Basic Techniques (Pergamon Press, New York 1988).

[0894] Reagents for chromosome mapping can be used individually to mark a single chromosome or a single site on that chromosome, or panels of reagents can be used for marking multiple sites and/or multiple chromosomes. Reagents corresponding to noncoding regions of the genes actually are preferred for mapping purposes. Coding sequences are more likely to be conserved within gene families, thus increasing the chance of cross hybridizations during chromosomal mapping.

[0895] Once a sequence has been mapped to a precise chromosomal location, the physical position of the sequence on the chromosome can be correlated with genetic map data. (Such data are found, for example, in V. McKusick, Mendelian Inheritance in Man, available on-line through Johns Hopkins University Welch Medical Library). The relationship between a gene and a disease, mapped to the same chromosomal region, can then be identified through linkage analysis (co-inheritance of physically adjacent genes), described in, for example, Egeland, J. et al. (1987) Nature, 325:783-787.

[0896] Moreover, differences in the DNA sequences between individuals affected and unaffected with a disease associated with the HST-1 gene, can be determined. If a mutation is observed in some or all of the affected individuals but not in any unaffected individuals, then the mutation is likely to be the causative agent of the particular disease. Comparison of affected and unaffected individuals generally involves first looking for structural alterations in the chromosomes, such as deletions or translocations that are visible from chromosome spreads or detectable using PCR based on that DNA sequence. Ultimately, complete sequencing of genes from several individuals can be performed to confirm the presence of a mutation and to distinguish mutations from polymorphisms.

[0897] 2. Tissue Typing

[0898] The HST-1 sequences of the present invention can also be used to identify individuals from minute biological samples. The United States military, for example, is considering the use of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) for identification of its personnel. In this technique, an individual's genomic DNA is digested with one or more restriction enzymes, and probed on a Southern blot to yield unique bands for identification. This method does not suffer from the current limitations of “Dog Tags” which can be lost, switched, or stolen, making positive identification difficult. The sequences of the present invention are useful as additional DNA markers for RFLP (described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,057).

[0899] Furthermore, the sequences of the present invention can be used to provide an alternative technique which determines the actual base-by-base DNA sequence of selected portions of an individual's genome. Thus, the HST-1 nucleotide sequences described herein can be used to prepare two PCR primers from the 5′ and 3′ ends of the sequences. These primers can then be used to amplify an individual's DNA and subsequently sequence it.

[0900] Panels of corresponding DNA sequences from individuals, prepared in this manner, can provide unique individual identifications, as each individual will have a unique set of such DNA sequences due to allelic differences. The sequences of the present invention can be used to obtain such identification sequences from individuals and from tissue. The HST-1 nucleotide sequences of the invention uniquely represent portions of the human genome. Allelic variation occurs to some degree in the coding regions of these sequences, and to a greater degree in the noncoding regions. It is estimated that allelic variation between individual humans occurs with a frequency of about once per each 500 bases. Each of the sequences described herein can, to some degree, be used as a standard against which DNA from an individual can be compared for identification purposes. Because greater numbers of polymorphisms occur in the noncoding regions, fewer sequences are necessary to differentiate individuals. The noncoding sequences of SEQ ID NO: 12 can comfortably provide positive individual identification with a panel of perhaps 10 to 1,000 primers which each yield a noncoding amplified sequence of 100 bases. If predicted coding sequences, such as those in SEQ ID NO: 14 are used, a more appropriate number of primers for positive individual identification would be 500-2,000.

[0901] If a panel of reagents from HST-1 nucleotide sequences described herein is used to generate a unique identification database for an individual, those same reagents can later be used to identify tissue from that individual. Using the unique identification database, positive identification of the individual, living or dead, can be made from extremely small tissue samples.

[0902] 3. Use of HST-1 Sequences in Forensic Biology

[0903] DNA-based identification techniques can also be used in forensic biology. Forensic biology is a scientific field employing genetic typing of biological evidence found at a crime scene as a means for positively identifying, for example, a perpetrator of a crime. To make such an identification, PCR technology can be used to amplify DNA sequences taken from very small biological samples such as tissues, e.g., hair or skin, or body fluids, e.g., blood, saliva, or semen found at a crime scene. The amplified sequence can then be compared to a standard, thereby allowing identification of the origin of the biological sample.

[0904] The sequences of the present invention can be used to provide polynucleotide reagents, e.g., PCR primers, targeted to specific loci in the human genome, which can enhance the reliability of DNA-based forensic identifications by, for example, providing another “identification marker” (i.e. another DNA sequence that is unique to a particular individual). As mentioned above, actual base sequence information can be used for identification as an accurate alternative to patterns formed by restriction enzyme generated fragments. Sequences targeted to noncoding regions of SEQ ID NO: 12 are particularly appropriate for this use as greater numbers of polymorphisms occur in the noncoding regions, making it easier to differentiate individuals using this technique. Examples of polynucleotide reagents include the HST-1 nucleotide sequences or portions thereof, e.g., fragments derived from the noncoding regions of SEQ ID NO: 12 having a length of at least 20 bases, preferably at least 30 bases.

[0905] The HST-1 nucleotide sequences described herein can further be used to provide polynucleotide reagents, e.g., labeled or labelable probes which can be used in, for example, an in situ hybridization technique, to identify a specific tissue, e.g., brain tissue. This can be very useful in cases where a forensic pathologist is presented with a tissue of unknown origin. Panels of such HST-1 probes can be used to identify tissue by species and/or by organ type.

[0906] In a similar fashion, these reagents, e.g., HST-1 primers or probes can be used to screen tissue culture for contamination (i.e. screen for the presence of a mixture of different types of cells in a culture).

[0907] C. Predictive Medicine:

[0908] The present invention also pertains to the field of predictive medicine in which diagnostic assays, prognostic assays, and monitoring clinical trials are used for prognostic (predictive) purposes to thereby treat an individual prophylactically. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention relates to diagnostic assays for determining HST-1 polypeptide and/or nucleic acid expression as well as HST-1 activity, in the context of a biological sample (e.g., blood, serum, cells, tissue) to thereby determine whether an individual is afflicted with a disease or disorder, or is at risk of developing a disorder, associated with aberrant or unwanted HST-1 expression or activity. The invention also provides for prognostic (or predictive) assays for determining whether an individual is at risk of developing a disorder associated with HST-1 polypeptide, nucleic acid expression or activity. For example, mutations in an HST-1 gene can be assayed in a biological sample. Such assays can be used for prognostic or predictive purpose to thereby prophylactically treat an individual prior to the onset of a disorder characterized by or associated with HST-1 polypeptide, nucleic acid expression or activity.

[0909] Another aspect of the invention pertains to monitoring the influence of agents (e.g., drugs, compounds) on the expression or activity of HST-1 in clinical trials.

[0910] These and other agents are described in further detail in the following sections.

[0911] 1. Diagnostic Assays

[0912] An exemplary method for detecting the presence or absence of HST-1 polypeptide or nucleic acid in a biological sample involves obtaining a biological sample from a test subject and contacting the biological sample with a compound or an agent capable of detecting HST-1 polypeptide or nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA, or genomic DNA) that encodes HST-1 polypeptide such that the presence of HST-1 polypeptide or nucleic acid is detected in the biological sample. In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for detecting the presence of HST-1 activity in a biological sample by contacting the biological sample with an agent capable of detecting an indicator of HST-1 activity such that the presence of HST-1 activity is detected in the biological sample. A preferred agent for detecting HST-1 mRNA or genomic DNA is a labeled nucleic acid probe capable of hybridizing to HST-1 mRNA or genomic DNA. The nucleic acid probe can be, for example, the HST-1 nucleic acid set forth in SEQ ID NO: 12 or 14, or the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or a portion thereof, such as an oligonucleotide of at least 15, 30, 50, 100, 250 or 500 nucleotides in length and sufficient to specifically hybridize under stringent conditions to HST-1 mRNA or genomic DNA. Other suitable probes for use in the diagnostic assays of the invention are described herein.

[0913] A preferred agent for detecting HST-1 polypeptide is an antibody capable of binding to HST-1 polypeptide, preferably an antibody with a detectable label. Antibodies can be polyclonal, or more preferably, monoclonal. An intact antibody, or a fragment thereof (e.g., Fab or F(ab′)2) can be used. The term “labeled”, with regard to the probe or antibody, is intended to encompass direct labeling of the probe or antibody by coupling (i.e., physically linking) a detectable substance to the probe or antibody, as well as indirect labeling of the probe or antibody by reactivity with another reagent that is directly labeled. Examples of indirect labeling include detection of a primary antibody using a fluorescently labeled secondary antibody and end-labeling of a DNA probe with biotin such that it can be detected with fluorescently labeled streptavidin. The term “biological sample” is intended to include tissues, cells and biological fluids isolated from a subject, as well as tissues, cells and fluids present within a subject. That is, the detection method of the invention can be used to detect HST-1 mRNA, polypeptide, or genomic DNA in a biological sample in vitro as well as in vivo. For example, in vitro techniques for detection of HST-1 mRNA include Northern hybridizations and in situ hybridizations. In vitro techniques for detection of HST-1 polypeptide include enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), Western blots, immunoprecipitations and immunofluorescence. In vitro techniques for detection of HST-1 genomic DNA include Southern hybridizations. Furthermore, in vivo techniques for detection of HST-1 polypeptide include introducing into a subject a labeled anti-HST-1 antibody. For example, the antibody can be labeled with a radioactive marker whose presence and location in a subject can be detected by standard imaging techniques.

[0914] The present invention also provides diagnostic assays for identifying the presence or absence of a genetic alteration characterized by at least one of (i) aberrant modification or mutation of a gene encoding an HST-1 polypeptide; (ii) aberrant expression of a gene encoding an HST-1 polypeptide; (iii) mis-regulation of the gene; and (iv) aberrant post-translational modification of an HST-1 polypeptide, wherein a wild-type form of the gene encodes a polypeptide with an HST-1 activity. “Misexpression or aberrant expression”, as used herein, refers to a non-wild type pattern of gene expression, at the RNA or protein level. It includes, but is not limited to, expression at non-wild type levels (e.g., over or under expression); a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the time or stage at which the gene is expressed (e.g., increased or decreased expression (as compared with wild type) at a predetermined developmental period or stage); a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of decreased expression (as compared with wild type) in a predetermined cell type or tissue type; a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the splicing size, amino acid sequence, post-transitional modification, or biological activity of the expressed polypeptide; a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the effect of an environmental stimulus or extracellular stimulus on expression of the gene (e.g., a pattern of increased or decreased expression (as compared with wild type) in the presence of an increase or decrease in the strength of the stimulus).

[0915] In one embodiment, the biological sample contains protein molecules from the test subject. Alternatively, the biological sample can contain mRNA molecules from the test subject or genomic DNA molecules from the test subject. A preferred biological sample is a serum sample isolated by conventional means from a subject.

[0916] In another embodiment, the methods further involve obtaining a control biological sample from a control subject, contacting the control sample with a compound or agent capable of detecting HST-1 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA, such that the presence of HST-1 polypeptide, mRNA or genomic DNA is detected in the biological sample, and comparing the presence of HST-1 polypeptide, mRNA or genomic DNA in the control sample with the presence of HST-1 polypeptide, mRNA or genomic DNA in the test sample.

[0917] The invention also encompasses kits for detecting the presence of HST-1 in a biological sample. For example, the kit can comprise a labeled compound or agent capable of detecting HST-1 polypeptide or mRNA in a biological sample; means for determining the amount of HST-1 in the sample; and means for comparing the amount of HST-1 in the sample with a standard. The compound or agent can be packaged in a suitable container. The kit can further comprise instructions for using the kit to detect HST-1 polypeptide or nucleic acid.

[0918] 2. Prognostic Assays

[0919] The diagnostic methods described herein can furthermore be utilized to identify subjects having or at risk of developing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HST-1 expression or activity. As used herein, the term “aberrant” includes an HST-1 expression or activity which deviates from the wild type HST-1 expression or activity. Aberrant expression or activity includes increased or decreased expression or activity, as well as expression or activity which does not follow the wild type developmental pattern of expression or the subcellular pattern of expression. For example, aberrant HST-1 expression or activity is intended to include the cases in which a mutation in the HST-1 gene causes the HST-1 gene to be under-expressed or over-expressed and situations in which such mutations result in a non-functional HST-1 polypeptide or a polypeptide which does not function in a wild-type fashion, e.g., a polypeptide which does not interact with an HST-1 substrate, e.g., a sugar transporter subunit or ligand, or one which interacts with a non-HST-1 substrate, e.g. a non-sugar transporter subunit or ligand. As used herein, the term “unwanted” includes an unwanted phenomenon involved in a biological response, such as cellular proliferation. For example, the term unwanted includes an HST-1 expression or activity which is undesirable in a subject.

[0920] The assays described herein, such as the preceding diagnostic assays or the following assays, can be utilized to identify a subject having or at risk of developing a disorder associated with a misregulation in HST-1 polypeptide activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a sugar transporter disorder. Alternatively, the prognostic assays can be utilized to identify a subject having or at risk for developing a disorder associated with a misregulation in HST-1 polypeptide activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a sugar transporter disorder. Thus, the present invention provides a method for identifying a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HST-1 expression or activity in which a test sample is obtained from a subject and HST-1 polypeptide or nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA or genomic DNA) is detected, wherein the presence of HST-1 polypeptide or nucleic acid is diagnostic for a subject having or at risk of developing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HST-1 expression or activity. As used herein, a “test sample” refers to a biological sample obtained from a subject of interest. For example, a test sample can be a biological fluid (e.g., serum), cell sample, or tissue.

[0921] Furthermore, the prognostic assays described herein can be used to determine whether a subject can be administered an agent (e.g., an agonist, antagonist, peptidomimetic, protein, peptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or other drug candidate) to treat a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HST-1 expression or activity. For example, such methods can be used to determine whether a subject can be effectively treated with an agent for a sugar transporter disorder. Thus, the present invention provides methods for determining whether a subject can be effectively treated with an agent for a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HST-1 expression or activity in which a test sample is obtained and HST-1 polypeptide or nucleic acid expression or activity is detected (e.g., wherein the abundance of HST-1 polypeptide or nucleic acid expression or activity is diagnostic for a subject that can be administered the agent to treat a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HST-1 expression or activity).

[0922] The methods of the invention can also be used to detect genetic alterations in an HST-1 gene, thereby determining if a subject with the altered gene is at risk for a disorder characterized by misregulation in HST-1 polypeptide activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a sugar transporter disorder, a sugar homeostasis disorder, or a disorder of cellular growth, differentiation, or migration. In preferred embodiments, the methods include detecting, in a sample of cells from the subject, the presence or absence of a genetic alteration characterized by at least one of an alteration affecting the integrity of a gene encoding an HST-1 -polypeptide, or the mis-expression of the HST-1 gene. For example, such genetic alterations can be detected by ascertaining the existence of at least one of 1) a deletion of one or more nucleotides from an HST-1 gene; 2) an addition of one or more nucleotides to an HST-1 gene; 3) a substitution of one or more nucleotides of an HST-1 gene, 4) a chromosomal rearrangement of an HST-1 gene; 5) an alteration in the level of a messenger RNA transcript of an HST-1 gene, 6) aberrant modification of an HST-1 gene, such as of the methylation pattern of the genomic DNA, 7) the presence of a non-wild type splicing pattern of a messenger RNA transcript of an HST-1 gene, 8) a non-wild type level of an HST-1-polypeptide, 9) allelic loss of an HST-1 gene, and 10) inappropriate post-translational modification of an HST-1-polypeptide. As described herein, there are a large number of assays known in the art which can be used for detecting alterations in an HST-1 gene. A preferred biological sample is a tissue or serum sample isolated by conventional means from a subject.

[0923] In certain embodiments, detection of the alteration involves the use of a probe/primer in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195 and 4,683,202), such as anchor PCR or RACE PCR, or, alternatively, in a ligation chain reaction (LCR) (see, e.g., Landegran et al. (1988) Science 241:1077-1080; and Nakazawa et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:360-364), the latter of which can be particularly useful for detecting point mutations in the HST-1-gene (see Abravaya et al. (1995) Nucleic Acids Res. 23:675-628). This method can include the steps of collecting a sample of cells from a subject, isolating nucleic acid (e.g., genomic, mRNA or both) from the cells of the sample, contacting the nucleic acid sample with one or more primers which specifically hybridize to an HST-1 gene under conditions such that hybridization and amplification of the HST-1-gene (if present) occurs, and detecting the presence or absence of an amplification product, or detecting the size of the amplification product and comparing the length to a control sample. It is anticipated that PCR and/or LCR may be desirable to use as a preliminary amplification step in conjunction with any of the techniques used for detecting mutations described herein.

[0924] Alternative amplification methods include: self sustained sequence replication (Guatelli, J. C. et al., (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:1874-1878), transcriptional amplification system (Kwoh, D. Y. et al., (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:1173-1177), Q-Beta Replicase (Lizardi, P. M. et al. (1988) Bio-Technology 6:1197), or any other nucleic acid amplification method, followed by the detection of the amplified molecules using techniques well known to those of skill in the art. These detection schemes are especially useful for the detection of nucleic acid molecules if such molecules are present in very low numbers.

[0925] In an alternative embodiment, mutations in an HST-1 gene from a sample cell can be identified by alterations in restriction enzyme cleavage patterns. For example, sample and control DNA is isolated, amplified (optionally), digested with one or more restriction endonucleases, and fragment length sizes are determined by gel electrophoresis and compared. Differences in fragment length sizes between sample and control DNA indicates mutations in the sample DNA. Moreover, the use of sequence specific ribozymes (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,531) can be used to score for the presence of specific mutations by development or loss of a ribozyme cleavage site.

[0926] In other embodiments, genetic mutations in HST-1 can be identified by hybridizing a sample and control nucleic acids, e.g., DNA or RNA, to high density arrays containing hundreds or thousands of oligonucleotides probes (Cronin, M. T. et al. (1996) Human Mutation 7: 244-255; Kozal, M. J. et al. (1996) Nature Medicine 2: 753-759). For example, genetic mutations in HST-1 can be identified in two dimensional arrays containing light-generated DNA probes as described in Cronin, M. T. et al. supra. Briefly, a first hybridization array of probes can be used to scan through long stretches of DNA in a sample and control to identify base changes between the sequences by making linear arrays of sequential overlapping probes. This step allows the identification of point mutations. This step is followed by a second hybridization array that allows the characterization of specific mutations by using smaller, specialized probe arrays complementary to all variants or mutations detected. Each mutation array is composed of parallel probe sets, one complementary to the wild-type gene and the other complementary to the mutant gene.

[0927] In yet another embodiment, any of a variety of sequencing reactions known in the art can be used to directly sequence the HST-1 gene and detect mutations by comparing the sequence of the sample HST-1 with the corresponding wild-type (control) sequence. Examples of sequencing reactions include those based on techniques developed by Maxam and Gilbert ((1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:560) or Sanger ((1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:5463). It is also contemplated that any of a variety of automated sequencing procedures can be utilized when performing the diagnostic assays ((1995) Biotechniques 19:448), including sequencing by mass spectrometry (see, e.g., PCT International Publication No. WO 94/16101; Cohen et al. (1996) Adv. Chromatogr. 36:127-162; and Griffin et al. (1993) Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 38:147-159).

[0928] Other methods for detecting mutations in the HST-1 gene include methods in which protection from cleavage agents is used to detect mismatched bases in RNA/RNA or RNA/DNA heteroduplexes (Myers et al. (1985) Science 230:1242). In general, the art technique of “mismatch cleavage” starts by providing heteroduplexes of formed by hybridizing (labeled) RNA or DNA containing the wild-type HST-1 sequence with potentially mutant RNA or DNA obtained from a tissue sample. The double-stranded duplexes are treated with an agent which cleaves single-stranded regions of the duplex such as which will exist due to basepair mismatches between the control and sample strands. For instance, RNA/DNA duplexes can be treated with RNase and DNA/DNA hybrids treated with S1 nuclease to enzymatically digesting the mismatched regions. In other embodiments, either DNA/DNA or RNA/DNA duplexes can be treated with hydroxylamine or osmium tetroxide and with piperidine in order to digest mismatched regions. After digestion of the mismatched regions, the resulting material is then separated by size on denaturing polyacrylamide gels to determine the site of mutation. See, for example, Cotton et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:4397; Saleeba et al. (1992) Methods Enzymol. 217:286-295. In a preferred embodiment, the control DNA or RNA can be labeled for detection.

[0929] In still another embodiment, the mismatch cleavage reaction employs one or more proteins that recognize mismatched base pairs in double-stranded DNA (so called “DNA mismatch repair” enzymes) in defined systems for detecting and mapping point mutations in HST-1 cDNAs obtained from samples of cells. For example, the mutY enzyme of E. coli cleaves A at G/A mismatches and the thymidine DNA glycosylase from HeLa cells cleaves T at G/T mismatches (Hsu et al. (1994) Carcinogenesis 15:1657-1662). According to an exemplary embodiment, a probe based on an HST-1 sequence, e.g., a wild-type HST-1 sequence, is hybridized to a cDNA or other DNA product from a test cell(s). The duplex is treated with a DNA mismatch repair enzyme, and the cleavage products, if any, can be detected from electrophoresis protocols or the like. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,039.

[0930] In other embodiments, alterations in electrophoretic mobility will be used to identify mutations in HST-1 genes. For example, single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) may be used to detect differences in electrophoretic mobility between mutant and wild type nucleic acids (Orita et al. (1989) Proc Natl. Acad. Sci USA: 86:2766, see also Cotton (1993) Mutat. Res. 285:125-144; and Hayashi (1992) Genet. Anal. Tech. Appl. 9:73-79). Single-stranded DNA fragments of sample and control HST-1 nucleic acids will be denatured and allowed to renature. The secondary structure of single-stranded nucleic acids varies according to sequence, the resulting alteration in electrophoretic mobility enables the detection of even a single base change. The DNA fragments may be labeled or detected with labeled probes. The sensitivity of the assay may be enhanced by using RNA (rather than DNA), in which the secondary structure is more sensitive to a change in sequence. In a preferred embodiment, the subject method utilizes heteroduplex analysis to separate double stranded heteroduplex molecules on the basis of changes in electrophoretic mobility (Keen et al. (1991) Trends Genet 7:5).

[0931] In yet another embodiment the movement of mutant or wild-type fragments in polyacrylamide gels containing a gradient of denaturant is assayed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) (Myers et al. (1985) Nature 313:495). When DGGE is used as the method of analysis, DNA will be modified to insure that it does not completely denature, for example by adding a GC clamp of approximately 40 bp of high-melting GC-rich DNA by PCR. In a further embodiment, a temperature gradient is used in place of a denaturing gradient to identify differences in the mobility of control and sample DNA (Rosenbaum and Reissner (1987) Biophys Chem 265:12753).

[0932] Examples of other techniques for detecting point mutations include, but are not limited to, selective oligonucleotide hybridization, selective amplification, or selective primer extension. For example, oligonucleotide primers may be prepared in which the known mutation is placed centrally and then hybridized to target DNA under conditions which permit hybridization only if a perfect match is found (Saiki et al. (1986) Nature 324:163); Saiki et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6230). Such allele specific oligonucleotides are hybridized to PCR amplified target DNA or a number of different mutations when the oligonucleotides are attached to the hybridizing membrane and hybridized with labeled target DNA.

[0933] Alternatively, allele specific amplification technology which depends on selective PCR amplification may be used in conjunction with the instant invention. Oligonucleotides used as primers for specific amplification may carry the mutation of interest in the center of the molecule (so that amplification depends on differential hybridization) (Gibbs et al. (1989) Nucleic Acids Res. 17:2437-2448) or at the extreme 3′ end of one primer where, under appropriate conditions, mismatch can prevent, or reduce polymerase extension (Prossner (1993) Tibtech 11:238). In addition it may be desirable to introduce a novel restriction site in the region of the mutation to create cleavage-based detection (Gasparini et al. (1992) Mol. Cell Probes 6:1). It is anticipated that in certain embodiments amplification may also be performed using Taq ligase for amplification (Barany (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 88:189). In such cases, ligation will occur only if there is a perfect match at the 3′ end of the 5′ sequence making it possible to detect the presence of a known mutation at a specific site by looking for the presence or absence of amplification.

[0934] The methods described herein may be performed, for example, by utilizing pre-packaged diagnostic kits comprising at least one probe nucleic acid or antibody reagent described herein, which may be conveniently used, e.g., in clinical settings to diagnose patients exhibiting symptoms or family history of a disease or illness involving an HST-1 gene.

[0935] Furthermore, any cell type or tissue in which HST-1 is expressed may be utilized in the prognostic assays described herein.

[0936] 3. Monitoring of Effects During Clinical Trials

[0937] Monitoring the influence of agents (e.g., drugs) on the expression or activity of an HST-1 polypeptide (e.g., the modulation of sugar transport) can be applied not only in basic drug screening, but also in clinical trials. For example, the effectiveness of an agent determined by a screening assay as described herein to increase HST-1 gene expression, polypeptide levels, or upregulate HST-1 activity, can be monitored in clinical trials of subjects exhibiting decreased HST-1 gene expression, polypeptide levels, or downregulated HST-1 activity. Alternatively, the effectiveness of an agent determined by a screening assay to decrease HST-1 gene expression, polypeptide levels, or downregulate HST-1 activity, can be monitored in clinical trials of subjects exhibiting increased HST-1 gene expression, polypeptide levels, or upregulated HST-1 activity. In such clinical trials, the expression or activity of an HST-1 gene, and preferably, other genes that have been implicated in, for example, an HST-1-associated disorder can be used as a “read out” or markers of the phenotype of a particular cell.

[0938] For example, and not by way of limitation, genes, including HST-1, that are modulated in cells by treatment with an agent (e.g., compound, drug or small molecule) which modulates HST-1 activity (e.g., identified in a screening assay as described herein) can be identified. Thus, to study the effect of agents on HST-1-associated disorders (e.g., disorders characterized by deregulated signaling or sugar transport), for example, in a clinical trial, cells can be isolated and RNA prepared and analyzed for the levels of expression of HST-1 and other genes implicated in the HST-1-associated disorder, respectively. The levels of gene expression (e.g., a gene expression pattern) can be quantified by northern blot analysis or RT-PCR, as described herein, or alternatively by measuring the amount of polypeptide produced, by one of the methods as described herein, or by measuring the levels of activity of HST-1 or other genes. In this way, the gene expression pattern can serve as a marker, indicative of the physiological response of the cells to the agent. Accordingly, this response state may be determined before, and at various points during treatment of the individual with the agent.

[0939] In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method for monitoring the effectiveness of treatment of a subject with an agent (e.g., an agonist, antagonist, peptidomimetic, protein, peptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or other drug candidate identified by the screening assays described herein) including the steps of (i) obtaining a pre-administration sample from a subject prior to administration of the agent; (ii) detecting the level of expression of an HST-1 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the preadministration sample; (iii) obtaining one or more post-administration samples from the subject; (iv) detecting the level of expression or activity of the HST-1 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the post-administration samples; (v) comparing the level of expression or activity of the HST-1 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the pre-administration sample with the HST-1 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the post administration sample or samples; and (vi) altering the administration of the agent to the subject accordingly. For example, increased administration of the agent may be desirable to increase the expression or activity of HST-1 to higher levels than detected, i.e., to increase the effectiveness of the agent. Alternatively, decreased administration of the agent may be desirable to decrease expression or activity of HST-1 to lower levels than detected, i.e. to decrease the effectiveness of the agent. According to such an embodiment, HST-1 expression or activity may be used as an indicator of the effectiveness of an agent, even in the absence of an observable phenotypic response.

[0940] 4. Electronic Apparatus Readable Media and Arrays

[0941] Electronic apparatus readable media comprising HST-1 sequence information is also provided. As used herein, “HST-1 sequence information” refers to any nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence information particular to the HST-1 molecules of the present invention, including but not limited to full-length nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, partial nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, polymorphic sequences including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), epitope sequences, and the like. Moreover, information “related to” said HST-1 sequence information includes detection of the presence or absence of a sequence (e.g., detection of expression of a sequence, fragment, polymorphism, etc.), determination of the level of a sequence (e.g., detection of a level of expression, for example, a quantitative detection), detection of a reactivity to a sequence (e.g., detection of protein expression and/or levels, for example, using a sequence-specific antibody), and the like. As used herein, “electronic apparatus readable media” refers to any suitable medium for storing, holding or containing data or information that can be read and accessed directly by an electronic apparatus. Such media can include, but are not limited to: magnetic storage media, such as floppy discs, hard disc storage medium, and magnetic tape; optical storage media such as compact disc; electronic storage media such as RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM and the like; general hard disks and hybrids of these categories such as magnetic/optical storage media. The medium is adapted or configured for having recorded thereon HST-1 sequence information of the present invention.

[0942] As used herein, the term “electronic apparatus” is intended to include any suitable computing or processing apparatus or other device configured or adapted for storing data or information. Examples of electronic apparatus suitable for use with the present invention include stand-alone computing apparatus; networks, including a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) Internet, Intranet, and Extranet; electronic appliances such as a personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular phone, pager and the like; and local and distributed processing systems.

[0943] As used herein, “recorded” refers to a process for storing or encoding information on the electronic apparatus readable medium. Those skilled in the art can readily adopt any of the presently known methods for recording information on known media to generate manufactures comprising the HST-1 sequence information.

[0944] A variety of software programs and formats can be used to store the sequence information on the electronic apparatus readable medium. For example, the sequence information can be represented in a word processing text file, formatted in commercially-available software such as WordPerfect and Microsoft Word, or represented in the form of an ASCII file, stored in a database application, such as DB2, Sybase, Oracle, or the like, as well as in other forms. Any number of dataprocessor structuring formats (e.g., text file or database) may be employed in order to obtain or create a medium having recorded thereon the HST-1 sequence information.

[0945] By providing HST-1 sequence information in readable form, one can routinely access the sequence information for a variety of purposes. For example, one skilled in the art can use the sequence information in readable form to compare a target sequence or target structural motif with the sequence information stored within the data storage means. Search means are used to identify fragments or regions of the sequences of the invention which match a particular target sequence or target motif.

[0946] The present invention therefore provides a medium for holding instructions for performing a method for determining whether a subject has a HST-1-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a HST-1-associated disease or disorder, wherein the method comprises the steps of determining HST-1 sequence information associated with the subject and based on the HST-1 sequence information, determining whether the subject has a HST-1-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a HST-1-associated disease or disorder and/or recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[0947] The present invention further provides in an electronic system and/or in a network, a method for determining whether a subject has a HST-1-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a disease associated with a HST-1 wherein the method comprises the steps of determining HST-1 sequence information associated with the subject, and based on the HST-1 sequence information, determining whether the subject has a HST-1-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a HST-1-associated disease or disorder, and/or recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition. The method may further comprise the step of receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject and/or acquiring from a network phenotypic information associated with the subject.

[0948] The present invention also provides in a network, a method for determining whether a subject has a HST-1-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a HST-1-associated disease or disorder associated with HST-1, said method comprising the steps of receiving HST-1 sequence information from the subject and/or information related thereto, receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject, acquiring information from the network corresponding to HST-1 and/or a HST-1-associated disease or disorder, and based on one or more of the phenotypic information, the HST-1 information (e.g., sequence information and/or information related thereto), and the acquired information, determining whether the subject has a HST-1-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a HST-1-associated disease or disorder. The method may further comprise the step of recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[0949] The present invention also provides a business method for determining whether a subject has a HST-1-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a HST-1-associated disease or disorder, said method comprising the steps of receiving information related to HST-1 (e.g., sequence information and/or information related thereto), receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject, acquiring information from the network related to HST-1 and/or related to a HST-1-associated disease or disorder, and based on one or more of the phenotypic information, the HST-1 information, and the acquired information, determining whether the subject has a HST-1-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a HST-1-associated disease or disorder. The method may further comprise the step of recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[0950] The invention also includes an array comprising a HST-1 sequence of the present invention. The array can be used to assay expression of one or more genes in the array. In one embodiment, the array can be used to assay gene expression in a tissue to ascertain tissue specificity of genes in the array. In this manner, up to about 7600 genes can be simultaneously assayed for expression, one of which can be HST-1. This allows a profile to be developed showing a battery of genes specifically expressed in one or more tissues.

[0951] In addition to such qualitative determination, the invention allows the quantitation of gene expression. Thus, not only tissue specificity, but also the level of expression of a battery of genes in the tissue is ascertainable. Thus, genes can be grouped on the basis of their tissue expression per se and level of expression in that tissue. This is useful, for example, in ascertaining the relationship of gene expression between or among tissues. Thus, one tissue can be perturbed and the effect on gene expression in a second tissue can be determined. In this context, the effect of one cell type on another cell type in response to a biological stimulus can be determined. Such a determination is useful, for example, to know the effect of cell-cell interaction at the level of gene expression. If an agent is administered therapeutically to treat one cell type but has an undesirable effect on another cell type, the invention provides an assay to determine the molecular basis of the undesirable effect and thus provides the opportunity to co-administer a counteracting agent or otherwise treat the undesired effect. Similarly, even within a single cell type, undesirable biological effects can be determined at the molecular level. Thus, the effects of an agent on expression of other than the target gene can be ascertained and counteracted.

[0952] In another embodiment, the array can be used to monitor the time course of expression of one or more genes in the array. This can occur in various biological contexts, as disclosed herein, for example development of a HST-1-associated disease or disorder, progression of HST-1-associated disease or disorder, and processes, such a cellular transformation associated with the HST-1-associated disease or disorder.

[0953] The array is also useful for ascertaining the effect of the expression of a gene on the expression of other genes in the same cell or in different cells (e.g., ascertaining the effect of HST-1 expression on the expression of other genes). This provides, for example, for a selection of alternate molecular targets for therapeutic intervention if the ultimate or downstream target cannot be regulated.

[0954] The array is also useful for ascertaining differential expression patterns of one or more genes in normal and abnormal cells. This provides a battery of genes (e.g., including HST-1) that could serve as a molecular target for diagnosis or therapeutic intervention.

[0955] D. Methods of Treatment

[0956] The present invention provides for both prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treating a subject at risk of (or susceptible to) a disorder or having a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HST-1 expression or activity, e.g. a sugar transporter disorder. With regards to both prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treatment, such treatments may be specifically tailored or modified, based on knowledge obtained from the field of pharmacogenomics. “Pharnacogenomics”, as used herein, refers to the application of genomics technologies such as gene sequencing, statistical genetics, and gene expression analysis to drugs in clinical development and on the market. More specifically, the term refers the study of how a patient's genes determine his or her response to a drug (e.g., a patient's “drug response phenotype”, or “drug response genotype”). Thus, another aspect of the invention provides methods for tailoring an individual's prophylactic or therapeutic treatment with either the HST-1 molecules of the present invention or HST-1 modulators according to that individual's drug response genotype. Pharmacogenomics allows a clinician or physician to target prophylactic or therapeutic treatments to patients who will most benefit from the treatment and to avoid treatment of patients who will experience toxic drug-related side effects.

[0957] Treatment is defined as the application or administration of a therapeutic agent to a patient, or application or administration of a therapeutic agent to an isolated tissue or cell line from a patient, who has a disease, a symptom of disease or a predisposition toward a disease, with the purpose to cure, heal, alleviate, relieve, alter, remedy, ameliorate, improve or affect the disease, the symptoms of disease or the predisposition toward disease.

[0958] A therapeutic agent includes, but is not limited to, small molecules, peptides, antibodies, ribozymes and antisense oligonucleotides.

[0959] 1. Prophylactic Methods

[0960] In one aspect, the invention provides a method for preventing in a subject, a disease or condition associated with an aberrant or unwanted HST-1 expression or activity, by administering to the subject an HST-1 or an agent which modulates HST-1 expression or at least one HST-1 activity. Subjects at risk for a disease which is caused or contributed to by aberrant or unwanted HST-1 expression or activity can be identified by, for example, any or a combination of diagnostic or prognostic assays as described herein. Administration of a prophylactic agent can occur prior to the manifestation of symptoms characteristic of the HST-1 aberrancy, such that a disease or disorder is prevented or, alternatively, delayed in its progression. Depending on the type of HST-1 aberrancy, for example, an HST-1, HST-1 agonist or HST-1 antagonist agent can be used for treating the subject. The appropriate agent can be determined based on screening assays described herein.

[0961] 2. Therapeutic Methods

[0962] Another aspect of the invention pertains to methods of modulating HST-1 expression or activity for therapeutic purposes. Accordingly, in an exemplary embodiment, the modulatory method of the invention involves contacting a cell capable of expressing HST-1 with an agent that modulates one or more of the activities of HST-1 polypeptide activity associated with the cell, such that HST-1 activity in the cell is modulated. An agent that modulates HST-1 polypeptide activity can be an agent as described herein, such as a nucleic acid or a polypeptide, a naturally-occurring target molecule of an HST-1 polypeptide (e.g., an HST-1 substrate), an HST-1 antibody, an HST-1 agonist or antagonist, a peptidomimetic of an HST-1 agonist or antagonist, or other small molecule. In one embodiment, the agent stimulates one or more HST-1 activities. Examples of such stimulatory agents include active HST-1 polypeptide and a nucleic acid molecule encoding HST-1 that has been introduced into the cell. In another embodiment, the agent inhibits one or more HST-1 activities. Examples of such inhibitory agents include antisense HST-1 nucleic acid molecules, anti-HST-1 antibodies, and HST-1 inhibitors. These modulatory methods can be performed in vitro (e.g., by culturing the cell with the agent) or, alternatively, in vivo (e.g., by administering the agent to a subject). As such, the present invention provides methods of treating an individual afflicted with a disease or disorder characterized by aberrant or unwanted expression or activity of an HST-1 polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule. In one embodiment, the method involves administering an agent (e.g., an agent identified by a screening assay described herein), or combination of agents that modulates (e.g., upregulates or downregulates) HST-1 expression or activity. In another embodiment, the method involves administering an HST-1 polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule as therapy to compensate for reduced, aberrant, or unwanted HST-1 expression or activity.

[0963] Stimulation of HST-1 activity is desirable in situations in which HST-1 is abnormally downregulated and/or in which increased HST-1 activity is likely to have a beneficial effect. Likewise, inhibition of HST-1 activity is desirable in situations in which HST-1 is abnormally upregulated and/or in which decreased HST-1 activity is likely to have a beneficial effect.

[0964] 3. Pharmacogenomics

[0965] The HST-1 molecules of the present invention, as well as agents, or modulators which have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on HST-1 activity (e.g., HST-1 gene expression) as identified by a screening assay described herein can be administered to individuals to treat (prophylactically or therapeutically) HST-1-associated disorders (e.g., proliferative disorders) associated with aberrant or unwanted HST-1 activity. In conjunction with such treatment, pharmacogenomics (i.e., the study of the relationship between an individual's genotype and that individual's response to a foreign compound or drug) may be considered. Differences in metabolism of therapeutics can lead to severe toxicity or therapeutic failure by altering the relation between dose and blood concentration of the pharmacologically active drug. Thus, a physician or clinician may consider applying knowledge obtained in relevant pharmacogenomics studies in determining whether to administer an HST-1 molecule or HST-1 modulator as well as tailoring the dosage and/or therapeutic regimen of treatment with an HST-1 molecule or HST-1 modulator.

[0966] Pharmacogenomics deals with clinically significant hereditary variations in the response to drugs due to altered drug disposition and abnormal action in affected persons. See, for example, Eichelbaum, M. et al. (1996) Clin. Exp. Pharmacol Physiol. 23(10-11): 983-985 and Linder, M. W. et al. (1997) Clin. Chem. 43(2):254-266. In general, two types of pharmacogenetic conditions can be differentiated. Genetic conditions transmitted as a single factor altering the way drugs act on the body (altered drug action) or genetic conditions transmitted as single factors altering the way the body acts on drugs (altered drug metabolism). These pharmacogenetic conditions can occur either as rare genetic defects or as naturally-occurring polymorphisms. For example, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD) is a common inherited enzymopathy in which the main clinical complication is haemolysis after ingestion of oxidant drugs (anti-malarials, sulfonamides, analgesics, nitrofurans) and consumption of fava beans.

[0967] One pharmacogenomics approach to identifying genes that predict drug response, known as “a genome-wide association”, relies primarily on a high-resolution map of the human genome consisting of already known gene-related markers (e.g., a “bi-allelic” gene marker map which consists of 60,000-100,000 polymorphic or variable sites on the human genome, each of which has two variants.) Such a high-resolution genetic map can be compared to a map of the genome of each of a statistically significant number of patients taking part in a Phase II/III drug trial to identify markers associated with a particular observed drug response or side effect. Alternatively, such a high resolution map can be generated from a combination of some ten-million known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human genome. As used herein, a “SNP” is a common alteration that occurs in a single nucleotide base in a stretch of DNA. For example, a SNP may occur once per every 1000 bases of DNA. A SNP may be involved in a disease process, however, the vast majority may not be disease-associated. Given a genetic map based on the occurrence of such SNPs, individuals can be grouped into genetic categories depending on a particular pattern of SNPs in their individual genome. In such a manner, treatment regimens can be tailored to groups of genetically similar individuals, taking into account traits that may be common among such genetically similar individuals.

[0968] Alternatively, a method termed the “candidate gene approach”, can be utilized to identify genes that predict drug response. According to this method, if a gene that encodes a drugs target is known (e.g., an HST-1 polypeptide of the present invention), all common variants of that gene can be fairly easily identified in the population and it can be determined if having one version of the gene versus another is associated with a particular drug response.

[0969] As an illustrative embodiment, the activity of drug metabolizing enzymes is a major determinant of both the intensity and duration of drug action. The discovery of genetic polymorphisms of drug metabolizing enzymes (e.g., N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT 2) and cytochrome P450 enzymes CYP2D6 and CYP2C19) has provided an explanation as to why some patients do not obtain the expected drug effects or show exaggerated drug response and serious toxicity after taking the standard and safe dose of a drug. These polymorphisms are expressed in two phenotypes in the population, the extensive metabolizer (EM) and poor metabolizer (PM). The prevalence of PM is different among different populations. For example, the gene coding for CYP2D6 is highly polymorphic and several mutations have been identified in PM, which all lead to the absence of functional CYP2D6. Poor metabolizers of CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 quite frequently experience exaggerated drug response and side effects when they receive standard doses. If a metabolite is the active therapeutic moiety, PM show no therapeutic response, as demonstrated for the analgesic effect of codeine mediated by its CYP2D6-formed metabolite morphine. The other extreme are the so called ultra-rapid metabolizers who do not respond to standard doses. Recently, the molecular basis of ultra-rapid metabolism has been identified to be due to CYP2D6 gene amplification.

[0970] Alternatively, a method termed the “gene expression profiling”, can be utilized to identify genes that predict drug response. For example, the gene expression of an animal dosed with a drug (e.g., an HST-1 molecule or HST-1 modulator of the present invention) can give an indication whether gene pathways related to toxicity have been turned on.

[0971] Information generated from more than one of the above pharmacogenomics approaches can be used to determine appropriate dosage and treatment regimens for prophylactic or therapeutic treatment an individual. This knowledge, when applied to dosing or drug selection, can avoid adverse reactions or therapeutic failure and thus enhance therapeutic or prophylactic efficiency when treating a subject with an HST-1 molecule or HST-1 modulator, such as a modulator identified by one of the exemplary screening assays described herein.

[0972] 4. Use of HST-1 Molecules as Surrogate Markers

[0973] The HST-1 molecules of the invention are also useful as markers of disorders or disease states, as markers for precursors of disease states, as markers for predisposition of disease states, as markers of drug activity, or as markers of the pharmacogenomic profile of a subject. Using the methods described herein, the presence, absence and/or quantity of the HST-1 molecules of the invention may be detected, and may be correlated with one or more biological states in vivo. For example, the HST-1 molecules of the invention may serve as surrogate markers for one or more disorders or disease states or for conditions leading up to disease states. As used herein, a “surrogate marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates with the absence or presence of a disease or disorder, or with the progression of a disease or disorder (e.g., with the presence or absence of a tumor). The presence or quantity of such markers is independent of the disease. Therefore, these markers may serve to indicate whether a particular course of treatment is effective in lessening a disease state or disorder. Surrogate markers are of particular use when the presence or extent of a disease state or disorder is difficult to assess through standard methodologies (e.g., early stage tumors), or when an assessment of disease progression is desired before a potentially dangerous clinical endpoint is reached (e.g., an assessment of cardiovascular disease may be made using cholesterol levels as a surrogate marker, and an analysis of HIV infection may be made using HIV RNA levels as a surrogate marker, well in advance of the undesirable clinical outcomes of myocardial infarction or fully-developed AIDS). Examples of the use of surrogate markers in the art include: Koomen et al. (2000) J. Mass. Spectrom. 35: 258-264; and James (1994) AIDS Treatment News Archive 209.

[0974] The HST-1 molecules of the invention are also useful as pharmacodynamic markers. As used herein, a “pharmacodynamic marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates specifically with drug effects. The presence or quantity of a pharmacodynamic marker is not related to the disease state or disorder for which the drug is being administered; therefore, the presence or quantity of the marker is indicative of the presence or activity of the drug in a subject. For example, a pharmacodynamic marker may be indicative of the concentration of the drug in a biological tissue, in that the marker is either expressed or transcribed or not expressed or transcribed in that tissue in relationship to the level of the drug. In this fashion, the distribution or uptake of the drug may be monitored by the pharmacodynamic marker. Similarly, the presence or quantity of the pharmacodynamic marker may be related to the presence or quantity of the metabolic product of a drug, such that the presence or quantity of the marker is indicative of the relative breakdown rate of the drug in vivo. Pharmacodynamic markers are of particular use in increasing the sensitivity of detection of drug effects, particularly when the drug is administered in low doses. Since even a small amount of a drug may be sufficient to activate multiple rounds of marker (e.g., an HST-1 marker) transcription or expression, the amplified marker may be in a quantity which is more readily detectable than the drug itself. Also, the marker may be more easily detected due to the nature of the marker itself; for example, using the methods described herein, anti-HST-1 antibodies may be employed in an immune-based detection system for an HST-1 polypeptide marker, or HST-1-specific radiolabeled probes may be used to detect an HST-1 mRNA marker. Furthermore, the use of a pharmacodynamic marker may offer mechanism-based prediction of risk due to drug treatment beyond the range of possible direct observations. Examples of the use of pharmacodynamic markers in the art include: Matsuda et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,862; Hattis et al. (1991) Env. Health Perspect. 90: 229-238; Schentag (1999) Am. J Health-Syst. Pharm. 56 Suppl. 3: S21-S24; and Nicolau (1999) Am, J Health-Syst. Pharm. 56 Suppl. 3: S16-S20.

[0975] The HST-1 molecules of the invention are also useful as pharmacogenomic markers. As used herein, a “pharmacogenomic marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates with a specific clinical drug response or susceptibility in a subject (see, e.g., Mcleod et al. (1999) Eur. J Cancer 35(12): 1650-1652). The presence or quantity of the pharmacogenomic marker is related to the predicted response of the subject to a specific drug or class of drugs prior to administration of the drug. By assessing the presence or quantity of one or more pharmacogenomic markers in a subject, a drug therapy which is most appropriate for the subject, or which is predicted to have a greater degree of success, may be selected. For example, based on the presence or quantity of RNA, or polypeptide (e.g., HST-1 polypeptide or RNA) for specific tumor markers in a subject, a drug or course of treatment may be selected that is optimized for the treatment of the specific tumor likely to be present in the subject. Similarly, the presence or absence of a specific sequence mutation in HST-1 DNA may correlate HST-1 drug response. The use of pharmacogenomic markers therefore permits the application of the most appropriate treatment for each subject without having to administer the therapy.

[0976] This invention is further illustrated by the following examples which should not be construed as limiting. The contents of all references, patents and published patent applications cited throughout this application, as well as the Figures and the Sequence Listing, are incorporated herein by reference.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Identification and Characterization of Human HST-1 cDNA

[0977] In this example, the identification and characterization of the gene encoding human HST-1 (clone 57250) is described.

[0978] Isolation of the Human HST-1 cDNA

[0979] The invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of a human gene encoding a novel polypeptide, referred to herein as human HST-1. The entire sequence of the human clone 57250 was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “HST-1.” The nucleotide sequence of the human HST-1 gene is set forth in FIGS. 14A-B and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 12. The amino acid sequence of the human HST-1 expression product is set forth in FIGS. 14A-B and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 13. The HST-1 polypeptide comprises 572 amino acids. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 12 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 14. Clone 57250, comprising the coding region of human HST-1, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______, and assigned Accession No. ______.

[0980] Analysis of the Human HST-1 Molecules

[0981] The human HST-1 amino acid sequence was aligned with the amino acid sequence of the potent brain type organic ion transporter from Homo sapiens (Accession No. AB040056) using the CLUSTAL W (1.74) multiple sequence alignment program. The results of the alignment are set forth in FIG. 18.

[0982] A search using the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13 was performed against the HMM database in PFAM (FIGS. 16A-B) resulting in the identification of a sugar transporter family domain in the amino acid sequence of human HST-1 at about residues 117-536 of SEQ ID NO: 13, a potential UL25 domain in the amino acid sequence of human HST-1 at about residues 577-597 of SEQ ID NO: 13 (score=3.0), and a potential sodium: galactoside symporter family domain in the amino acid sequence of human HST-1 at about residues 287-541 of SEQ ID NO: 13.

[0983] The amino acid sequence of human HST-1 was analyzed using the program PSORT (see the PSORT website) to predict the localization of the proteins within the cell. This program assesses the presence of different targeting and localization amino acid sequences within the query sequence. The results of this analysis indicated that human HST-1 may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, nucleus, secretory vesicles or mitochondria.

[0984] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human HST-1 were further performed against the Prosite database. These searches resulted in the identification in the amino acid sequence of human HST-1 of a potential N-glycosylation site, a number of potential protein kinase C phosphorylation sites, a number of potential casein kinase II phosphorylation sites, a number of potential N-myristoylation sites, a number of potential amidation sites, a potential prokaryotic membrane lipoprotein lipid attachment site, and a number of potential leucine zipper motifs.

[0985] A MEMSAT analysis of the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13 was also performed (FIG. 17), predicting twelve transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human HST-1 (SEQ ID NO: 13) at about residues 20-36, 150-167, 174-196, 204-220, 231-255, 263-282, 355-372, 387-405, 413-431, 438-462, 469-485, and 505-521.

[0986] Further domain motifs were identified by using the amino acid sequence of HST-1 (SEQ ID NO: 13) to search through the ProDom database. Numerous matches against protein domains described as “transporter organic cation MBOCT potent brain type”, “transporter organic cation anion transmembrane glycoprotein monoamine”, “DNA packaging” and the like were identified.

Example 2 Expression of Recombinant HST-1 Polypeptide in Bacterial Cells

[0987] In this example, human HST-1 is expressed as a recombinant glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion polypeptide in E. coli and the fusion polypeptide is isolated and characterized. Specifically, HST-1 is fused to GST and this fusion polypeptide is expressed in E. coli, e.g., strain PEB199. Expression of the GST-HST-1 fusion polypeptide in PEB199 is induced with IPTG. The recombinant fusion polypeptide is purified from crude bacterial lysates of the induced PEB 199 strain by affinity chromatography on glutathione beads. Using polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis of the polypeptide purified from the bacterial lysates, the molecular weight of the resultant fusion polypeptide is determined.

Example 3 Expression of Recombinant HST-1 Polypeptide in COS Cells

[0988] To express the human HST-1 gene in COS cells, the pcDNA/Amp vector by Invitrogen Corporation (San Diego, Calif.) is used. This vector contains an SV40 origin of replication, an ampicillin resistance gene, an E. coli replication origin, a CMV promoter followed by a polylinker region, and an SV40 intron and polyadenylation site. A DNA fragment encoding the entire HST-1 polypeptide and an HA tag (Wilson et al. (1984) Cell 37:767) or a FLAG tag fused in-frame to its 3′ end of the fragment is cloned into the polylinker region of the vector, thereby placing the expression of the recombinant polypeptide under the control of the CMV promoter.

[0989] To construct the plasmid, the human HST-1 DNA sequence is amplified by PCR using two primers. The 5′ primer contains the restriction site of interest followed by approximately twenty nucleotides of the HST-1 coding sequence starting from the initiation codon; the 3′ end sequence contains complementary sequences to the other restriction site of interest, a translation stop codon, the HA tag or FLAG tag and the last 20 nucleotides of the HST-1 coding sequence. The PCR amplified fragment and the pCDNA/Amp vector are digested with the appropriate restriction enzymes and the vector is dephosphorylated using the CIAP enzyme (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.). Preferably the two restriction sites chosen are different so that the HST-1 gene is inserted in the correct orientation. The ligation mixture is transformed into E. coli cells (strains HB101, DH5α, SURE, available from Stratagene Cloning Systems, La Jolla, Calif., can be used), the transformed culture is plated on ampicillin media plates, and resistant colonies are selected. Plasmid DNA is isolated from transformants and examined by restriction analysis for the presence of the correct fragment.

[0990] COS cells are subsequently transfected with the human HST-1-pcDNA/Amp plasmid DNA using the calcium phosphate or calcium chloride co-precipitation methods, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, lipofection, or electroporation. Other suitable methods for transfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989. The expression of the IC54420 polypeptide is detected by radiolabeling (³⁵S-methionine or ³⁵S-cysteine available from NEN, Boston, Mass., can be used) and immnoprecipitation (Harlow, E. and Lane, D. Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1988) using an HA specific monoclonal antibody. Briefly, the cells are labeled for 8 hours with ³⁵S-methionine (or ³⁵S-cysteine). The culture media are then collected and the cells are lysed using detergents (RIPA buffer, 150 mM NaCl, 1% NP-40, 0.1% SDS, 0.5% DOC, 50 mM Tris, pH 7.5). Both the cell lysate and the culture media are precipitated with an HA specific monoclonal antibody. Precipitated polypeptides are then analyzed by SDS-PAGE.

[0991] Alternatively, DNA containing the human HST-1 coding sequence is cloned directly into the polylinker of the pCDNA/Amp vector using the appropriate restriction sites. The resulting plasmid is transfected into COS cells in the manner described above, and the expression of the HST-1 polypeptide is detected by radiolabeling and immunoprecipitation using an HST-1-specific monoclonal antibody.

Example 4 Tissue Distribution of Human HST-1 mRNA Using Taqman™ Analysis

[0992] This example describes the tissue distribution of human HST-1 mRNA in a variety of cells and tissues, as determined using the TaqMan™ procedure. The Taqman™ procedure is a quantitative, reverse transcription PCR-based approach for detecting mRNA. The RT-PCR reaction exploits the 5′ nuclease activity of AmpliTaq Gold™ DNA Polymerase to cleave a TaqMan™ probe during PCR. Briefly, cDNA was generated from the samples of interest, e.g., various human tissue samples, and used as the starting material for PCR amplification. In addition to the 5′ and 3′ gene-specific primers, a gene-specific oligonucleotide probe (complementary to the region being amplified) was included in the reaction (i.e., the Taqman™ probe). The TaqMan™ probe includes the oligonucleotide with a fluorescent reporter dye covalently linked to the 5′ end of the probe (such as FAM (6-carboxyfluorescein), TET (6-carboxy-4,7,2 ′,7′-tetrachlorofluorescein), JOE (6-carboxy-4,5-dichloro-2,7-dimethoxyfluorescein), or VIC) and a quencher dye (TAMRA (6-carboxy-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylrhodamine) at the 3′ end of the probe.

[0993] During the PCR reaction, cleavage of the probe separates the reporter dye and the quencher dye, resulting in increased fluorescence of the reporter. Accumulation of PCR products is detected directly by monitoring the increase in fluorescence of the reporter dye. When the probe is intact, the proximity of the reporter dye to the quencher dye results in suppression of the reporter fluorescence. During PCR, if the target of interest is present, the probe specifically anneals between the forward and reverse primer sites. The 5′-3′ nucleolytic activity of the AmpliTaq™ Gold DNA Polymerase cleaves the probe between the reporter and the quencher only if the probe hybridizes to the target. The probe fragments are then displaced from the target, and polymerization of the strand continues. The 3′ end of the probe is blocked to prevent extension of the probe during PCR. This process occurs in every cycle and does not interfere with the exponential accumulation of product. RNA was prepared using the trizol method and treated with DNase to remove contaminating genomic DNA. cDNA was synthesized using standard techniques. Mock cDNA synthesis in the absence of reverse transcriptase resulted in samples with no detectable PCR amplification of the control gene confirms efficient removal of genomic DNA contamination.

[0994] As indicated in FIG. 19, strong expression of HST-1 was detected in human coronary smooth muscle cells and neutrophils, as well as in normal human pancreatic tissue and human lung tissue derived from normal, tumor, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease samples. In addition, HST-1 expression was detected at moderate levels in normal ovary and lymph node tissues, breast tumor tissue, prostate tumor tissue, and in bone marrow mononuclear cells.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0995] Cellular membranes serve to differentiate the contents of a cell from the surrounding environment, and may also serve as effective barriers against the unregulated influx of hazardous or unwanted compounds, and the unregulated efflux of desirable compounds. Membranes are by nature impervious to the unfacilitated diffusion of hydrophilic compounds such as proteins, water molecules, and ions due to their structure: a bilayer of lipid molecules in which the polar head groups face outwards (towards the exterior and interior of the cell) and the nonpolar tails face inwards (at the center of bilayer, forming a hydrophobic core). Membranes enable a cell to maintain a relatively higher intra-cellular concentration of desired compounds and a relatively lower intra-cellular concentration of undesired compounds than are contained within the surrounding environment.

[0996] Membranes also present a structural difficulty for cells, in that most desired compounds cannot readily enter the cell, nor can most waste products readily exit the cell through this lipid bilayer. The import and export of such compounds is facilitated by proteins which are embedded (singly or in complexes) in the cellular membrane. There are several general classes of membrane transport proteins: channels/pores, permeases, and transporters. The former are integral membrane proteins which form a regulated passage through a membrane. This regulation, or “gating” is generally specific to the molecules to be transported by the pore or channel, rendering these transmembrane constructs selectively permeable to a specific class of substrates. For example, a calcium channel is constructed such that only ions having a like charge and size to that of calcium may pass through. Channel and pore proteins tend to have discrete hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains, such that the hydrophobic face of the protein may associate with the interior of the membrane while the hydrophilic face lines the interior of the channel, thus providing a sheltered hydrophilic environment through which the selected hydrophilic molecule may pass. This pore/channel-mediated system of facilitated diffusion is limited to ions and other very small molecules, due to the fact that pores or channels sufficiently large to permit the passage of whole proteins by facilitated diffusion would be unable to prevent the simultaneous passage of smaller hydrophilic molecules.

[0997] Transport of larger molecules takes place by the action of “permeases” and “transporters”, two other classes of membrane-localized proteins which serve to move charged molecules from one side of a cellular membrane to the other. Unlike channel molecules, which permit diffusion-limited solute movement of a particular solute, these proteins require an energetic input, either in the form of a diffusion gradient (permeases) or through coupling to hydrolysis of an energy providing molecule (e.g., ATP or GTP) (transporters). The permeases (integral membrane proteins often having between 6-14 membrane-spanning α-helices) enable the facilitated diffusion of molecules such as glucose or other sugars into the cell when the concentration of these molecules on one side of the membrane is greater than that on the other. Permeases do not form open channels through the membrane, but rather bind to the target molecule at the surface of the membrane and then undergo a conformational shift such that the target molecule is released on the opposite side of the membrane.

[0998] Transporters, in contrast, permit the movement of target molecules across membranes against the existing concentration gradient (active transport), a situation in which facilitated diffusion cannot occur. There are two general mechanisms used by cells for this type of membrane transport: symport/antiport, and energy-coupled transport, such as that mediated by the ABC transporters. Symport and antiport systems couple the movement of two different molecules across the membrane (via molecules having two separate binding sites for the two different molecules); in symport, both molecules are transported in the same direction, while in antiport, one molecule is imported while the other is exported. This is possible energetically because one of the two molecules moves in accordance with a concentration gradient, and this energetically favorable event is permitted only upon concomitant movement of a desired compound against the prevailing concentration gradient.

[0999] Single molecules may also be transported across the membrane against the concentration gradient in an energy-driven process, such as that utilized by the ABC transporters. In this ABC transporter system, the transport protein located in the membrane has an ATP-binding cassette; upon binding of the target molecule, the ATP is converted to ADP and inorganic phosphate (P_(i)), and the resulting release of energy is used to drive the movement of the target molecule to the opposite face of the membrane, facilitated by the transporter.

[1000] Transport molecules are specific for a particular target solute or class of solutes, and are also present in one or more specific membranes. Transport molecules localized to the plasma membrane permit an exchange of solutes with the surrounding environment, while transport molecules localized to intra-cellular membranes (e.g., membranes of the mitochondrion, peroxisome, lysosome, endoplasmic reticulum, nucleus, or vacuole) permit import and export of molecules from organelle to organelle or to the cytoplasm. For example, in the case of the mitochondrion, transporters in the inner and outer mitochondrial membranes permit the import of sugar molecules, calcium ions, and water (among other molecules) into the organelle and the export of newly synthesized ATP to the cytosol.

[1001] Membrane transport molecules (e.g., channels/pores, permeases, and transporters) play important roles in the ability of the cell to regulate homeostasis, to grow and divide, and to communicate with other cells, e.g., to secrete and receive signaling molecules, such as hormones, reactive oxygen species, ions, neurotransmitters, and cytokines. A wide variety of human diseases and disorders are associated with defects in transporter or other membrane transport molecules, including certain types of liver disorders (e.g., due to defects in the transport of long-chain fatty acids (Al Odaib et al. (1998) New Eng. J Med. 339: 1752-1757)), hyperlysinemia (due to a transport defect of lysine into mitochondria (Oyanagi et al. (1986) Inherit. Metab. Dis. 9:313-316), and cataract (Wintour (1997) Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol. 24(1):1-9).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[1002] The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel human transporter family members, referred to herein as “transporter-2” or “TP-2” nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules. The TP-2 nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules of the present invention are useful as modulating agents in regulating a variety of cellular processes, e.g., cellular growth, migration, or proliferation. Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding TP-2 polypeptides or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments suitable as primers or hybridization probes for the detection of TP-2-encoding nucleic acids.

[1003] In one embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that includes the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17. In another embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that encodes a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 16. In another embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that includes the nucleotide sequence contained in the plasmid deposited with ATCC® as Accession Number ______.

[1004] In still other embodiments, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules including nucleotide sequences that are substantially identical (e.g., 60% identical) to the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17. The invention further features isolated nucleic acid molecules including at least 50 contiguous nucleotides of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17. In another embodiment, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence that is substantially identical (e.g., 60% identical) to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16. The present invention also features nucleic acid molecules which encode allelic variants of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16. In addition to isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding full-length polypeptides, the present invention also features nucleic acid molecules which encode fragments, for example, biologically active or antigenic fragments, of the full-length polypeptides of the present invention (e.g., fragments including at least 10 contiguous amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16). In still other embodiments, the invention features nucleic acid molecules that are complementary to, antisense to, or hybridize under stringent conditions to the isolated nucleic acid molecules described herein.

[1005] In another aspect, the invention provides vectors including the isolated nucleic acid molecules described herein (e.g., TP-2-encoding nucleic acid molecules). Such vectors can optionally include nucleotide sequences encoding heterologous polypeptides. Also featured are host cells including such vectors (e.g., host cells including vectors suitable for producing TP-2 nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides).

[1006] In another aspect, the invention features isolated TP-2 polypeptides and/or biologically active or antigenic fragments thereof. Exemplary embodiments feature a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16, a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence at least 60% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16, a polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid molecule including a nucleotide sequence at least 60% identical to the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17. Also featured are fragments of the full-length polypeptides described herein (e.g., fragments including at least 10 contiguous amino acid residues of the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16) as well as allelic variants of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16.

[1007] The TP-2 polypeptides and/or biologically active or antigenic fragments thereof, are useful, for example, as reagents or targets in assays applicable to treatment and/or diagnosis of TP-2 mediated or related disorders. In one embodiment, a TP-2 polypeptide or fragment thereof, has a TP-2 activity. In another embodiment, a TP-2 polypeptide or fragment thereof, includes at least one of the following domains: a transmembrane domain, a sugar transporter domain, a LacY proton/sugar symporter domain, and optionally, has a TP-2 activity. In a related aspect, the invention features antibodies (e.g., antibodies which specifically bind to any one of the polypeptides described herein) as well as fusion polypeptides including all or a fragment of a polypeptide described herein.

[1008] The present invention further features methods for detecting TP-2 polypeptides and/or TP-2 nucleic acid molecules, such methods featuring, for example, a probe, primer or antibody described herein. Also featured are kits e.g., kits for the detection of TP-2 polypeptides and/or TP-2 nucleic acid molecules. In a related aspect, the invention features methods for identifying compounds which bind to and/or modulate the activity of a TP-2 polypeptide or TP-2 nucleic acid molecule described herein. Further featured are methods for modulating a TP-2 activity.

[1009] Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[1010] The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel molecules, referred to herein as “transporter-2” or “TP-2” nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules, which are novel members of the transporter family. These novel molecules are capable of, for example, transporting ions, proteins, sugars, and small molecules across biological membranes both within a cell and between the cell and the environment and, thus, play a role in or function in a variety of cellular processes, e.g., proliferation, growth, differentiation, migration, immune responses, hormonal responses, and inter- or intra-cellular communication.

[1011] As used herein, the term “transporter” includes a molecule which is involved in the movement of a biochemical molecule from one side of a lipid bilayer to the other, for example, against a pre-existing concentration gradient. Transporters are usually involved in the movement of biochemical compounds which would normally not be able to cross a membrane (e.g., a protein; an ion; a sugar; or other small molecule, such as ATP; signaling molecules; vitamins; and cofactors). Transporter molecules are involved in the growth, development, and differentiation of cells, in the regulation of cellular homeostasis, in the metabolism and catabolism of biochemical molecules necessary for energy production or storage, in intra- or inter-cellular signaling, in metabolism or catabolism of metabolically important biomolecules, and in the removal of potentially harmful compounds from the interior of the cell. Examples of transporters include GSH transporters, ATP transporters, sugar transporters, and fatty acid transporters. As transporters, the TP-2 molecules of the present invention provide novel diagnostic targets and therapeutic agents to control transporter-associated disorders.

[1012] As used herein, a “transporter-associated disorder” includes a disorder, disease or condition which is caused or characterized by a misregulation (e.g., downregulation or upregulation) of a transporter-mediated activity. Transporter-associated disorders can detrimentally affect cellular functions such as cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration, cellular regulation of homeostasis, inter- or intra-cellular communication; tissue function, such as cardiac function or musculoskeletal function; systemic responses in an organism, such as nervous system responses, hormonal responses (e.g., insulin response), or immune responses; and protection of cells from toxic compounds (e.g., carcinogens, toxins, mutagens, and toxic byproducts of metabolic activity (e.g., reactive oxygen species)). Examples of transporter-associated disorders include CNS disorders such as cognitive and neurodegenerative disorders, examples of which include, but are not limited to, Alzheimer's disease, dementias related to Alzheimer's disease (such as Pick's disease), Parkinson's and other Lewy diffuse body diseases, senile dementia, Huntington's disease, Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive supranuclear palsy, epilepsy, and Jakob-Creutzfieldt disease; autonomic function disorders such as hypertension and sleep disorders, and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, korsakoff's psychosis, mania, anxiety disorders, or phobic disorders; learning or memory disorders, e.g., amnesia or age-related memory loss, attention deficit disorder, dysthymic disorder, major depressive disorder, mania, obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychoactive substance use disorders, anxiety, phobias, panic disorder, as well as bipolar affective disorder, e.g., severe bipolar affective (mood) disorder (BP-1), and bipolar affective neurological disorders, e.g., migraine and obesity. Further CNS-related disorders include, for example, those listed in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the most current version of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[1013] Further examples of transporter-associated disorders include cardiac-related disorders. Cardiovascular system disorders in which the TP-2 molecules of the invention may be directly or indirectly involved include arteriosclerosis, ischemia reperfusion injury, restenosis, arterial inflammation, vascular wall remodeling, ventricular remodeling, rapid ventricular pacing, coronary microembolism, tachycardia, bradycardia, pressure overload, aortic bending, coronary artery ligation, vascular heart disease, atrial fibrilation, Jervell syndrome, Lange-Nielsen syndrome, long-QT syndrome, congestive heart failure, sinus node dysfunction, angina, heart failure, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, dilated cardiomyopathy, idiopathic cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, coronary artery spasm, and arrhythmia. TP-2-mediated or related disorders also include disorders of the musculoskeletal system such as paralysis and muscle weakness, e.g., ataxia, myotonia, and myokymia.

[1014] Transporter-associated disorders also include cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration disorders. Cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration disorders include those disorders that affect cell proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration processes. As used herein, a “cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration process” is a process by which a cell increases in number, size or content, by which a cell develops a specialized set of characteristics which differ from that of other cells, or by which a cell moves closer to or further from a particular location or stimulus. The TP-2 molecules of the present invention are involved in signal transduction mechanisms, which are known to be involved in cellular growth, differentiation, and migration processes. Thus, the TP-2 molecules may modulate cellular growth, differentiation, or migration, and may play a role in disorders characterized by aberrantly regulated growth, differentiation, or migration. Such disorders include cancer, e.g., carcinoma, sarcoma, or leukemia; tumor angiogenesis and metastasis; skeletal dysplasia; hepatic disorders; and hematopoietic and/or myeloproliferative disorders.

[1015] TP-2-associated disorders also include hormonal disorders, such as conditions or diseases in which the production and/or regulation of hormones in an organism is aberrant. Examples of such disorders and diseases include type I and type II diabetes mellitus, pituitary disorders (e.g., growth disorders), thyroid disorders (e.g., hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism), and reproductive or fertility disorders (e.g., disorders which affect the organs of the reproductive system, e.g., the prostate gland, the uterus, or the vagina; disorders which involve an imbalance in the levels of a reproductive hormone in a subject; disorders affecting the ability of a subject to reproduce; and disorders affecting secondary sex characteristic development, e.g., adrenal hyperplasia).

[1016] TP-2-associated disorders also include immune disorders, such as autoimmune disorders or immune deficiency disorders, e.g., congenital X-linked infantile hypogammaglobulinemia, transient hypogammaglobulinemia, common variable immunodeficiency, selective IgA deficiency, chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, or severe combined immunodeficiency.

[1017] TP-2-associated disorders also include disorders associated with sugar homeostasis, such as obesity, anorexia, hypoglycemia, glycogen storage disease (Von Gierke disease), type I glycogenosis, seasonal affective disorder, and cluster B personality disorders.

[1018] TP-2-associated disorders also include disorders affecting tissues in which TP-2 protein is expressed.

[1019] As used herein, a “transporter-mediated activity” includes an activity which involves the facilitated movement of one or more molecules from one side of a biological membrane to the other. Transporter-mediated activities include the import or export across internal or external cellular membranes of biochemical molecules necessary for energy production or storage, intra- or inter-cellular signaling, metabolism or catabolism of metabolically important biomolecules, and removal of potentially harmful compounds from the cell.

[1020] The term “family” when referring to the polypeptide and nucleic acid molecules of the invention is intended to mean two or more polypeptides or nucleic acid molecules having a common structural domain or motif and having sufficient amino acid or nucleotide sequence homology as defined herein. Such family members can be naturally or non-naturally occurring and can be from either the same or different species. For example, a family can contain a first polypeptide of human origin, as well as other, distinct polypeptides of human origin or alternatively, can contain homologues of non-human origin, e.g., mouse or monkey polypeptides. Members of a family may also have common functional characteristics.

[1021] For example, the family of TP-2 polypeptides comprise at least one “transmembrane domain” and preferably twelve transmembrane domains. As used herein, the term “transmembrane domain” includes an amino acid sequence of about 15-45 amino acid residues in length which spans the plasma membrane. More preferably, a transmembrane domain includes about at least 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, or 45 amino acid residues and spans the plasma membrane. Transmembrane domains are rich in hydrophobic residues, and typically have an alpha-helical structure. In a preferred embodiment, at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or more of the amino acids of a transmembrane domain are hydrophobic, e.g., leucines, isoleucines, alanines, valines, phenylalanines, prolines or methionines. Transmembrane domains are described in, for example, Zagotta W. N. et al, (1996) Annual Rev. Neurosci. 19: 235-263, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. A MEMSAT analysis and a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis resulted in the identification of twelve transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human TP-2 (SEQ ID NO: 16) at about residues 45-69, 80-102, 112-126, 133-156, 167-190, 197-218, 288-310, 323-343, 352-368, 375-391, 409-433, and 442-458 as set forth in FIGS. 21 and 23.

[1022] Accordingly, TP-2 polypeptides having at least 50-60% homology, preferably about 60-70%, more preferably about 70-80%, or about 80-90% homology with a transmembrane domain of human TP-2 are within the scope of the invention.

[1023] For example, in one embodiment, members of the TP-2 family of proteins include at least one “sugar transporter domain” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, the term “sugar transporter domain” includes a protein domain having at least about 350-500 amino acid residues and a sugar transporter mediated activity. Preferably, a sugar transporter domain includes a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of about 350-450, 400-450, or more preferably about 417 amino acid residues, and a sugar transporter mediated activity. To identify the presence of a sugar transporter domain in a TP-2 protein, and make the determination that a protein of interest has a particular profile, the amino acid sequence of the protein may be searched against a database of known protein domains (e.g., the PFAM HMM database). A PFAM sugar transporter domain has been assigned the PFAM Accession PF00083. A search was performed against the PFAM HMM database resulting in the identification of a sugar transporter domain in the amino acid sequence of human TP-2 (SEQ ID NO: 16) at about residues 37-454 of SEQ ID NO: 16. The results of the search are set forth in FIGS. 22A-C.

[1024] As used herein, a “sugar transporter mediated activity” includes the ability to bind a monosaccharide, such as D-glucose, D-fructose, and/or D-galactose; the ability to transport a monosaccharide such as D-glucose, D-fructose, and/or D-galactose, across a cell membrane (e.g., a liver cell membrane, fat cell membrane, muscle cell membrane, and/or blood cell membrane, such as an erythrocyte membrane); and the ability to modulate sugar homeostasis in a cell. Accordingly, identifying the presence of a “sugar transporter domain” can include isolating a fragment of a TP-2 molecule (e.g., a TP-2 polypeptide) and assaying for the ability of the fragment to exhibit one of the aforementioned sugar transporter mediated activities.

[1025] In another embodiment, a TP-2 molecule of the present invention is identified based on the presence of at least one “LacY proton/sugar symporter domain.” As used herein, the term “LacY proton/sugar symporter domain” includes a protein domain having at least about 350-500 amino acid residues and a LacY proton/sugar symporter mediated activity. Preferably, a LacY proton/sugar symporter domain includes a protein domain having an amino acid sequence of about 300-400, 300-350, or more preferably, about 344 amino acid residues and a LacY proton/sugar symporter mediated activity. To identify the presence of a LacY proton/sugar symporter domain in a TP-2 protein, and make the determination that a protein of interest has a particular profile, the amino acid sequence of the protein may be searched against a database of known protein domains (e.g., the PFAM HMM database). A PFAM LacY proton/sugar symporter domain has been assigned the PFAM Accession PF01306. A search was performed against the PFAM HMM database resulting in the identification of a LacY proton/sugar symporter domain in the amino acid sequence of human TP-2 (SEQ ID NO: 16) at about residues 39-383 of SEQ ID NO: 16. The results of the search are set forth in FIGS. 22A-C.

[1026] As used herein, a “LacY proton/sugar symporter mediated activity” includes the ability to mediate the transport of a variety of sugars (e.g., D-glucose, D-fructose, and/or D-galactose) with the concomitant transport of hydrogen ions across a biological membrane. Accordingly, identifying the presence of a “LacY proton/sugar symporter domain” can include isolating a fragment of a TP-2 molecule (e.g., a TP-2 polypeptide) and assaying for the ability of the fragment to exhibit one of the aforementioned LacY proton/sugar symporter mediated activities.

[1027] A description of the Pfam database can be found in Sonhammer et al. (1997) Proteins 28:405-420 and a detailed description of HMMs can be found, for example, in Gribskov et al.(I990) Meth. Enzymol. 183:146-159; Gribskov et al.(1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:4355-4358; Krogh et al. (1994) J Mol. Biol. 235:1501-1531; and Stultz et al.(1993) Protein Sci. 2:305-314, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[1028] In a preferred embodiment, the TP-2 molecules of the invention include at least one, preferably two, even more preferably twelve transmembrane domain(s), and/or at least one sugar transporter domain, and/or at least one LacY proton/sugar symporter domain.

[1029] Isolated polypeptides of the present invention, preferably TP-2 polypeptides, have an amino acid sequence sufficiently identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16 or are encoded by a nucleotide sequence sufficiently identical to SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17. As used herein, the term “sufficiently identical” refers to a first amino acid or nucleotide sequence which contains a sufficient or minimum number of identical or equivalent (e.g., an amino acid residue which has a similar side chain) amino acid residues or nucleotides to a second amino acid or nucleotide sequence such that the first and second amino acid or nucleotide sequences share common structural domains or motifs and/or a common functional activity. For example, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share common structural domains having at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90% 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homology or identity across the amino acid sequences of the domains and contain at least one and preferably two structural domains or motifs, are defined herein as sufficiently identical. Furthermore, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homology or identity and share a common functional activity are defined herein as sufficiently identical.

[1030] In a preferred embodiment, a TP-2 polypeptide includes at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain, and/or a sugar transporter domain, and/or a LacY proton/sugar symporter domain, and has an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or more homologous or identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16, or the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. In yet another preferred embodiment, a TP-2 polypeptide includes at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain, and/or a sugar transporter domain, and/or a LacY proton/sugar symporter domain, and is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule having a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17. In another preferred embodiment, a TP-2 polypeptide includes at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain, and/or a sugar transporter domain, and/or a LacY proton/sugar symporter domain, and has a TP-2 activity.

[1031] As used interchangeably herein, a “TP-2 activity”, “biological activity of TP-2” or “functional activity of TP-2”, refers to an activity exerted by a TP-2 protein, polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule on a TP-2 responsive cell or tissue, or on a TP-2 protein substrate, as determined in vivo, or in vitro, according to standard techniques. In one embodiment, a TP-2 activity is a direct activity, such as an association with a TP-2-target molecule. As used herein, a “target molecule” or “binding partner” is a molecule with which a TP-2 protein binds or interacts in nature, such that TP-2-mediated function is achieved. A TP-2 target molecule can be a non-TP-2 molecule or a TP-2 protein or polypeptide of the present invention (e.g., a molecule to be transported, e.g., a monosaccharide). In an exemplary embodiment, a TP-2 target molecule is a TP-2 ligand (e.g., an energy molecule, a metabolite, a monosaccharide or an ion). Alternatively, a TP-2 activity is an indirect activity, such as a cellular signaling activity mediated by interaction of the TP-2 protein with a TP-2 ligand. The biological activities of TP-2 are described herein. For example, the TP-2 proteins of the present invention can have one or more of the following activities: 1) modulate the import and export of molecules, e.g., hormones, ions, cytokines, neurotransmitters, monosaccharides, and metabolites, from cells, 2) modulate intra- or inter-cellular signaling, 3) modulate removal of potentially harmful compounds from the cell, or facilitate the compartmentalization of these molecules into a sequestered intra-cellular space (e.g., the peroxisome), and 4) modulate transport of biological molecules across membranes, e.g., the plasma membrane, or the membrane of the mitochondrion, the peroxisome, the lysosome, the endoplasmic reticulum, the nucleus, or the vacuole.

[1032] The nucleotide sequence of the isolated human TP-2 CDNA and the predicted amino acid sequence of the human TP-2 polypeptide are shown in FIGS. 20A-B and in SEQ ID NOs: 15 and 16, respectively. A plasmid containing the nucleotide sequence encoding human TP-2 was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______ and assigned Accession Number ______. This deposit will be maintained under the terms of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure. This deposit was made merely as a convenience for those of skill in the art and is not an admission that a deposit is required under 35 U.S.C. §112.

[1033] The human TP-2 gene, which is approximately 1963 nucleotides in length, encodes a polypeptide which is approximately 474 amino acid residues in length.

[1034] Various aspects of the invention are described in further detail in the following subsections:

[1035] I. Isolated Nucleic Acid Molecules

[1036] One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated nucleic acid molecules that encode TP-2 polypeptides or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments sufficient for use as hybridization probes to identify TP-2-encoding nucleic acid molecules (e.g., TP-2 mRNA) and fragments for use as PCR primers for the amplification or mutation of TP-2 nucleic acid molecules. As used herein, the term “nucleic acid molecule” is intended to include DNA molecules (e.g., cDNA or genomic DNA) and RNA molecules (e.g., mRNA) and analogs of the DNA or RNA generated using nucleotide analogs. The nucleic acid molecule can be single-stranded or double-stranded, but preferably is double-stranded DNA.

[1037] The term “isolated nucleic acid molecule” includes nucleic acid molecules which are separated from other nucleic acid molecules which are present in the natural source of the nucleic acid. For example, with regards to genomic DNA, the term “isolated” includes nucleic acid molecules which are separated from the chromosome with which the genomic DNA is naturally associated. Preferably, an “isolated” nucleic acid is free of sequences which naturally flank the nucleic acid (i.e., sequences located at the 5′ and 3′ ends of the nucleic acid) in the genomic DNA of the organism from which the nucleic acid is derived. For example, in various embodiments, the isolated TP-2 nucleic acid molecule can contain less than about 5 kb, 4 kb, 3 kb, 2 kb, 1 kb, 0.5 kb or 0.1 kb of nucleotide sequences which naturally flank the nucleic acid molecule in genomic DNA of the cell from which the nucleic acid is derived. Moreover, an “isolated” nucleic acid molecule, such as a CDNA molecule, can be substantially free of other cellular material, or culture medium when produced by recombinant techniques, or substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized.

[1038] A nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, e.g., a nucleic acid molecule having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or a portion thereof, can be isolated using standard molecular biology techniques and the sequence information provided herein. Using all or a portion of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, as a hybridization probe, TP-2 nucleic acid molecules can be isolated using standard hybridization and cloning techniques (e.g., as described in 30 Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989).

[1039] Moreover, a nucleic acid molecule encompassing all or a portion of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ can be isolated by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using synthetic oligonucleotide primers designed based upon the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______.

[1040] A nucleic acid of the invention can be amplified using cDNA, mRNA or alternatively, genomic DNA, as a template and appropriate oligonucleotide primers according to standard PCR amplification techniques. The nucleic acid so amplified can be cloned into an appropriate vector and characterized by DNA sequence analysis. Furthermore, oligonucleotides corresponding to TP-2 nucleotide sequences can be prepared by standard synthetic techniques, e.g., using an automated DNA synthesizer.

[1041] In one embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 15. The sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 corresponds to the human TP-2 cDNA. This cDNA comprises sequences encoding the human TP-2 polypeptide (i.e., “the coding region” , from nucleotides 67-1491) as well as 5′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1-66) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1492-1963). Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 15 (e.g., nucleotides 67-1491, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 17). Accordingly, in another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 17 and nucleotides 1-66 and 1492-1963 of SEQ ID NO: 15. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17.

[1042] In still another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises a nucleic acid molecule which is a complement of the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or a portion of any of these nucleotide sequences. A nucleic acid molecule which is complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, is one which is sufficiently complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, such that it can hybridize to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, thereby forming a stable duplex.

[1043] In still another preferred embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17 (e.g., to the entire length of the nucleotide sequence), or to the nucleotide sequence (e.g., the entire length of the nucleotide sequence) of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or a portion of any of these nucleotide sequences. In one embodiment, a nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least (or no greater than) 50, 100, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900, 1950or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______.

[1044] Moreover, the nucleic acid molecule of the invention can comprise only a portion of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ , for example, a fragment which can be used as a probe or primer or a fragment encoding a portion of a TP-2 polypeptide, e.g., a biologically active portion of a TP-2 polypeptide. The nucleotide sequence determined from the cloning of the TP-2 gene allows for the generation of probes and primers designed for use in identifying and/or cloning other TP-2 family members, as well as TP-2 homologues from other species. The probe/primer typically comprises substantially purified oligonucleotide. The probe/primer (e.g., oligonucleotide) typically comprises a region of nucleotide sequence that hybridizes under stringent conditions to at least about 12 or 15, preferably about 20 or 25, more preferably about 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, or 100 or more consecutive nucleotides of a sense sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, of an anti-sense sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or of a naturally occurring allelic variant or mutant of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______.

[1045] Exemplary probes or primers are at least 12, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75 or more nucleotides in length and/or comprise consecutive nucleotides of an isolated nucleic acid molecule described herein. Probes based on the TP-2 nucleotide sequences can be used to detect (e.g., specifically detect) transcripts or genomic sequences encoding the same or homologous polypeptides. In preferred embodiments, the probe further comprises a label group attached thereto, e.g., the label group can be a radioisotope, a fluorescent compound, an enzyme, or an enzyme co-factor. In another embodiment a set of primers is provided, e.g., primers suitable for use in a PCR, which can be used to amplify a selected region of a TP-2 sequence, e.g., a domain, region, site or other sequence described herein. The primers should be at least 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 or more nucleotides in length. Such probes can be used as a part of a diagnostic test kit for identifying cells or tissue which misexpress a TP-2 polypeptide, such as by measuring a level of a TP-2-encoding nucleic acid in a sample of cells from a subject e.g., detecting TP-2 mRNA levels or determining whether a genomic TP-2 gene has been mutated or deleted.

[1046] A nucleic acid fragment encoding a “biologically active portion of a TP-2 polypeptide” can be prepared by isolating a portion of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______,which encodes a polypeptide having a TP-2 biological activity (the biological activities of the TP-2 polypeptides are described herein), expressing the encoded portion of the TP-2 polypeptide (e.g., by recombinant expression in vitro) and assessing the activity of the encoded portion of the TP-2 polypeptide. In an exemplary embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule is at least 50, 100, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900, 1950 or more nucleotides in length and encodes a polypeptide having a TP-2 activity (as described herein).

[1047] The invention further encompasses nucleic acid molecules that differ from the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. Such differences can be due to due to degeneracy of the genetic code, thus resulting in a nucleic acid which encodes the same TP-2 polypeptides as those encoded by the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number . In another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention has a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence which differs by at least 1, but no greater than 5, 10, 20, 50 or 100 amino acid residues from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 16, or the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule encodes the amino acid sequence of human TP-2. If an alignment is needed for this comparison, the sequences should be aligned for maximum homology.

[1048] Nucleic acid variants can be naturally occurring, such as allelic variants (same locus), homologues (different locus), and orthologues (different organism) or can be non naturally occurring. Non-naturally occurring variants can be made by mutagenesis techniques, including those applied to polynucleotides, cells, or organisms. The variants can contain nucleotide substitutions, deletions, inversions and insertions. Variation can occur in either or both the coding and non-coding regions. The variations can produce both conservative and non-conservative amino acid substitutions (as compared in the encoded product).

[1049] Allelic variants result, for example, from DNA sequence polymorphisms within a population (e.g., the human population) that lead to changes in the amino acid sequences of the TP-2 polypeptides. Such genetic polymorphism in the TP-2 genes may exist among individuals within a population due to natural allelic variation. As used herein, the terms “gene” and “recombinant gene” refer to nucleic acid molecules which include an open reading frame encoding a TP-2 polypeptide, preferably a mammalian TP-2 polypeptide, and can further include non-coding regulatory sequences, and introns.

[1050] Accordingly, in one embodiment, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode a naturally occurring allelic variant of a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, wherein the nucleic acid molecule hybridizes to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, for example, under stringent hybridization conditions.

[1051] Allelic variants of human TP-2 include both functional and non-functional TP-2 polypeptides. Functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the human TP-2 polypeptide that have a TP-2 activity, e.g., maintain the ability to bind a TP-2 ligand or substrate and/or modulate the import and export of molecules from cells or across membranes, e.g., monosaccharides. Functional allelic variants will typically contain only conservative substitution of one or more amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 16, or substitution, deletion or insertion of non-critical residues in non-critical regions of the polypeptide.

[1052] Non-functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the human TP-2 polypeptide that do not have a TP-2 activity, e.g., they do not have the ability to transport molecules into and out of cells or across membranes. Non-functional allelic variants will typically contain a non-conservative substitution, a deletion, or insertion or premature truncation of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16, or a substitution, insertion or deletion in critical residues or critical regions.

[1053] The present invention further provides non-human orthologues of the human TP-2 polypeptide. Orthologues of human TP-2 polypeptides are polypeptides that are isolated from non-human organisms and possess the same TP-2 activity, e.g., ligand binding and/or modulation of import and export of molecules from cells or across membranes, e.g., monosaccharides, as the human TP-2 polypeptide. Orthologues of the human TP-2 polypeptide can readily be identified as comprising an amino acid sequence that is substantially identical to SEQ ID NO: 16.

[1054] Moreover, nucleic acid molecules encoding other TP-2 family members and, thus, which have a nucleotide sequence which differs from the TP-2 sequences of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, another TP-2 cDNA can be identified based on the nucleotide sequence of human TP-2. Moreover, nucleic acid molecules encoding TP-2 polypeptides from different species, and which, thus, have a nucleotide sequence which differs from the TP-2 sequences of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, a mouse TP-2 cDNA can be identified based on the nucleotide sequence of a human TP-2.

[1055] Nucleic acid molecules corresponding to natural allelic variants and homologues of the TP-2 cDNAs of the invention can be isolated based on their homology to the TP-2 nucleic acids disclosed herein using the cDNAs disclosed herein, or a portion thereof, as a hybridization probe according to standard hybridization techniques under stringent hybridization conditions. Nucleic acid molecules corresponding to natural allelic variants and homologues of the TP-2 cDNAs of the invention can further be isolated by mapping to the same chromosome or locus as the TP-2 gene.

[1056] Orthologues, homologues and allelic variants can be identified using methods known in the art (e.g., by hybridization to an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, for example, under stringent hybridization conditions). In one embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention is at least 15, 20, 25, 30 or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. In other embodiment, the nucleic acid is at least 50, 100, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900, 1950 or more nucleotides in length.

[1057] As used herein, the term “hybridizes under stringent conditions” is intended to describe conditions for hybridization and washing under which nucleotide sequences that are significantly identical or homologous to each other remain hybridized to each other. Preferably, the conditions are such that sequences at least about 70%, more preferably at least about 80%, even more preferably at least about 85% or 90% identical to each other remain hybridized to each other. Such stringent conditions are known to those skilled in the art and can be found in Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Ausubel et al, eds., John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1995), sections 2, 4 and 6. Additional stringent conditions can be found in Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Sambrook et al., Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989), chapters 7, 9 and 11. A preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 4× sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC), at about 65-70° C. (or hybridization in 4× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 42-50° C.) followed by one or more washes in 1× SSC, at about 65-70° C. A preferred, non-limiting example of highly stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 1× SSC, at about 65-70° C. (or hybridization in 1× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 42-50° C.) followed by one or more washes in 0.3× SSC, at about 65-70° C. A preferred, non-limiting example of reduced stringency hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 4× SSC, at about 50-60° C. (or alternatively hybridization in 6× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 40-45° C.) followed by one or more washes in 2× SSC, at about 50-60° C. Ranges intermediate to the above-recited values, e.g., at 65-70° C. or at 42-50° C. are also intended to be encompassed by the present invention. SSPE (1×SSPE is 0.15M NaCl, 10 mM NaH₂PO₄, and 1.25 mM EDTA, pH 7.4) can be substituted for SSC (1×SSC is 0.1 5M NaCl and 15mM sodium citrate) in the hybridization and wash buffers; washes are performed for 15 minutes each after hybridization is complete. The hybridization temperature for hybrids anticipated to be less than 50 base pairs in length should be 5-10° C. less than the melting temperature (T_(m)) of the hybrid, where T_(m) is determined according to the following equations. For hybrids less than 18 base pairs in length, T_(m)(° C.)=2(# of A+T bases)+4(# of G+C bases). For hybrids between 18 and 49 base pairs in length, T_(m)(° C.)=81.5+16.6(log₁₀[Na+])+0.41(% G+C)−(600/N), where N is the number of bases in the hybrid, and [Na+] is the concentration of sodium ions in the hybridization buffer ([Na+] for 1×SSC=0.165 M). It will also be recognized by the skilled practitioner that additional reagents may be added to hybridization and/or wash buffers to decrease non-specific hybridization of nucleic acid molecules to membranes, for example, nitrocellulose or nylon membranes, including but not limited to blocking agents (e.g., BSA or salmon or herring sperm carrier DNA), detergents (e.g., SDS), chelating agents (e.g., EDTA), Ficoll, PVP and the like. When using nylon membranes, in particular, an additional preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions is hybridization in 0.25-0.5M NaH₂PO₄, 7% SDS at about 65° C., followed by one or more washes at 0.02M NaH₂PO₄, 1% SDS at 65° C., see e.g., Church and Gilbert (1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:1991-1995, (or alternatively 0.2× SSC, 1% SDS).

[1058] Preferably, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17 and corresponds to a naturally-occurring nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, a “naturally-occurring” nucleic acid molecule refers to an RNA or DNA molecule having a nucleotide sequence that occurs in nature (e.g., encodes a natural polypeptide).

[1059] In addition to naturally-occurring allelic variants of the TP-2 sequences that may exist in the population, the skilled artisan will further appreciate that changes can be introduced by mutation into the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, thereby leading to changes in the amino acid sequence of the encoded TP-2 polypeptides, without altering the functional ability of the TP-2 polypeptides. For example, nucleotide substitutions leading to amino acid substitutions at “non-essential” amino acid residues can be made in the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. A “non-essential” amino acid residue is a residue that can be altered from the wild-type sequence of TP-2 (e.g., the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16) without altering the biological activity, whereas an “essential” amino acid residue is required for biological activity. For example, amino acid residues that are conserved among the TP-2 polypeptides of the present invention, e.g., those present in a transmembrane domain, and/or a sugar transporter domain, and/or a LacY proton/sugar symporter are predicted to be particularly unamenable to alteration. Furthermore, additional amino acid residues that are conserved between the TP-2 polypeptides of the present invention and other members of the TP-2 family are not likely to be amenable to alteration.

[1060] Accordingly, another aspect of the invention pertains to nucleic acid molecules encoding TP-2 polypeptides that contain changes in amino acid residues that are not essential for activity. Such TP-2 polypeptides differ in amino acid sequence from SEQ ID NO: 16, yet retain biological activity. In one embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide, wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to SEQ ID NO: 16 (e.g., to the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 16).

[1061] An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a TP-2 polypeptide identical to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 16, can be created by introducing one or more nucleotide substitutions, additions or deletions into the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, such that one or more amino acid substitutions, additions or deletions are introduced into the encoded polypeptide. Mutations can be introduced into SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ by standard techniques, such as site-directed mutagenesis and PCR-mediated mutagenesis. Preferably, conservative amino acid substitutions are made at one or more predicted non-essential amino acid residues. A “conservative amino acid substitution” is one in which the amino acid residue is replaced with an amino acid residue having a similar side chain. Families of amino acid residues having similar side chains have been defined in the art. These families include amino acids with basic side chains (e.g., lysine, arginine, histidine), acidic side chains (e.g., aspartic acid, glutamic acid), uncharged polar side chains (e.g., glycine, asparagine, glutamine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, cysteine, tryptophan), nonpolar side chains (e.g., alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, proline, phenylalanine, methionine), beta-branched side chains (e.g., threonine, valine, isoleucine) and aromatic side chains (e.g., tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, histidine). Thus, a predicted nonessential amino acid residue in a TP-2 polypeptide is preferably replaced with another amino acid residue from the same side chain family. Alternatively, in another embodiment, mutations can be introduced randomly along all or part of a TP-2 coding sequence, such as by saturation mutagenesis, and the resultant mutants can be screened for TP-2 biological activity to identify mutants that retain activity. Following mutagenesis of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, the encoded polypeptide can be expressed recombinantly and the activity of the polypeptide can be determined.

[1062] In a preferred embodiment, a mutant TP-2 polypeptide can be assayed for the ability to 1) modulate the import and export of molecules, e.g., hormones, ions, cytokines, neurotransmitters, monosaccharides, and metabolites, from cells, 2) modulate intra- or inter-cellular signaling, 3) modulate removal of potentially harmful compounds from the cell, or facilitate the compartmentalization of these molecules into a sequestered intra-cellular space (e.g., the peroxisome), and 4) modulate transport of biological molecules across membranes, e.g., the plasma membrane, or the membrane of the mitochondrion, the peroxisome, the lysosome, the endoplasmic reticulum, the nucleus, or the vacuole.

[1063] In addition to the nucleic acid molecules encoding TP-2 polypeptides described above, another aspect of the invention pertains to isolated nucleic acid molecules which are antisense thereto. In an exemplary embodiment, the invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule which is antisense to a TP-2 nucleic acid molecule (e.g., is antisense to the coding strand of a TP-2 nucleic acid molecule). An “antisense” nucleic acid comprises a nucleotide sequence which is complementary to a “sense” nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide, e.g., complementary to the coding strand of a double-stranded cDNA molecule or complementary to an mRNA sequence. Accordingly, an antisense nucleic acid can hydrogen bond to a sense nucleic acid. The antisense nucleic acid can be complementary to an entire TP-2 coding strand, or to only a portion thereof. In one embodiment, an antisense nucleic acid molecule is antisense to a “coding region” of the coding strand of a nucleotide sequence encoding TP-2. The term “coding region” refers to the region of the nucleotide sequence comprising codons which are translated into amino acid residues (e.g., the coding region of human TP-2 corresponds to SEQ ID NO: 17). In another embodiment, the antisense nucleic acid molecule is antisense to a “noncoding region” of the coding strand of a nucleotide sequence encoding TP-2. The term “noncoding region” refers to 5′ and 3′ sequences which flank the coding region that are not translated into amino acids (i.e., also referred to as 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions).

[1064] Given the coding strand sequences encoding TP-2 disclosed herein (e.g., SEQ ID NO: 17), antisense nucleic acids of the invention can be designed according to the rules of Watson and Crick base pairing. The antisense nucleic acid molecule can be complementary to the entire coding region of TP-2 mRNA, but more preferably is an oligonucleotide which is antisense to only a portion of the coding or noncoding region of TP-2 mRNA. For example, the antisense oligonucleotide can be complementary to the region surrounding the translation start site of TP-2 mRNA (e.g., between the −10 and +10 regions of the start site of a gene nucleotide sequence). An antisense oligonucleotide can be, for example, about 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 or 50 nucleotides in length. An antisense nucleic acid of the invention can be constructed using chemical synthesis and enzymatic ligation reactions using procedures known in the art. For example, an antisense nucleic acid (e.g., an antisense oligonucleotide) can be chemically synthesized using naturally occurring nucleotides or variously modified nucleotides designed to increase the biological stability of the molecules or to increase the physical stability of the duplex formed between the antisense and sense nucleic acids, e.g., phosphorothioate derivatives and acridine substituted nucleotides can be used. Examples of modified nucleotides which can be used to generate the antisense nucleic acid include 5-fluorouracil, 5-bromouracil, 5-chlorouracil, 5-iodouracil, hypoxanthine, xantine, 4-acetylcytosine, 5-(carboxyhydroxylmethyl) uracil, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyl-2-thiouridine, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyluracil, dihydrouracil, beta-D-galactosylqueosine, inosine, N6-isopentenyladenine, 1-methylguanine, 1-methylinosine, 2,2-dimethylguanine, 2-methyladenine, 2-methylguanine, 3-methylcytosine, 5-methylcytosine, N6-adenine, 7-methylguanine, 5-methylaminomethyluracil, 5-methoxyaminomethyl-2-thiouracil, beta-D-mannosylqueosine, 5′-methoxycarboxymethyluracil, 5-methoxyuracil, 2-methylthio-N6-isopentenyladenine, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), wybutoxosine, pseudouracil, queosine, 2-thiocytosine, 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 2-thiouracil, 4-thiouracil, 5-methyluracil, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid methylester, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 3-(3-amino-3-N-2-carboxypropyl) uracil, (acp3)w, and 2,6-diaminopurine. Alternatively, the antisense nucleic acid can be produced biologically using an expression vector into which a nucleic acid has been subcloned in an antisense orientation (i.e., RNA transcribed from the inserted nucleic acid will be of an antisense orientation to a target nucleic acid of interest, described further in the following subsection).

[1065] The antisense nucleic acid molecules of the invention are typically administered to a subject or generated in situ such that they hybridize with or bind to cellular mRNA and/or genomic DNA encoding a TP-2 polypeptide to thereby inhibit expression of the polypeptide, e.g., by inhibiting transcription and/or translation. The hybridization can be by conventional nucleotide complementarity to form a stable duplex, or, for example, in the case of an antisense nucleic acid molecule which binds to DNA duplexes, through specific interactions in the major groove of the double helix. An example of a route of administration of antisense nucleic acid molecules of the invention include direct injection at a tissue site. Alternatively, antisense nucleic acid molecules can be modified to target selected cells and then administered systemically. For example, for systemic administration, antisense molecules can be modified such that they specifically bind to receptors or antigens expressed on a selected cell surface, e.g., by linking the antisense nucleic acid molecules to peptides or antibodies which bind to cell surface receptors or antigens. The antisense nucleic acid molecules can also be delivered to cells using the vectors described herein. To achieve sufficient intra-cellular concentrations of the antisense molecules, vector constructs in which the antisense nucleic acid molecule is placed under the control of a strong pol II or pol III promoter are preferred.

[1066] In yet another embodiment, the antisense nucleic acid molecule of the invention is an α-anomeric nucleic acid molecule. An ac-anomeric nucleic acid molecule forms specific double-stranded hybrids with complementary RNA in which, contrary to the usual P-units, the strands run parallel to each other (Gaultier et al. (1987) Nucleic Acids. Res. 15:6625-6641). The antisense nucleic acid molecule can also comprise a 2′-o-methylribonucleotide (Inoue et al. (1987) Nucleic Acids Res. 15:6131-6148) or a chimeric RNA-DNA analogue (Inoue et al. (1987) FEBSLett. 215:327-330).

[1067] In still another embodiment, an antisense nucleic acid of the invention is a ribozyme. Ribozymes are catalytic RNA molecules with ribonuclease activity which are capable of cleaving a single-stranded nucleic acid, such as an mRNA, to which they have a complementary region. Thus, ribozymes (e.g., hammerhead ribozymnes (described in Haseloff and Gerlach (1988) Nature 334:585-591)) can be used to catalytically cleave TP-2 mRNA transcripts to thereby inhibit translation of TP-2 mRNA. A ribozyme having specificity for a TP-2-encoding nucleic acid can be designed based upon the nucleotide sequence of a TP-2 cDNA disclosed herein (i.e., SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______). For example, a derivative of a Tetrahymena L-19 IVS RNA can be constructed in which the nucleotide sequence of the active site is complementary to the nucleotide sequence to be cleaved in a TP-2-encoding mRNA. See, e.g., Cech et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,071; and Cech et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,742. Alternatively, TP-2 mRNA can be used to select a catalytic RNA having a specific ribonuclease activity from a pool of RNA molecules. See, e.g., Bartel, D. and Szostak, J. W. (1993) Science 261:1411-1418.

[1068] Alternatively, TP-2 gene expression can be inhibited by targeting nucleotide sequences complementary to the regulatory region of the TP-2 (e.g., the TP-2 promoter and/or enhancers) to form triple helical structures that prevent transcription of the TP-2 gene in target cells. See generally, Helene, C. (1991) Anticancer Drug Des. 6(6):569-84; Helene, C. et al. (1992) Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 660:27-36; and Maher, L. J. (1992) Bioassays 14(12):807-15.

[1069] In yet another embodiment, the TP-2 nucleic acid molecules of the present invention can be modified at the base moiety, sugar moiety or phosphate backbone to improve, e.g., the stability, hybridization, or solubility of the molecule. For example, the deoxyribose phosphate backbone of the nucleic acid molecules can be modified to generate peptide nucleic acids (see Hyrup B. et al. (1996) Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry 4 (1): 5-23). As used herein, the terms “peptide nucleic acids” or “PNAs” refer to nucleic acid mimics, e.g., DNA mimics, in which the deoxyribose phosphate backbone is replaced by a pseudopeptide backbone and only the four natural nucleobases are retained. The neutral backbone of PNAs has been shown to allow for specific hybridization to DNA and RNA under conditions of low ionic strength. The synthesis of PNA oligomers can be performed using standard solid phase peptide synthesis protocols as described in Hyrup B. et al. (1996) supra; Perry-O'Keefe et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 93: 14670-675.

[1070] PNAs of TP-2 nucleic acid molecules can be used in therapeutic and diagnostic applications. For example, PNAs can be used as antisense or antigene agents for sequence-specific modulation of gene expression by, for example, inducing transcription or translation arrest or inhibiting replication. PNAs of TP-2 nucleic acid molecules can also be used in the analysis of single base pair mutations in a gene, (e.g., by PNA-directed PCR clamping); as ‘artificial restriction enzymes’ when used in combination with other enzymes, (e.g., S1 nucleases (Hyrup B. (1996) supra)); or as probes or primers for DNA sequencing or hybridization (Hyrup B. et al. (1996) supra; Perry-O'Keefe supra).

[1071] In another embodiment, PNAs of TP-2 can be modified, (e.g., to enhance their stability or cellular uptake), by attaching lipophilic or other helper groups to PNA, by the formation of PNA-DNA chimeras, or by the use of liposomes or other techniques of drug delivery known in the art. For example, PNA-DNA chimeras of TP-2 nucleic acid molecules can be generated which may combine the advantageous properties of PNA and DNA. Such chimeras allow DNA recognition enzymes, (e.g., RNase H and DNA polymerases), to interact with the DNA portion while the PNA portion would provide high binding affinity and specificity. PNA-DNA chimeras can be linked using linkers of appropriate lengths selected in terms of base stacking, number of bonds between the nucleobases, and orientation (Hyrup B. (1996) supra). The synthesis of PNA-DNA chimeras can be performed as described in Hyrup B. (1996) supra and Finn P. J. et al. (1996) Nucleic Acids Res. 24 (17): 3357-63. For example, a DNA chain can be synthesized on a solid support using standard phosphoramidite coupling chemistry and modified nucleoside analogs, e.g., 5′-(4-methoxytntyl)amino-5′-deoxy-thymidine phosphoramidite, can be used as a between the PNA and the 5′ end of DNA (Mag, M. et al. (1989) Nucleic Acid Res. 17: 5973-88). PNA monomers are then coupled in a stepwise manner to produce a chimeric molecule with a 5′ PNA segment and a 3′ DNA segment (Finn P. J. et al. (1996) supra). Alternatively, chimeric molecules can be synthesized with a 5′ DNA segment and a 3′ PNA segment (Peterser, K. H. et al. (1975) Bioorganic Med. Chem. Lett. 5: 1119-11124).

[1072] In other embodiments, the oligonucleotide may include other appended groups such as peptides (e.g., for targeting host cell receptors in vivo), or agents facilitating transport across the cell membrane (see, e.g., Letsinger et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6553-6556; Lemaitre et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:648-652; PCT Publication No. W088/09810) or the blood-brain barrier (see, e.g., PCT Publication No. W089/10134). In addition, oligonucleotides can be modified with hybridization-triggered cleavage agents (See, e.g., Krol et al. (1988) Bio-Techniques 6:958-976) or intercalating agents. (See, e.g., Zon (1988) Pharm. Res. 5:539-549). To this end, the oligonucleotide may be conjugated to another molecule, (e.g., a peptide, hybridization triggered cross-linking agent, transport agent, or hybridization-triggered cleavage agent).

[1073] Alternatively, the expression characteristics of an endogenous TP-2 gene within a cell line or microorganism may be modified by inserting a heterologous DNA regulatory element into the genome of a stable cell line or cloned microorganism such that the inserted regulatory element is operatively linked with the endogenous TP-2 gene. For example, an endogenous TP-2 gene which is normally “transcriptionally silent”, i.e., a TP-2 gene which is normally not expressed, or is expressed only at very low levels in a cell line or microorganism, may be activated by inserting a regulatory element which is capable of promoting the expression of a normally expressed gene product in that cell line or microorganism. Alternatively, a transcriptionally silent, endogenous TP-2 gene may be activated by insertion of a promiscuous regulatory element that works across cell types.

[1074] A heterologous regulatory element may be inserted into a stable cell line or cloned microorganism, such that it is operatively linked with an endogenous TP-2 gene, using techniques, such as targeted homologous recombination, which are well known to those of skill in the art, and described, e.g., in Chappel, U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,071; PCT publication No. WO 91/06667, published May 16, 1991.

[1075] II. Isolated TP-2 Polypeptides and Anti-TP-2 Antibodies

[1076] One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated TP-2 or recombinant polypeptides and polypeptides, and biologically active portions thereof, as well as polypeptide fragments suitable for use as immunogens to raise anti-TP-2 antibodies. In one embodiment, native TP-2 polypeptides can be isolated from cells or tissue sources by an appropriate purification scheme using standard protein purification techniques In another embodiment, TP-2 polypeptides are produced by recombinant DNA techniques. Alternative to recombinant expression, a TP-2 polypeptide or polypeptide can be synthesized chemically using standard peptide synthesis techniques.

[1077] An “isolated” or “purified” polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is substantially free of cellular material or other contaminating proteins from the cell or tissue source from which the TP-2 polypeptide is derived, or substantially free from chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized. The language “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of TP-2 polypeptide in which the polypeptide is separated from cellular components of the cells from which it is isolated or recombinantly produced. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of TP-2 polypeptide having less than about 30% (by dry weight) of non-TP-2 polypeptide (also referred to herein as a “contaminating protein”), more preferably less than about 20% of non-TP-2 polypeptide, still more preferably less than about 10% of non-TP-2 polypeptide, and most preferably less than about 5% non-TP-2 polypeptide. When the TP-2 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is recombinantly produced, it is also preferably substantially free of culture medium, i.e., culture medium represents less than about 20%, more preferably less than about 10%, and most preferably less than about 5% of the volume of the protein preparation.

[1078] The language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of TP-2 polypeptide in which the polypeptide is separated from chemical precursors or other chemicals which are involved in the synthesis of the polypeptide. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of TP-2 polypeptide having less than about 30% (by dry weight) of chemical precursors or non-TP-2 chemicals, more preferably less than about 20% chemical precursors or non-TP-2 chemicals, still more preferably less than about 10% chemical precursors or non-TP-2 chemicals, and most preferably less than about 5% chemical precursors or non-TP-2 chemicals.

[1079] As used herein, a “biologically active portion” of a TP-2 polypeptide includes a fragment of a TP-2 polypeptide which participates in an interaction between a TP-2 molecule and a non-TP-2 molecule. Biologically active portions of a TP-2 polypeptide include peptides comprising amino acid sequences sufficiently identical to or derived from the amino acid sequence of the TP-2 polypeptide, e.g., the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 16, which include less amino acids than the full length TP-2 polypeptides, and exhibit at least one activity of a TP-2 polypeptide. Typically, biologically active portions comprise a domain or motif with at least one activity of the TP-2 polypeptide, e.g., modulating transport mechanisms. A biologically active portion of a TP-2 polypeptide can be a polypeptide which is, for example, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, 400, 425, 450, 475 or more amino acids in length. Biologically active portions of a TP-2 polypeptide can be used as targets for developing agents which modulate a TP-2 mediated activity, e.g., modulating transport of biological molecules across membranes.

[1080] In one embodiment, a biologically active portion of a TP-2 polypeptide comprises at least one transmembrane domain. It is to be understood that a preferred biologically active portion of a TP-2 polypeptide of the present invention comprises at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain, and/or a sugar transporter domain, and/or a LacY proton/sugar symporter domain. Moreover, other biologically active portions, in which other regions of the polypeptide are deleted, can be prepared by recombinant techniques and evaluated for one or more of the functional activities of a native TP-2 polypeptide.

[1081] Another aspect of the invention features fragments of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16, for example, for use as immunogens. In one embodiment, a fragment comprises at least 5 amino acids (e.g., contiguous or consecutive amino acids) of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______. In another embodiment, a fragment comprises at least 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 or more amino acids (e.g., contiguous or consecutive amino acids) of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______.

[1082] In a preferred embodiment, a TP-2 polypeptide has an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 16. In other embodiments, the TP-2 polypeptide is substantially identical to SEQ ID NO: 16, and retains the functional activity of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 16, yet differs in amino acid sequence due to natural allelic variation or mutagenesis, as described in detail in subsection I above. In another embodiment, the TP-2 polypeptide is a polypeptide which comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to SEQ ID NO: 16.

[1083] In another embodiment, the invention features a TP-2 polypeptide which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or a complement thereof. This invention further features a TP-2 polypeptide which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or a complement thereof.

[1084] To determine the percent identity of two amino acid sequences or of two nucleic acid sequences, the sequences are aligned for optimal comparison purposes (e.g., gaps can be introduced in one or both of a first and a second amino acid or nucleic acid sequence for optimal alignment and non-identical sequences can be disregarded for comparison purposes). In a preferred embodiment, the length of a reference sequence aligned for comparison purposes is at least 30%, preferably at least 40%, more preferably at least 50%, even more preferably at least 60%, and even more preferably at least 70%, 80%, or 90% of the length of the reference sequence (e.g., when aligning a second sequence to the TP-2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16 having 474 amino acid residues, at least 142, preferably at least 189, more preferably at least 237, more preferably at least 284, even more preferably at least 331, and even more preferably at least 379 or 426 or more amino acid residues are aligned). The amino acid residues or nucleotides at corresponding amino acid positions or nucleotide positions are then compared. When a position in the first sequence is occupied by the same amino acid residue or nucleotide as the corresponding position in the second sequence, then the molecules are identical at that position (as used herein amino acid or nucleic acid “identity” is equivalent to amino acid or nucleic acid “homology”). The percent identity between the two sequences is a function of the number of identical positions shared by the sequences, taking into account the number of gaps, and the length of each gap, which need to be introduced for optimal alignment of the two sequences.

[1085] The comparison of sequences and determination of percent identity between two sequences can be accomplished using a mathematical algorithm. In a preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid sequences is determined using the Needleman and Wunsch (J. Mol. Biol. (48):444-453 (1970)) algorithm which has been incorporated into the GAP program in the GCG software package (available at http://www.gcg.com), using either a Blosum 62 matrix or a PAM250 matrix, and a gap weight of 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, or 4 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. In yet another preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two nucleotide sequences is determined using the GAP program in the GCG software package (available at http://www.gcg.com), using a NWSgapdna.CMP matrix and a gap weight of 40, 50, 60, 70, or 80 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. A preferred, non-limiting example of parameters to be used in conjunction with the GAP program include a Blosum 62 scoring matrix with a gap penalty of 12, a gap extend penalty of 4, and a frameshift gap penalty of 5.

[1086] In another embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid or nucleotide sequences is determined using the algorithm of E. Meyers and W. Miller (Comput. Appl. Biosci., 4:11-17 (1988)) which has been incorporated into the ALIGN program (version 2.0 or version 2.0U), using a PAM120 weight residue table, a gap length penalty of 12 and a gap penalty of 4.

[1087] The nucleic acid and polypeptide sequences of the present invention can further be used as a “query sequence” to perform a search against public databases to, for example, identify other family members or related sequences. Such searches can be performed using the NBLAST and XBLAST programs (version 2.0) of Altschul, et al. (1990) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-10. BLAST nucleotide searches can be performed with the NBLAST program, score=100, wordlength=12 to obtain nucleotide sequences homologous to TP-2 nucleic acid molecules of the invention. BLAST protein searches can be performed with the XBLAST program, score=100, wordlength=3, and a Blosum62 matrix to obtain amino acid sequences homologous to TP-2 polypeptide molecules of the invention. To obtain gapped alignments for comparison purposes, Gapped BLAST can be utilized as described in Altschul et al., (1997) Nucleic Acids Res. 25(17):3389-3402. When utilizing BLAST and Gapped BLAST programs, the default parameters of the respective programs (e.g., XBLAST and NBLAST) can be used. See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

[1088] The invention also provides TP-2 chimeric or fusion proteins. As used herein, a TP-2 “chimeric protein” or “fusion protein” comprises a TP-2 polypeptide operatively linked to a non-TP-2 polypeptide. An “TP-2 polypeptide” refers to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to TP-2, whereas a “non-TP-2 polypeptide” refers to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to a polypeptide which is not substantially homologous to the TP-2 polypeptide, e.g., a polypeptide which is different from the TP-2 polypeptide and which is derived from the same or a different organism. Within a TP-2 fusion protein the TP-2 polypeptide can correspond to all or a portion of a TP-2 polypeptide. In a preferred embodiment, a TP-2 fusion protein comprises at least one biologically active portion of a TP-2 polypeptide. In another preferred embodiment, a TP-2 fusion protein comprises at least two biologically active portions of a TP-2 polypeptide. Within the fusion protein, the term “operatively linked” is intended to indicate that the TP-2 polypeptide and the non-TP-2 polypeptide are fused in-frame to each other. The non-TP-2 polypeptide can be fused to the N-terminus or C-terminus of the TP-2 polypeptide.

[1089] For example, in one embodiment, the fusion protein is a GST-TP-2 fuision protein in which the TP-2 sequences are fused to the C-terminus of the GST sequences. Such fusion proteins can facilitate the purification of recombinant TP-2.

[1090] In another embodiment, the fusion protein is a TP-2 polypeptide containing a heterologous signal sequence at its N-terminus. In certain host cells (e.g., mammalian host cells), expression and/or secretion of TP-2 can be increased through the use of a heterologous signal sequence.

[1091] The TP-2 fusion proteins of the invention can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions and administered to a subject in vivo. The TP-2 fusion proteins can be used to affect the bioavailability of a TP-2 substrate. Use of TP-2 fusion proteins may be useful therapeutically for the treatment of disorders caused by, for example, (i) aberrant modification or mutation of a gene encoding a TP-2 polypeptide; (ii) mis-regulation of the TP-2 gene; and (iii) aberrant post-translational modification of a TP-2 polypeptide.

[1092] Moreover, the TP-2-fusion proteins of the invention can be used as immunogens to produce anti-TP-2 antibodies in a subject, to purify TP-2 ligands and in screening assays to identify molecules which inhibit the interaction of TP-2 with a TP-2 substrate.

[1093] Preferably, a TP-2 chimeric or fusion protein of the invention is produced by standard recombinant DNA techniques. For example, DNA fragments coding for the different polypeptide sequences are ligated together in-frame in accordance with conventional techniques, for example by employing blunt-ended or stagger-ended termini for ligation, restriction enzyme digestion to provide for appropriate termini, filling-in of cohesive ends as appropriate, alkaline phosphatase treatment to avoid undesirable joining, and enzymatic ligation. In another embodiment, the fusion gene can be synthesized by conventional techniques including automated DNA synthesizers. Alternatively, PCR amplification of gene fragments can be carried out using anchor primers which give rise to complementary overhangs between two consecutive gene fragments which can subsequently be annealed and reamplified to generate a chimeric gene sequence (see, for example, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, eds. Ausubel et al. John Wiley & Sons: 1992). Moreover, many expression vectors are commercially available that already encode a fusion moiety (e.g., a GST polypeptide). A TP-2-encoding nucleic acid can be cloned into such an expression vector such that the fusion moiety is linked in-frame to the TP-2 polypeptide.

[1094] The present invention also pertains to variants of the TP-2 polypeptides which function as either TP-2 agonists (mimetics) or as TP-2 antagonists. Variants of the TP-2 polypeptides can be generated by mutagenesis, e.g., discrete point mutation or truncation of a TP-2 polypeptide. An agonist of the TP-2 polypeptides can retain substantially the same, or a subset, of the biological activities of the naturally occurring form of a TP-2 polypeptide. An antagonist of a TP-2 polypeptide can inhibit one or more of the activities of the naturally occurring form of the TP-2 polypeptide by, for example, competitively modulating a TP-2-mediated activity of a TP-2 polypeptide. Thus, specific biological effects can be elicited by treatment with a variant of limited function. In one embodiment, treatment of a subject with a variant having a subset of the biological activities of the naturally occurring form of the polypeptide has fewer side effects in a subject relative to treatment with the naturally occurring form of the TP-2 polypeptide.

[1095] In one embodiment, variants of a TP-2 polypeptide which function as either TP-2 agonists (mimetics) or as TP-2 antagonists can be identified by screening combinatorial libraries of mutants, e.g., truncation mutants, of a TP-2 polypeptide for TP-2 polypeptide agonist or antagonist activity. In one embodiment, a variegated library of TP-2 variants is generated by combinatorial mutagenesis at the nucleic acid level and is encoded by a variegated gene library. A variegated library of TP-2 variants can be produced by, for example, enzymatically ligating a mixture of synthetic oligonucleotides into gene sequences such that a degenerate set of potential TP-2 sequences is expressible as individual polypeptides, or alternatively, as a set of larger fusion proteins (e.g., for phage display) containing the set of TP-2 sequences therein. There are a variety of methods which can be used to produce libraries of potential TP-2 variants from a degenerate oligonucleotide sequence. Chemical synthesis of a degenerate gene sequence can be performed in an automatic DNA synthesizer, and the synthetic gene then ligated into an appropriate expression vector. Use of a degenerate set of genes allows for the provision, in one mixture, of all of the sequences encoding the desired set of potential TP-2 sequences. Methods for synthesizing degenerate oligonucleotides are known in the art (see, e.g., Narang, S. A. (1983) Tetrahedron 39:3; Itakura et al. (1984) Annu. Rev. Biochem. 53:323; Itakura et al. (1984) Science 198:1056; Ike et al. (1983) Nucleic Acid Res. 11:477.

[1096] In addition, libraries of fragments of a TP-2 polypeptide coding sequence can be used to generate a variegated population of TP-2 fragments for screening and subsequent selection of variants of a TP-2 polypeptide. In one embodiment, a library of coding sequence fragments can be generated by treating a double stranded PCR fragment of a TP-2 coding sequence with a nuclease under conditions wherein nicking occurs only about once per molecule, denaturing the double stranded DNA, renaturing the DNA to form double stranded DNA which can include sense/antisense pairs from different nicked products, removing single stranded portions from reformed duplexes by treatment with S1 nuclease, and ligating the resulting fragment library into an expression vector. By this method, an expression library can be derived which encodes N-terminal, C-terminal and internal fragments of various sizes of the TP-2 polypeptide.

[1097] Several techniques are known in the art for screening gene products of combinatorial libraries made by point mutations or truncation, and for screening cDNA libraries for gene products having a selected property. Such techniques are adaptable for rapid screening of the gene libraries generated by the combinatorial mutagenesis of TP-2 polypeptides. The most widely used techniques, which are amenable to high through-put analysis, for screening large gene libraries typically include cloning the gene library into replicable expression vectors, transforming appropriate cells with the resulting library of vectors, and expressing the combinatorial genes under conditions in which detection of a desired activity facilitates isolation of the vector encoding the gene whose product was detected. Recursive ensemble mutagenesis (REM), a new technique which enhances the frequency of functional mutants in the libraries, can be used in combination with the screening assays to identify TP-2 variants (Arkin and Youvan (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:7811-7815; Delagrave et al. (1993) Protein Engineering 6(3):327-331).

[1098] In one embodiment, cell based assays can be exploited to analyze a variegated TP-2 library. For example, a library of expression vectors can be transfected into a cell line, e.g., an endothelial cell line, which ordinarily responds to TP-2 in a particular TP-2 substrate-dependent manner. The transfected cells are then contacted with TP-2 and the effect of expression of the mutant on signaling by the TP-2 substrate can be detected, e.g., by monitoring intra-cellular calcium, IP3, or diacylglycerol concentration, phosphorylation profile of intra-cellular proteins, or the activity of a TP-2-regulated transcription factor. Plasmid DNA can then be recovered from the cells which score for inhibition, or alternatively, potentiation of signaling by the TP-2 substrate, and the individual clones further characterized.

[1099] An isolated TP-2 polypeptide, or a portion or fragment thereof, can be used as an immunogen to generate antibodies that bind TP-2 using standard techniques for polyclonal and monoclonal antibody preparation. A full-length TP-2 polypeptide can be used or, alternatively, the invention provides antigenic peptide fragments of TP-2 for use as immunogens. The antigenic peptide of TP-2 comprises at least 8 amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 16 and encompasses an epitope of TP-2 such that an antibody raised against the peptide forms a specific immune complex with TP-2. Preferably, the antigenic peptide comprises at least 10 amino acid residues, more preferably at least 15 amino acid residues, even more preferably at least 20 amino acid residues, and most preferably at least 30 amino acid residues.

[1100] Preferred epitopes encompassed by the antigenic peptide are regions of TP-2 that are located on the surface of the polypeptide, e.g., hydrophilic regions, as well as regions with high antigenicity (see, for example, FIG. 21).

[1101] A TP-2 immunogen typically is used to prepare antibodies by immunizing a suitable subject, (e.g., rabbit, goat, mouse or other mammal) with the immunogen. An appropriate immunogenic preparation can contain, for example, recombinantly expressed TP-2 polypeptide or a chemically synthesized TP-2 polypeptide. The preparation can further include an adjuvant, such as Freund's complete or incomplete adjuvant, or similar immunostimulatory agent. Immunization of a suitable subject with an immunogenic TP-2 preparation induces a polyclonal anti-TP-2 antibody response.

[1102] Accordingly, another aspect of the invention pertains to anti-TP-2 antibodies. The term “antibody” as used herein refers to immunoglobulin molecules and immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules, i.e., molecules that contain an antigen binding site which specifically binds (immunoreacts with) an antigen, such as TP-2. Examples of immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules include F(ab) and F(ab′)₂ fragments which can be generated by treating the antibody with an enzyme such as pepsin. The invention provides polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies that bind TP-2. The term “monoclonal antibody” or “monoclonal antibody composition”, as used herein, refers to a population of antibody molecules that contain only one species of an antigen binding site capable of immunoreacting with a particular epitope of TP-2. A monoclonal antibody composition thus typically displays a single binding affinity for a particular TP-2 polypeptide with which it immunoreacts.

[1103] Polyclonal anti-TP-2 antibodies can be prepared as described above by immunizing a suitable subject with a TP-2 immunogen. The anti-TP-2 antibody titer in the immunized subject can be monitored over time by standard techniques, such as with an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using immobilized TP-2. If desired, the antibody molecules directed against TP-2 can be isolated from the mammal (e.g., from the blood) and further purified by well known techniques, such as protein A chromatography to obtain the IgG fraction. At an appropriate time after immunization, e.g., when the anti-TP-2 antibody titers are highest, antibody-producing cells can be obtained from the subject and used to prepare monoclonal antibodies by standard techniques, such as the hybridoma technique originally described by Kohler and Milstein (1975) Nature 256:495-497) (see also, Brown et al. (1981) J. Immunol. 127:539-46; Brown et al. (1980) J. Biol. Chem .255:4980-83; Yeh et al. (1976) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 76:2927-31; and Yeh et al. (1982) Int. J. Cancer 29:269-75), the more recent human B cell hybridoma technique (Kozbor et al. (1983) Immunol Today 4:72), the EBV-hybridoma technique (Cole et al. (1985), Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, Inc., pp. 77-96) or trioma techniques. The technology for producing monoclonal antibody hybridomas is well known (see generally R. H. Kenneth, in Monoclonal Antibodies: A New Dimension In Biological Analyses, Plenum Publishing Corp., New York, N.Y. (1980); E. A. Lerner (1981) Yale J Biol. Med., 54:387-402; M. L. Gefter et al. (1977) Somatic Cell Genet. 3:231-36). Briefly, an immortal cell line (typically a myeloma) is fused to lymphocytes (typically splenocytes) from a mammal immunized with a TP-2 immunogen as described above, and the culture supernatants of the resulting hybridoma cells are screened to identify a hybridoma producing a monoclonal antibody that binds TP-2.

[1104] Any of the many well known protocols used for fusing lymphocytes and immortalized cell lines can be applied for the purpose of generating an anti-TP-2 monoclonal antibody (see, e.g., G. Galfre et al. (1977) Nature 266:55052; Gefter et al. Somatic Cell Genet., cited supra; Lerner, Yale J Biol. Med., cited supra; Kenneth, Monoclonal Antibodies, cited supra). Moreover, the ordinarily skilled worker will appreciate that there are many variations of such methods which also would be useful. Typically, the immortal cell line (e.g., a myeloma cell line) is derived from the same mammalian species as the lymphocytes. For example, murine hybridomas can be made by fusing lymphocytes from a mouse immunized with an immunogenic preparation of the present invention with an immortalized mouse cell line. Preferred immortal cell lines are mouse myeloma cell lines that are sensitive to culture medium containing hypoxanthine, aminopterin and thymidine (“HAT medium”). Any of a number of myeloma cell lines can be used as a fusion partner according to standard techniques, e.g., the P3-NS1/1-Ag4-1, P3-x63-Ag8.653 or Sp2/O-Ag14 myeloma lines. These myeloma lines are available from ATCC. Typically, HAT-sensitive mouse mycloma cells are fused to mouse splenocytes using polyethylene glycol (“PEG”). Hybridoma cells resulting from the fusion are then selected using HAT medium, which kills unfused and unproductively fused mycloma cells (unfused splenocytes die after several days because they are not transformed). Hybridoma cells producing a monoclonal antibody of the invention are detected by screening the hybridoma culture supernatants for antibodies that bind TP-2, e.g., using a standard ELISA assay.

[1105] Alternative to preparing monoclonal antibody-secreting hybridomas, a monoclonal anti-TP-2 antibody can be identified and isolated by screening a recombinant combinatorial immunoglobulin library (e.g., an antibody phage display library) with TP-2 to thereby isolate immunoglobulin library members that bind TP-2. Kits for generating and screening phage display libraries are commercially available (e.g., the Pharmacia Recombinant Phage Antibody System, Catalog No. 27-9400-01; and the Stratagene SurfZAP™ Phage Display Kit, Catalog No. 240612). Additionally, examples of methods and reagents particularly amenable for use in generating and screening antibody display library can be found in, for example, Ladner et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409; Kang et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/18619; Dower et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 91/17271; Winter et al. PCT International Publication WO 92/20791; Markland et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/15679; Breitling et al. PCT International Publication WO 93/01288; McCafferty et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/01047; Garrard et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/09690; Ladner et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 90/02809; Fuchs et al. (1991) Bio/Technology 9:1369-1372; Hay et al. (1992) Hum. Antibod. Hybridomas 3:81-85; Huse et al. (1989) Science 246:1275-1281; Griffiths et al. (1993) EMBO J 12:725-734; Hawkins et al. (1992) J. Mol. Biol. 226:889-896; Clackson et al. (1991) Nature 352:624-628; Gram et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:3576-3580; Garrard et al. (1991) Bio/Technology 9:1373-1377; Hoogenboom et al. (1991) Nuc. Acid Res. 19:4133-4137; Barbas et al. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:7978-7982; and McCafferty et al. Nature (1990) 348:552-554.

[1106] Additionally, recombinant anti-TP-2 antibodies, such as chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies, comprising both human and non-human portions, which can be made using standard recombinant DNA techniques, are within the scope of the invention. Such chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies can be produced by recombinant DNA techniques known in the art, for example using methods described in Robinson et al. International Application No. PCT/US86/02269; Akira, et al. European Patent Application 184,187; Taniguchi, M., European Patent Application 171,496; Morrison et al. European Patent Application 173,494; Neuberger et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 86/01533; Cabilly et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,567; Cabilly et al. European Patent Application 125,023; Better et al. (1988) Science 240:1041-1043; Liu et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:3439-3443; Liu et al. (1987) J. Immunol. 139:3521-3526; Sun et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:214-218; Nishimura et al. (1987) Canc. Res. 47:999-1005; Wood et al. (1985) Nature 314:446-449; and Shaw et al. (1988) J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 80:1553-1559); Morrison, S. L. (1985) Science 229:1202-1207; Oi et al. (1986) BioTechniques 4:214; Winter U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,539; Jones et al. (1986) Nature 321:552-525; Verhoeyen et al. (1988) Science 239:1534; and Beidler et al. (1988) J. Immunol. 141:4053-4060.

[1107] An anti-TP-2 antibody (e.g., monoclonal antibody) can be used to isolate TP-2 by standard techniques, such as affinity chromatography or immunoprecipitation. An anti-TP-2 antibody can facilitate the purification of natural TP-2 from cells and of recombinantly produced TP-2 expressed in host cells. Moreover, an anti-TP-2 antibody can be used to detect TP-2 polypeptide (e.g., in a cellular lysate or cell supernatant) in order to evaluate the abundance and pattern of expression of the TP-2 polypeptide. Anti-TP-2 antibodies can be used diagnostically to monitor polypeptide levels in tissue as part of a clinical testing procedure, e.g., to, for example, determine the efficacy of a given treatment regimen. Detection can be facilitated by coupling (i.e., physically linking) the antibody to a detectable substance. Examples of detectable substances include various enzymes, prosthetic groups, fluorescent materials, luminescent materials, bioluminescent materials, and radioactive materials. Examples of suitable enzymes include horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, β-galactosidase, or acetylcholinesterase; examples of suitable prosthetic group complexes include streptavidin/biotin and avidin/biotin; examples of suitable fluorescent materials include umbelliferone, fluorescein, fluorescein isothiocyanate, rhodamine, dichlorotriazinylamine fluorescein, dansyl chloride or phycoerythrin; an example of a luminescent material includes luminol; examples of bioluminescent materials include luciferase, luciferin, and aequorin, and examples of suitable radioactive material include ¹²⁵I, ¹³¹I, ³⁵S or ³H.

[1108] III. Recombinant Expression Vectors and Host Cells

[1109] Another aspect of the invention pertains to vectors, for example recombinant expression vectors, containing a nucleic acid containing a TP-2 nucleic acid molecule or vectors containing a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a TP-2 polypeptide (or a portion thereof). As used herein, the term “vector” refers to a nucleic acid molecule capable of transporting another nucleic acid to which it has been linked. One type of vector is a “plasmid”, which refers to a circular double stranded DNA loop into which additional DNA segments can be ligated. Another type of vector is a viral vector, wherein additional DNA segments can be ligated into the viral genome. Certain vectors are capable of autonomous replication in a host cell into which they are introduced (e.g., bacterial vectors having a bacterial origin of replication and episomal mammalian vectors). Other vectors (e.g., non-episomal mammalian vectors) are integrated into the genome of a host cell upon introduction into the host cell, and thereby are replicated along with the host genome. Moreover, certain vectors are capable of directing the expression of genes to which they are operatively linked. Such vectors are referred to herein as “expression vectors”. In general, expression vectors of utility in recombinant DNA techniques are often in the form of plasmids. In the present specification, “plasmid” and “vector” can be used interchangeably as the plasmid is the most commonly used form of vector. However, the invention is intended to include such other forms of expression vectors, such as viral vectors (e.g., replication defective retroviruses, adenoviruses and adeno-associated viruses), which serve equivalent functions.

[1110] The recombinant expression vectors of the invention comprise a nucleic acid of the invention in a form suitable for expression of the nucleic acid in a host cell, which means that the recombinant expression vectors include one or more regulatory sequences, selected on the basis of the host cells to be used for expression, which is operatively linked to the nucleic acid sequence to be expressed. Within a recombinant expression vector, “operably linked” is intended to mean that the nucleotide sequence of interest is linked to the regulatory sequence(s) in a manner which allows for expression of the nucleotide sequence (e.g., in an in vitro transcription/translation system or in a host cell when the vector is introduced into the host cell). The term “regulatory sequence” is intended to include promoters, enhancers and other expression control elements (e.g., polyadenylation signals). Such regulatory sequences are described, for example, in Goeddel; Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990). Regulatory sequences include those which direct constitutive expression of a nucleotide sequence in many types of host cells and those which direct expression of the nucleotide sequence only in certain host cells (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory sequences). It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the design of the expression vector can depend on such factors as the choice of the host cell to be transformed, the level of expression of polypeptide desired, and the like. The expression vectors of the invention can be introduced into host cells to thereby produce proteins or peptides, including fusion proteins or peptides, encoded by nucleic acids as described herein (e.g., TP-2 polypeptides, mutant forms of TP-2 polypeptides, fusion proteins, and the like).

[1111] Accordingly, an exemplary embodiment provides a method for producing a polypeptide, preferably a TP-2 polypeptide, by culturing in a suitable medium a host cell of the invention (e.g., a mammalian host cell such as a non-human mammalian cell) containing a recombinant expression vector, such that the polypeptide is produced.

[1112] The recombinant expression vectors of the invention can be designed for expression of TP-2 polypeptides in prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells. For example, TP-2 polypeptides can be expressed in bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells (using baculovirus expression vectors) yeast cells or mammalian cells. Suitable host cells are discussed further in Goeddel, Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990). Alternatively, the recombinant expression vector can be transcribed and translated in vitro, for example using T7 promoter regulatory sequences and T7 polymerase.

[1113] Expression of proteins in prokaryotes is most often carried out in E. coli with vectors containing constitutive or inducible promoters directing the expression of either fusion or non-fusion proteins. Fusion vectors add a number of amino acids to a protein encoded therein, usually to the amino terminus of the recombinant protein. Such fusion vectors typically serve three purposes: 1) to increase expression of recombinant protein; 2) to increase the solubility of the recombinant protein; and 3) to aid in the purification of the recombinant protein by acting as a ligand in affinity purification. Often, in fusion expression vectors, a proteolytic cleavage site is introduced at the junction of the fusion moiety and the recombinant protein to enable separation of the recombinant protein from the fusion moiety subsequent to purification of the fusion protein. Such enzymes, and their cognate recognition sequences, include Factor Xa, thrombin and enterokinase. Typical fusion expression vectors include pGEX (Pharmacia Biotech Inc; Smith, D. B. and Johnson, K. S. (1988) Gene 67:31-40), pMAL (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.) and pRIT5 (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.) which fuse glutathione S-transferase (GST), maltose E binding protein, or protein A, respectively, to the target recombinant protein.

[1114] Purified fusion proteins can be utilized in TP-2 activity assays, (e.g., direct assays or competitive assays described in detail below), or to generate antibodies specific for TP-2 polypeptides, for example. In a preferred embodiment, a TP-2 fusion protein expressed in a retroviral expression vector of the present invention can be utilized to infect bone marrow cells which are subsequently transplanted into irradiated recipients. The pathology of the subject recipient is then examined after sufficient time has passed (e.g., six (6) weeks).

[1115] Examples of suitable inducible non-fusion E. coli expression vectors include pTrc (Amann et al., (1988) Gene 69:301-315) and pET 11d (Studier et al., Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990) 60-89). Target gene expression from the pTrc vector relies on host RNA polymerase transcription from a hybrid trp-lac fusion promoter. Target gene expression from the pET 11d vector relies on transcription from a T7 gn10-lac fusion promoter mediated by a coexpressed viral RNA polymerase (T7 gn1). This viral polymerase is supplied by host strains BL21(DE3) or HMS174(DE3) from a resident prophage harboring a T7 gn1 gene under the transcriptional control of the lacUV 5 promoter.

[1116] One strategy to maximize recombinant protein expression in E. coli is to express the protein in a host bacteria with an impaired capacity to proteolytically cleave the recombinant protein (Gottesman, S., Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990) 119-128). Another strategy is to alter the nucleic acid sequence of the nucleic acid to be inserted into an expression vector so that the individual codons for each amino acid are those preferentially utilized in E. coli (Wada et al., (1992) Nucleic Acids Res. 20:2111-2118). Such alteration of nucleic acid sequences of the invention can be carried out by standard DNA synthesis techniques.

[1117] In another embodiment, the TP-2 expression vector is a yeast expression vector. Examples of vectors for expression in yeast S. cerevisiae include pYepSec1 (Baldari, et al, (1987) EMBO J. 6:229-234), pMFa (Kurjan and Herskowitz, (1982) Cell 30:933-943), pJRY88 (Schultz et al., (1987) Gene 54:113-123), pYES2 (Invitrogen Corporation, San Diego, Calif.), and picZ (Invitrogen Corporation, San Diego, Calif.).

[1118] Alternatively, TP-2 polypeptides can be expressed in insect cells using baculovirus expression vectors. Baculovirus vectors available for expression of proteins in cultured insect cells (e.g., Sf 9 cells) include the pAc series (Smith et al. (1983) Mol. Cell Biol. 3:2156-2165) and the pVL series (Lucklow and Summers (1989) Virology 170:31-39).

[1119] In yet another embodiment, a nucleic acid of the invention is expressed in mammalian cells using a mammalian expression vector. Examples of mammalian expression vectors include pCDM8 (Seed, B. (1987) Nature 329:840) and pMT2PC (Kaufinan et al. (1987) EMBO J. 6:187-195). When used in mammalian cells, the expression vector's control functions are often provided by viral regulatory elements. For example, commonly used promoters are derived from polyoma, Adenovirus 2, cytomegalovirus and Simian Virus 40. For other suitable expression systems for both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells see chapters 16 and 17 of Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989.

[1120] In another embodiment, the recombinant mammalian expression vector is capable of directing expression of the nucleic acid preferentially in a particular cell type (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory elements are used to express the nucleic acid). Tissue-specific regulatory elements are known in the art. Non-limiting examples of suitable tissue-specific promoters include the albumin promoter (liver-specific; Pinkert et al. (1987) Genes Dev. 1:268-277), lymphoid-specific promoters (Calame and Eaton (1988) Adv. Immunol. 43:235-275), in particular promoters of T cell receptors (Winoto and Baltimore (1989) EMBO J 8:729-733) and immunoglobulins (Banerji et al. (1983) Cell 33:729-740; Queen and Baltimore (1983) Cell 33:741-748), neuron-specific promoters (e.g., the neurofilament promoter; Byrne and Ruddle (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:5473-5477), pancreas-specific promoters (Edlund et al. (1985) Science 230:912-916), and mammary gland-specific promoters (e.g., milk whey promoter; U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,316 and European Application Publication No. 264,166). Developmentally-regulated promoters are also encompassed, for example the murine hox promoters (Kessel and Gruss (1990) Science 249:374-379) and the α-fetoprotein promoter (Campes and Tilghman (1989) Genes Dev. 3:537-546).

[1121] The invention further provides a recombinant expression vector comprising a DNA molecule of the invention cloned into the expression vector in an antisense orientation. That is, the DNA molecule is operatively linked to a regulatory sequence in a manner which allows for expression (by transcription of the DNA molecule) of an RNA molecule which is antisense to TP-2 mRNA. Regulatory sequences operatively linked to a nucleic acid cloned in the antisense orientation can be chosen which direct the continuous expression of the antisense RNA molecule in a variety of cell types, for instance viral promoters and/or enhancers, or regulatory sequences can be chosen which direct constitutive, tissue specific or cell type specific expression of antisense RNA. The antisense expression vector can be in the form of a recombinant plasmid, phagemid or attenuated virus in which antisense nucleic acids are produced under the control of a high efficiency regulatory region, the activity of which can be determined by the cell type into which the vector is introduced. For a discussion of the regulation of gene expression using antisense genes see Weintraub, H. et al., Antisense RNA as a molecular tool for genetic analysis, Reviews—Trends in Genetics, Vol. 1(1) 1986.

[1122] Another aspect of the invention pertains to host cells into which a TP-2 nucleic acid molecule of the invention is introduced, e.g., a TP-2 nucleic acid molecule within a vector (e.g., a recombinant expression vector) or a TP-2 nucleic acid molecule containing sequences which allow it to homologously recombine into a specific site of the host cell's genome. The terms “host cell” and “recombinant host cell” are used interchangeably herein. It is understood that such terms refer not only to the particular subject cell but to the progeny or potential progeny of such a cell. Because certain modifications may occur in succeeding generations due to either mutation or environmental influences, such progeny may not, in fact, be identical to the parent cell, but are still included within the scope of the term as used herein.

[1123] A host cell can be any prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell. For example, a TP-2 polypeptide can be expressed in bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells, yeast or mammalian cells (such as Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) or COS cells). Other suitable host cells are known to those skilled in the art.

[1124] Vector DNA can be introduced into prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells via conventional transformation or transfection techniques. As used herein, the terms “transformation” and “transfection” are intended to refer to a variety of art-recognized techniques for introducing foreign nucleic acid (e.g., DNA) into a host cell, including calcium phosphate or calcium chloride co-precipitation, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, lipofection, or electroporation. Suitable methods for transforming or transfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook, et al. (Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), and other laboratory manuals.

[1125] For stable transfection of mammalian cells, it is known that, depending upon the expression vector and transfection technique used, only a small fraction of cells may integrate the foreign DNA into their genome. In order to identify and select these integrants, a gene that encodes a selectable marker (e.g., resistance to antibiotics) is generally introduced into the host cells along with the gene of interest. Preferred selectable markers include those which confer resistance to drugs, such as G418, hygromycin and methotrexate. Nucleic acid encoding a selectable marker can be introduced into a host cell on the same vector as that encoding a TP-2 polypeptide or can be introduced on a separate vector. Cells stably transfected with the introduced nucleic acid can be identified by drug selection (e.g., cells that have incorporated the selectable marker gene will survive, while the other cells die).

[1126] A host cell of the invention, such as a prokaryotic or eukaryotic host cell in culture, can be used to produce (i.e., express) a TP-2 polypeptide. Accordingly, the invention further provides methods for producing a TP-2 polypeptide using the host cells of the invention. In one embodiment, the method comprises culturing the host cell of the invention (into which a recombinant expression vector encoding a TP-2 polypeptide has been introduced) in a suitable medium such that a TP-2 polypeptide is produced. In another embodiment, the method further comprises isolating a TP-2 polypeptide from the medium or the host cell.

[1127] The host cells of the invention can also be used to produce non-human transgenic animals. For example, in one embodiment, a host cell of the invention is a fertilized oocyte or an embryonic stem cell into which TP-2-coding sequences have been introduced. Such host cells can then be used to create non-human transgenic animals in which exogenous TP-2 sequences have been introduced into their genome or homologous recombinant animals in which endogenous TP-2 sequences have been altered. Such animals are useful for studying the function and/or activity of a TP-2 and for identifying and/or evaluating modulators of TP-2 activity. As used herein, a “transgenic animal” is a non-human animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a rodent such as a rat or mouse, in which one or more of the cells of the animal includes a transgene. Other examples of transgenic animals include non-human primates, sheep, dogs, cows, goats, chickens, amphibians, and the like. A transgene is exogenous DNA which is integrated into the genome of a cell from which a transgenic animal develops and which remains in the genome of the mature animal, thereby directing the expression of an encoded gene product in one or more cell types or tissues of the transgenic animal. As used herein, a “homologous recombinant animal” is a non-human animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a mouse, in which an endogenous TP-2 gene has been altered by homologous recombination between the endogenous gene and an exogenous DNA molecule introduced into a cell of the animal, e.g., an embryonic cell of the animal, prior to development of the animal.

[1128] A transgenic animal of the invention can be created by introducing a TP-2-encoding nucleic acid into the male pronuclei of a fertilized oocyte, e.g., by microinjection, retroviral infection, and allowing the oocyte to develop in a pseudopregnant female foster animal. The TP-2 cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 can be introduced as a transgene into the genome of a non-human animal. Alternatively, a nonhuman homologue of a human TP-2 gene, such as a mouse or rat TP-2 gene, can be used as a transgene. Alternatively, a TP-2 gene homologue, such as another TP-2 family member, can be isolated based on hybridization to the TP-2 cDNA sequences of SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ (described further in subsection I above) and used as a transgene. Intronic sequences and polyadenylation signals can also be included in the transgene to increase the efficiency of expression of the transgene. A tissue-specific regulatory sequence(s) can be operably linked to a TP-2 transgene to direct expression of a TP-2 polypeptide to particular cells. Methods for generating transgenic animals via embryo manipulation and microinjection, particularly animals such as mice, have become conventional in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,736,866 and 4,870,009, both by Leder et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,191 by Wagner et al. and in Hogan, B., Manipulating the Mouse Embryo, (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1986). Similar methods are used for production of other transgenic animals. A transgenic founder animal can be identified based upon the presence of a TP2 transgene in its genome and/or expression of TP-2 mRNA in tissues or cells of the animals. A transgenic founder animal can then be used to breed additional animals carrying the transgene. Moreover, transgenic animals carrying a transgene encoding a TP-2 polypeptide can further be bred to other transgenic animals carrying other transgenes.

[1129] To create a homologous recombinant animal, a vector is prepared which contains at least a portion of a TP-2 gene into which a deletion, addition or substitution has been introduced to thereby alter, e.g., functionally disrupt, the TP-2 gene. The TP-2 gene can be a human gene (e.g., the cDNA of SEQ ID NO: 17), but more preferably, is a non-human homologue of a human TP-2 gene (e.g., a cDNA isolated by stringent hybridization with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15). For example, a mouse TP-2 gene can be used to construct a homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule, e.g., a vector, suitable for altering an endogenous TP-2 gene in the mouse genome. In a preferred embodiment, the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule is designed such that, upon homologous recombination, the endogenous TP-2 gene is functionally disrupted (i.e., no longer encodes a functional protein; also referred to as a “knock out” vector). Alternatively, the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule can be designed such that, upon homologous recombination, the endogenous TP-2 gene is mutated or otherwise altered but still encodes functional polypeptide (e.g., the upstream regulatory region can be altered to thereby alter the expression of the endogenous TP-2 polypeptide). In the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule, the altered portion of the TP-2 gene is flanked at its 5′ and 3′ ends by additional nucleic acid sequence of the TP-2 gene to allow for homologous recombination to occur between the exogenous TP-2 gene carried by the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule and an endogenous TP-2 gene in a cell, e.g., an embryonic stem cell. The additional flanking TP-2 nucleic acid sequence is of sufficient length for successful homologous recombination with the endogenous gene. Typically, several kilobases of flanking DNA (both at the 5′ and 3′ ends) are included in the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule (see, e.g., Thomas, K. R. and Capecchi, M. R. (1987) Cell 51:503 for a description of homologous recombination vectors). The homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule is introduced into a cell, e.g., an embryonic stem cell line (e.g., by electroporation) and cells in which the introduced TP-2 gene has homologously recombined with the endogenous TP-2 gene are selected (see e.g., Li, E. et al. (1992) Cell 69:915). The selected cells can then injected into a blastocyst of an animal (e.g., a mouse) to form aggregation chimeras (see e.g., Bradley, A. in Teratocarcinomas and Embryonic Stem Cells: A Practical Approach, E. J. Robertson, ed. (IRL, Oxford, 1987) pp. 113-152). A chimeric embryo can then be implanted into a suitable pseudopregnant female foster animal and the embryo brought to term. Progeny harboring the homologously recombined DNA in their germ cells can be used to breed animals in which all cells of the animal contain the homologously recombined DNA by germline transmission of the transgene. Methods for constructing homologous recombination nucleic acid molecules, e.g., vectors, or homologous recombinant animals are described further in Bradley, A. (1991) Current Opinion in Biotechnology 2:823-829 and in PCT International Publication Nos.: WO 90/11354 by Le Mouellec et al.; WO 91/01140 by Smithies et al.; WO 92/0968 by Zijlstra et al.; and WO 93/04169 by Berns et al.

[1130] In another embodiment, transgenic non-human animals can be produced which contain selected systems which allow for regulated expression of the transgene. One example of such a system is the cre/loxP recombinase system of bacteriophage P1. For a description of the cre/loxP recombinase system, see, e.g., Lakso et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:6232-6236. Another example of a recombinase system is the FLP recombinase system of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (O'Gorman et al. (1991) Science 251:1351-1355. If a cre/loxP recombinase system is used to regulate expression of the transgene, animals containing transgenes encoding both the Cre recombinase and a selected protein are required. Such animals can be provided through the construction of “double” transgenic animals, e.g., by mating two transgenic animals, one containing a transgene encoding a selected protein and the other containing a transgene encoding a recombinase.

[1131] Clones of the non-human transgenic animals described herein can also be produced according to the methods described in Wilmut, I. et al. (1997) Nature 385:810-813 and PCT International Publication Nos. WO 97/07668 and WO 97/07669. In brief, a cell, e.g., a somatic cell, from the transgenic animal can be isolated and induced to exit the growth cycle and enter G_(o) phase. The quiescent cell can then be fused, e.g., through the use of electrical pulses, to an enucleated oocyte from an animal of the same species from which the quiescent cell is isolated. The reconstructed oocyte is then cultured such that it develops to morula or blastocyte and then transferred to pseudopregnant female foster animal. The offspring borne of this female foster animal will be a clone of the animal from which the cell, e.g., the somatic cell, is isolated.

[1132] IV. Pharmaceutical Compositions

[1133] The TP-2 nucleic acid molecules, fragments of TP-2 polypeptides, and anti-TP-2 antibodies (also referred to herein as “active compounds”) of the invention can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions suitable for administration. Such compositions typically comprise the nucleic acid molecule, polypeptide, or antibody and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. As used herein the language “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” is intended to include any and all solvents, dispersion media, coatings, antibacterial and antifungal agents, isotonic and absorption delaying agents, and the like, compatible with pharmaceutical administration. The use of such media and agents for pharmaceutically active substances is well known in the art. Except insofar as any conventional media or agent is incompatible with the active compound, use thereof in the compositions is contemplated. Supplementary active compounds can also be incorporated into the compositions.

[1134] A pharmaceutical composition of the invention is formulated to be compatible with its intended route of administration. Examples of routes of administration include parenteral, e.g., intravenous, intradermal, subcutaneous, oral (e.g., inhalation), transdermal (topical), transmucosal, and rectal administration. Solutions or suspensions used for parenteral, intradermal, or subcutaneous application can include the following components: a sterile diluent such as water for injection, saline solution, fixed oils, polyethylene glycols, glycerine, propylene glycol or other synthetic solvents; antibacterial agents such as benzyl alcohol or methyl parabens; antioxidants such as ascorbic acid or sodium bisulfite; chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; buffers such as acetates, citrates or phosphates and agents for the adjustment of tonicity such as sodium chloride or dextrose. pH can be adjusted with acids or bases, such as hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide. The parenteral preparation can be enclosed in ampoules, disposable syringes or multiple dose vials made of glass or plastic.

[1135] Pharmaceutical compositions suitable for injectable use include sterile aqueous solutions (where water soluble) or dispersions and sterile powders for the extemporaneous preparation of sterile injectable solutions or dispersion. For intravenous administration, suitable carriers include physiological saline, bacteriostatic water, Cremophor EL™ (BASF, Parsippany, N.J.) or phosphate buffered saline (PBS). In all cases, the composition must be sterile and should be fluid to the extent that easy syringeability exists. It must be stable under the conditions of manufacture and storage and must be preserved against the contaminating action of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. The carrier can be a solvent or dispersion medium containing, for example, water, ethanol, polyol (for example, glycerol, propylene glycol, and liquid polyetheylene glycol, and the like), and suitable mixtures thereof. The proper fluidity can be maintained, for example, by the use of a coating such as lecithin, by the maintenance of the required particle size in the case of dispersion and by the use of surfactants. Prevention of the action of microorganisms can be achieved by various antibacterial and antifungal agents, for example, parabens, chlorobutanol, phenol, ascorbic acid, thimerosal, and the like. In many cases, it will be preferable to include isotonic agents, for example, sugars, polyalcohols such as manitol, sorbitol, sodium chloride in the composition. Prolonged absorption of the injectable compositions can be brought about by including in the composition an agent which delays absorption, for example, aluminum monostearate and gelatin.

[1136] Sterile injectable solutions can be prepared by incorporating the active compound (e.g., a fragment of a TP-2 polypeptide or an anti-TP-2 antibody) in the required amount in an appropriate solvent with one or a combination of ingredients enumerated above, as required, followed by filtered sterilization. Generally, dispersions are prepared by incorporating the active compound into a sterile vehicle which contains a basic dispersion medium and the required other ingredients from those enumerated above. In the case of sterile powders for the preparation of sterile injectable solutions, the preferred methods of preparation are vacuum drying and freeze-drying which yields a powder of the active ingredient plus any additional desired ingredient from a previously sterile-filtered solution thereof.

[1137] Oral compositions generally include an inert diluent or an edible carrier. They can be enclosed in gelatin capsules or compressed into tablets. For the purpose of oral therapeutic administration, the active compound can be incorporated with excipients and used in the form of tablets, troches, or capsules. Oral compositions can also be prepared using a fluid carrier for use as a mouthwash, wherein the compound in the fluid carrier is applied orally and swished and expectorated or swallowed. Pharmaceutically compatible binding agents, and/or adjuvant materials can be included as part of the composition. The tablets, pills, capsules, troches and the like can contain any of the following ingredients, or compounds of a similar nature: a binder such as microcrystalline cellulose, gum tragacanth or gelatin; an excipient such as starch or lactose, a disintegrating agent such as alginic acid, Primogel, or corn starch; a lubricant such as magnesium stearate or Sterotes; a glidant such as colloidal silicon dioxide; a sweetening agent such as sucrose or saccharin; or a flavoring agent such as peppermint, methyl salicylate, or orange flavoring.

[1138] For administration by inhalation, the compounds are delivered in the form of an aerosol spray from pressured container or dispenser which contains a suitable propellant, e.g., a gas such as carbon dioxide, or a nebulizer.

[1139] Systemic administration can also be by transmucosal or transdermal means. For transmucosal or transdermal administration, penetrants appropriate to the barrier to be permeated are used in the formulation. Such penetrants are generally known in the art, and include, for example, for transmucosal administration, detergents, bile salts, and fusidic acid derivatives. Transmucosal administration can be accomplished through the use of nasal sprays or suppositories. For transdermal administration, the active compounds are formulated into ointments, salves, gels, or creams as generally known in the art.

[1140] The compounds can also be prepared in the form of suppositories (e.g., with conventional suppository bases such as cocoa butter and other glycerides) or retention enemas for rectal delivery.

[1141] In one embodiment, the active compounds are prepared with carriers that will protect the compound against rapid elimination from the body, such as a controlled release formulation, including implants and microencapsulated delivery systems. Biodegradable, biocompatible polymers can be used, such as ethylene vinyl acetate, polyanhydrides, polyglycolic acid, collagen, polyorthoesters, and polylactic acid. Methods for preparation of such formulations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The materials can also be obtained commercially from Alza Corporation and Nova Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Liposomal suspensions (including liposomes targeted to infected cells with monoclonal antibodies to viral antigens) can also be used as pharmaceutically acceptable carriers. These can be prepared according to methods known to those skilled in the art, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,811.

[1142] It is especially advantageous to formulate oral or parenteral compositions in dosage unit form for ease of administration and uniformity of dosage. Dosage unit form as used herein refers to physically discrete units suited as unitary dosages for the subject to be treated; each unit containing a predetermined quantity of active compound calculated to produce the desired therapeutic effect in association with the required pharmaceutical carrier. The specification for the dosage unit forms of the invention are dictated by and directly dependent on the unique characteristics of the active compound and the particular therapeutic effect to be achieved, and the limitations inherent in the art of compounding such an active compound for the treatment of individuals.

[1143] Toxicity and therapeutic efficacy of such compounds can be determined by standard pharmaceutical procedures in cell cultures or experimental animals, e.g., for determining the LD50 (the dose lethal to 50% of the population) and the ED50 (the dose therapeutically effective in 50% of the population). The dose ratio between toxic and therapeutic effects is the therapeutic index and it can be expressed as the ratio LD50/ED50. Compounds which exhibit large therapeutic indices are preferred. While compounds that exhibit toxic side effects may be used, care should be taken to design a delivery system that targets such compounds to the site of affected tissue in order to minimize potential damage to uninfected cells and, thereby, reduce side effects.

[1144] The data obtained from the cell culture assays and animal studies can be used in formulating a range of dosage for use in humans. The dosage of such compounds lies preferably within a range of circulating concentrations that include the ED50 with little or no toxicity. The dosage may vary within this range depending upon the dosage form employed and the route of administration utilized. For any compound used in the method of the invention, the therapeutically effective dose can be estimated initially from cell culture assays. A dose may be formulated in animal models to achieve a circulating plasma concentration range that includes the IC50 (i.e., the concentration of the test compound which achieves a half-maximal inhibition of symptoms) as determined in cell culture. Such information can be used to more accurately determine useful doses in humans. Levels in plasma may be measured, for example, by high performance liquid chromatography.

[1145] As defined herein, a therapeutically effective amount of polypeptide (i.e., an effective dosage) ranges from about 0.001 to 30 mg/kg body weight, preferably about 0.01 to 25 mg/kg body weight, more preferably about 0.1 to 20 mg/kg body weight, and even more preferably about 1 to 10 mg/kg, 2 to 9 mg/kg, 3 to 8 mg/kg, 4 to 7 mg/kg, or 5 to 6 mg/kg body weight. The skilled artisan will appreciate that certain factors may influence the dosage required to effectively treat a subject, including but not limited to the severity of the disease or disorder, previous treatments, the general health and/or age of the subject, and other diseases present. Moreover, treatment of a subject with a therapeutically effective amount of a polypeptide or antibody can include a single treatment or, preferably, can include a series of treatments.

[1146] In a preferred example, a subject is treated with antibody or polypeptide in the range of between about 0.1 to 20 mg/kg body weight, one time per week for between about 1 to 10 weeks, preferably between 2 to 8 weeks, more preferably between about 3 to 7 weeks, and even more preferably for about 4, 5, or 6 weeks. It will also be appreciated that the effective dosage of antibody or polypeptide used for treatment may increase or decrease over the course of a particular treatment. Changes in dosage may result and become apparent from the results of diagnostic assays as described herein.

[1147] The present invention encompasses agents which modulate expression or activity. An agent may, for example, be a small molecule. For example, such small molecules include, but are not limited to, peptides, peptidomimetics, amino acids, amino acid analogs, polynucleotides, polynucleotide analogs, nucleotides, nucleotide analogs, organic or inorganic compounds (i.e.,. including heteroorganic and organometallic compounds) having a molecular weight less than about 10,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 5,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 1,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 500 grams per mole, and salts, esters, and other pharmaceutically acceptable forms of such compounds. It is understood that appropriate doses of small molecule agents depends upon a number of factors within the ken of the ordinarily skilled physician, veterinarian, or researcher. The dose(s) of the small molecule will vary, for example, depending upon the identity, size, and condition of the subject or sample being treated, further depending upon the route by which the composition is to be administered, if applicable, and the effect which the practitioner desires the small molecule to have upon the nucleic acid or polypeptide of the invention.

[1148] Exemplary doses include milligram or microgram amounts of the small molecule per kilogram of subject or sample weight (e.g., about 1 microgram per kilogram to about 500 milligrams per kilogram, about 100 micrograms per kilogram to about 5 milligrams per kilogram, or about 1 microgram per kilogram to about 50 micrograms per kilogram. It is furthermore understood that appropriate doses of a small molecule depend upon the potency of the small molecule with respect to the expression or activity to be modulated. Such appropriate doses may be determined using the assays described herein. When one or more of these small molecules is to be administered to an animal (e.g., a human) in order to modulate expression or activity of a polypeptide or nucleic acid of the invention, a physician, veterinarian, or researcher may, for example, prescribe a relatively low dose at first, subsequently increasing the dose until an appropriate response is obtained. In addition, it is understood that the specific dose level for any particular animal subject will depend upon a variety of factors including the activity of the specific compound employed, the age, body weight, general health, gender, and diet of the subject, the time of administration, the route of administration, the rate of excretion, any drug combination, and the degree of expression or activity to be modulated.

[1149] Further, an antibody (or fragment thereof) may be conjugated to a therapeutic moiety such as a cytotoxin, a therapeutic agent or a radioactive metal ion. A cytotoxin or cytotoxic agent includes any agent that is detrimental to cells. Examples include taxol, cytochalasin B, gramicidin D, ethidium bromide, emetine, mitomycin, etoposide, tenoposide, vincristine, vinblastine, colchicin, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, dihydroxy anthracin dione, mitoxantrone, mithramycin, actinomycin D, 1-dehydrotestosterone, glucocorticoids, procaine, tetracaine, lidocaine, propranolol, and puromycin and analogs or homologues thereof. Therapeutic agents include, but are not limited to, antimetabolites (e.g., methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, cytarabine, 5-fluorouracil decarbazine), alkylating agents (e.g., mechlorethamine, thioepa chlorambucil, melphalan, carmustine (BSNU) and lomustine (CCNU), cyclothosphamide, busulfan, dibromomannitol, streptozotocin, mitomycin C, and cis-dichlorodiamine platinum (II) (DDP) cisplatin), anthracyclines (e.g., daunorubicin (formerly daunomycin) and doxorubicin), antibiotics (e.g., dactinomycin (formerly actinomycin), bleomycin, mithramycin, and anthramycin (AMC)), and anti-mitotic agents (e.g., vincristine and vinblastine).

[1150] The conjugates of the invention can be used for modifying a given biological response, the drug moiety is not to be construed as limited to classical chemical therapeutic agents. For example, the drug moiety may be a protein or polypeptide possessing a desired biological activity. Such proteins may include, for example, a toxin such as abrin, ricin A, pseudomonas exotoxin, or diphtheria toxin; a protein such as tumor necrosis factor, alpha-interferon, beta-interferon, nerve growth factor, platelet derived growth factor, tissue plasminogen activator; or, biological response modifiers such as, for example, lymphokines, interleukin-1 (“IL-1”), interleukin-2 (“IL-2”), interleukin-6 (“IL-6”), granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (“GM-CSF”), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (“G-CSF”), or other growth factors.

[1151] Techniques for conjugating such therapeutic moiety to antibodies are well known, see, e.g., Arnon et al., “Monoclonal Antibodies For Immunotargeting Of Drugs In Cancer Therapy”, in Monoclonal Antibodies And Cancer Therapy, Reisfeld et al. (eds.), pp. 243-56 (Alan R. Liss, Inc. 1985); Hellstrom et al., “Antibodies For Drug Delivery”, in Controlled Drug Delivery (2nd Ed.), Robinson et al. (eds.), pp. 623-53 (Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1987); Thorpe, “Antibody Carriers Of Cytotoxic Agents In Cancer Therapy: A Review”, in Monoclonal Antibodies '84: Biological And Clinical Applications, Pinchera et al. (eds.), pp. 475-506 (1985); “Analysis, Results, And Future Prospective Of The Therapeutic Use Of Radiolabeled Antibody In Cancer Therapy”, in Monoclonal Antibodies For Cancer Detection And Therapy, Baldwin et al. (eds.), pp. 303-16 (Academic Press 1985), and Thorpe et al., “The Preparation And Cytotoxic Properties Of Antibody-Toxin Conjugates”, Immunol. Rev., 62:119-58 (1982). Alternatively, an antibody can be conjugated to a second antibody to form an antibody heteroconjugate as described by Segal in U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,980.

[1152] The nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be inserted into vectors and used as gene therapy vectors. Gene therapy vectors can be delivered to a subject by, for example, intravenous injection, local administration (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,470) or by stereotactic injection (see e.g., Chen et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91-3054-3057). The pharmaceutical preparation of the gene therapy vector can include the gene therapy vector in an acceptable diluent, or can comprise a slow release matrix in which the gene delivery vehicle is imbedded. Alternatively, where the complete gene delivery vector can be produced intact from recombinant cells, e.g., retroviral vectors, the pharmaceutical preparation can include one or more cells which produce the gene delivery system.

[1153] The pharmaceutical compositions can be included in a container, pack, or dispenser together with instructions for administration.

[1154] V. Uses and Methods of the Invention

[1155] The nucleic acid molecules, proteins, protein homologues, and antibodies described herein can be used in one or more of the following methods: a) screening assays; b) predictive medicine (e.g., diagnostic assays, prognostic assays, monitoring clinical trials, and pharmacogenetics); and c) methods of treatment (e.g., therapeutic and prophylactic). As described herein, a TP-2 polypeptide of the invention has one or more of the following activities: (1) modulate the import and export of molecules, e.g., hormones, ions, cytokines, neurotransmitters, monosaccharides, and metabolites, from cells, 2) modulate intra- or inter-cellular signaling, 3) modulate removal of potentially harmful compounds from the cell, or facilitate the compartmentalization of these molecules into a sequestered intra-cellular space (e.g., the peroxisome), and 4) modulate transport of biological molecules across membranes, e.g., the plasma membrane, or the membrane of the mitochondrion, the peroxisome, the lysosome, the endoplasmic reticulum, the nucleus, or the vacuole.

[1156] The isolated nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be used, for example, to express TP-2 polypeptides (e.g., via a recombinant expression vector in a host cell in gene therapy applications), to detect TP-2 mRNA (e.g., in a biological sample) or a genetic alteration in a TP-2 gene, and to modulate TP-2 activity, as described further below. The TP-2 polypeptides can be used to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive production of a TP-2 substrate or production of TP-2 inhibitors. In addition, the TP-2 polypeptides can be used to screen for naturally occurring TP-2 substrates, to screen for drugs or compounds which modulate TP-2 activity, as well as to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive production of TP-2 polypeptide or production of TP-2 polypeptide forms which have decreased, aberrant or unwanted activity compared to TP-2 wild type polypeptide (e.g., transporter-associated disorders). Moreover, the anti-TP-2 antibodies of the invention can be used to detect and isolate TP-2 polypeptides, to regulate the bioavailability of TP-2 polypeptides, and modulate TP-2 activity.

[1157] A. Screening Assays

[1158] The invention provides a method (also referred to herein as a “screening assay”) for identifying modulators, i.e., candidate or test compounds or agents (e.g., peptides, peptidomimetics, small molecules or other drugs) which bind to TP-2 polypeptides, have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on, for example, TP-2 expression or TP-2 activity, or have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on, for example, the expression or activity of TP-2 substrate.

[1159] In one embodiment, the invention provides assays for screening candidate or test compounds which are substrates of a TP-2 polypeptide or polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof. In another embodiment, the invention provides assays for screening candidate or test compounds which bind to or modulate the activity of a TP-2 polypeptide or polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof. The test compounds of the present invention can be obtained using any of the numerous approaches in combinatorial library methods known in the art, including: biological libraries; spatially addressable parallel solid phase or solution phase libraries; synthetic library methods requiring deconvolution; the ‘one-bead one-compound’ library method; and synthetic library methods using affinity chromatography selection. The biological library approach is limited to peptide libraries, while the other four approaches are applicable to peptide, non-peptide oligomer or small molecule libraries of compounds (Lam, K. S. (1997) Anticancer Drug Des. 12:145).

[1160] Examples of methods for the synthesis of molecular libraries can be found in the art, for example in: DeWitt et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90:6909; Erb et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:11422; Zuckermann et al. (1994). J. Med. Chem. 37:2678; Cho et al. (1993) Science 261:1303; Carrell et al. (1994) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 33:2059; Carell et al. (1994) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 33:2061; and in Gallop et al. (1994) J. Med. Chem. 37:1233.

[1161] Libraries of compounds may be presented in solution (e.g., Houghten (1992) Biotechniques 13:412-421), or on beads (Lam (1991) Nature 354:82-84), chips (Fodor (1993) Nature 364:555-556), bacteria (Ladner U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409), spores (Ladner U.S. Pat. No. '409), plasmids (Cull et al. (1992) Proc Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:1865-1869) or on phage (Scott and Smith (1990) Science 249:386-390); (Devlin (1990) Science 249:404-406); (Cwirla et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 87:6378-6382); (Felici (1991) J. Mol. Biol. 222:301-310); (Ladner supra.).

[1162] In one embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay in which a cell which expresses a TP-2 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate TP-2 activity is determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate TP-2 activity can be accomplished by monitoring, for example, intra- or extra-cellular D-glucose, D-fructose or D-galactose concentration, or insulin or glucagon secretion. The cell, for example, can be of mammalian origin, e.g., a liver cell, fat cell, muscle cell, or a blood cell, such as an erythrocyte.

[1163] The ability of the test compound to modulate TP-2 binding to a substrate or to bind to TP-2 can also be determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate TP-2 binding to a substrate can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the TP-2 substrate with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the TP-2 substrate to TP-2 can be determined by detecting the labeled TP-2 substrate in a complex. Alternatively, TP-2 could be coupled with a radioisotope or enzymatic label to monitor the ability of a test compound to modulate TP-2 binding to a TP-2 substrate in a complex. Determining the ability of the test compound to bind TP-2 can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the compound with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the compound to TP-2 can be determined by detecting the labeled TP-2 compound in a complex. For example, compounds (e.g., TP-2 substrates) can be labeled with ¹²⁵I, ³⁵S, ¹⁴C, or ³H, either directly or indirectly, and the radioisotope detected by direct counting of radioemission or by scintillation counting. Alternatively, compounds can be enzymatically labeled with, for example, horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, or luciferase, and the enzymatic label detected by determination of conversion of an appropriate substrate to product.

[1164] It is also within the scope of this invention to determine the ability of a compound (e.g., a TP-2 substrate) to interact with TP-2 without the labeling of any of the interactants. For example, a microphysiometer can be used to detect the interaction of a compound with TP-2 without the labeling of either the compound or the TP-2. McConnell, H. M. et al. (1992) Science 257:1906-1912. As used herein, a “microphysiometer” (e.g., Cytosensor) is an analytical instrument that measures the rate at which a cell acidifies its environment using a light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS). Changes in this acidification rate can be used as an indicator of the interaction between a compound and TP-2.

[1165] In another embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay comprising contacting a cell expressing a TP-2 target molecule (e.g., a TP-2 substrate) with a test compound and determining the ability of the test compound to modulate (e.g., stimulate or inhibit) the activity of the TP-2 target molecule. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of a TP-2 target molecule can be accomplished, for example, by determining the ability of the TP-2 polypeptide to bind to or interact with the TP-2 target molecule.

[1166] Determining the ability of the TP-2 polypeptide, or a biologically active fragment thereof, to bind to or interact with a TP-2 target molecule can be accomplished by one of the methods described above for determining direct binding. In a preferred embodiment, determining the ability of the TP-2 polypeptide to bind to or interact with a TP-2 target molecule can be accomplished by determining the activity of the target molecule. For example, the activity of the target molecule can be determined by detecting induction of a cellular second messenger of the target (i.e., intra-cellular Ca²⁺, diacylglycerol, IP₃, and the like), detecting catalytic/enzymatic activity of the target using an appropriate substrate, detecting the induction of a reporter gene (comprising a target-responsive regulatory element operatively linked to a nucleic acid encoding a detectable marker, e.g., luciferase), or detecting a target-regulated cellular response.

[1167] In yet another embodiment, an assay of the present invention is a cell-free assay in which a TP-2 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to bind to the TP-2 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is determined. Preferred biologically active portions of the TP-2 polypeptides to be used in assays of the present invention include fragments which participate in interactions with non-TP-2 molecules, e.g., fragments with high surface probability scores (see, for example, FIG. 21). Binding of the test compound to the TP-2 polypeptide can be determined either directly or indirectly as described above. In a preferred embodiment, the assay includes contacting the TP-2 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof with a known compound which binds TP-2 to form an assay mixture, contacting the assay mixture with a test compound, and determining the ability of the test compound to interact with a TP-2 polypeptide, wherein determining the ability of the test compound to interact with a TP-2 polypeptide comprises determining the ability of the test compound to preferentially bind to TP-2 or biologically active portion thereof as compared to the known compound.

[1168] In another embodiment, the assay is a cell-free assay in which a TP-2 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate (e.g., stimulate or inhibit) the activity of the TP-2 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of a TP-2 polypeptide can be accomplished, for example, by determining the ability of the TP-2 polypeptide to bind to a TP-2 target molecule by one of the methods described above for determining direct binding. Determining the ability of the TP-2 polypeptide to bind to a TP-2 target molecule can also be accomplished using a technology such as real-time Biomolecular Interaction Analysis (BIA). Sjolander, S. and Urbaniczky, C. (1991) Anal. Chem. 63:2338-2345 and Szabo et al. (1995) Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol. 5:699-705. As used herein, “BIA” is a technology for studying biospecific interactions in real time, without labeling any of the interactants (e.g., BIAcore). Changes in the optical phenomenon of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) can be used as an indication of real-time reactions between biological molecules.

[1169] In an alternative embodiment, determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of a TP-2 polypeptide can be accomplished by determining the ability of the TP-2 polypeptide to further modulate the activity of a downstream effector of a TP-2 target molecule. For example, the activity of the effector molecule on an appropriate target can be determined or the binding of the effector to an appropriate target can be determined as previously described.

[1170] In yet another embodiment, the cell-free assay involves contacting a TP-2 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof with a known compound which binds the TP-2 polypeptide to form an assay mixture, contacting the assay mixture with a test compound, and determining the ability of the test compound to interact with the TP-2 polypeptide, wherein determining the ability of the test compound to interact with the TP-2 polypeptide comprises determining the ability of the TP-2 polypeptide to preferentially bind to or modulate the activity of a TP-2 target molecule.

[1171] In more than one embodiment of the above assay methods of the present invention, it may be desirable to immobilize either TP-2 or its target molecule to facilitate separation of complexed from uncomplexed forms of one or both of the proteins, as well as to accommodate automation of the assay. Binding of a test compound to a TP-2 polypeptide, or interaction of a TP-2 polypeptide with a target molecule in the presence and absence of a candidate compound, can be accomplished in any vessel suitable for containing the reactants. Examples of such vessels include microtiter plates, test tubes, and micro-centrifuge tubes. In one embodiment, a fusion protein can be provided which adds a domain that allows one or both of the proteins to be bound to a matrix. For example, glutathione-S-transferase/TP-2 fusion proteins or glutathione-S-transferase/target fusion proteins can be adsorbed onto glutathione sepharose beads (Sigma Chemical, St. Louis, Mo.) or glutathione derivatized micrometer plates, which are then combined with the test compound or the test compound and either the non-adsorbed target protein or TP-2 polypeptide, and the mixture incubated under conditions conducive to complex formation (e.g., at physiological conditions for salt and pH). Following incubation, the beads or micrometer plate wells are washed to remove any unbound components, the matrix immobilized in the case of beads, complex determined either directly or indirectly, for example, as described above.

[1172] Alternatively, the complexes can be dissociated from the matrix, and the level of TP-2 binding or activity determined using standard techniques.

[1173] Other techniques for immobilizing proteins on matrices can also be used in the screening assays of the invention. For example, either a TP-2 polypeptide or a TP-2 target molecule can be immobilized utilizing conjugation of biotin and streptavidin. Biotinylated TP-2 polypeptide or target molecules can be prepared from biotin-NHS (N-hydroxy-succinimide) using techniques known in the art (e.g., biotinylation kit, Pierce Chemicals, Rockford, Ill.), and immobilized in the wells of streptavidin-coated 96 well plates (Pierce Chemical). Alternatively, antibodies reactive with TP-2 polypeptide or target molecules but which do not interfere with binding of the TP-2 polypeptide to its target molecule can be derivatized to the wells of the plate, and unbound target or TP-2 polypeptide trapped in the wells by antibody conjugation. Methods for detecting such complexes, in addition to those described above for the GST-immobilized complexes, include immunodetection of complexes using antibodies reactive with the TP-2 polypeptide or target molecule, as well as enzyme-linked assays which rely on detecting an enzymatic activity associated with the TP-2 polypeptide or target molecule.

[1174] In another embodiment, modulators of TP-2 expression are identified in a method wherein a cell is contacted with a candidate compound and the expression of TP-2 mRNA or polypeptide in the cell is determined. The level of expression of TP-2 mRNA or polypeptide in the presence of the candidate compound is compared to the level of expression of TP-2 mRNA or polypeptide in the absence of the candidate compound. The candidate compound can then be identified as a modulator of TP-2 expression based on this comparison. For example, when expression of TP-2 mRNA or polypeptide is greater (statistically significantly greater) in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as a stimulator of TP-2 mRNA or polypeptide expression. Alternatively, when expression of TP-2 mRNA or polypeptide is less (statistically significantly less) in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as an inhibitor of TP-2 mRNA or polypeptide expression. The level of TP-2 mRNA or polypeptide expression in the cells can be determined by methods described herein for detecting TP-2 mRNA or polypeptide.

[1175] In yet another aspect of the invention, the TP-2 polypeptides can be used as “bait proteins” in a two-hybrid assay or three-hybrid assay (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,317; Zervos et al. (1993) Cell 72:223-232; Madura et al. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268:12046-12054; Bartel et al. (1993) Biotechniques 14:920-924; Iwabuchi et al. (1993) Oncogene 8:1693-1696; and Brent WO94/10300), to identify other proteins, which bind to or interact with TP-2 (“TP-2-binding proteins” or “TP-2-bp”) and are involved in TP-2 activity. Such TP-2-binding proteins are also likely to be involved in the propagation of signals by the TP-2 polypeptides or TP-2 targets as, for example, downstream elements of a TP-2-mediated signaling pathway. Alternatively, such TP-2-binding proteins are likely to be TP-2 inhibitors.

[1176] The two-hybrid system is based on the modular nature of most transcription factors, which consist of separable DNA-binding and activation domains. Briefly, the assay utilizes two different DNA constructs. In one construct, the gene that codes for a TP-2 polypeptide is fused to a gene encoding the DNA binding domain of a known transcription factor (e.g., GAL-4). In the other construct, a DNA sequence, from a library of DNA sequences, that encodes an unidentified protein (“prey” or “sample”) is fused to a gene that codes for the activation domain of the known transcription factor. If the “bait” and the “prey” proteins are able to interact, in vivo, forming a TP-2-dependent complex, the DNA-binding and activation domains of the transcription factor are brought into close proximity. This proximity allows transcription of a reporter gene (e.g., LacZ) which is operably linked to a transcriptional regulatory site responsive to the transcription factor. Expression of the reporter gene can be detected and cell colonies containing the functional transcription factor can be isolated and used to obtain the cloned gene which encodes the protein which interacts with the TP-2 polypeptide.

[1177] In another aspect, the invention pertains to a combination of two or more of the assays described herein. For example, a modulating agent can be identified using a cell-based or a cell free assay, and the ability of the agent to modulate the activity of a TP-2 polypeptide can be confirmed in vivo, e.g., in an animal such as an animal model for cellular transformation and/or tumorigenesis.

[1178] This invention further pertains to novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays. Accordingly, it is within the scope of this invention to further use an agent identified as described herein in an appropriate animal model. For example, an agent identified as described herein (e.g., a TP-2 modulating agent, an antisense TP-2 nucleic acid molecule, a TP-2-specific antibody, or a TP-2-binding partner) can be used in an animal model to determine the efficacy, toxicity, or side effects of treatment with such an agent. Alternatively, an agent identified as described herein can be used in an animal model to determine the mechanism of action of such an agent. Furthermore, this invention pertains to uses of novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays for treatments as described herein.

[1179] B. Detection Assays

[1180] Portions or fragments of the cDNA sequences identified herein (and the corresponding complete gene sequences) can be used in numerous ways as polynucleotide reagents. For example, these sequences can be used to: (i) map their respective genes on a chromosome; and, thus, locate gene regions associated with genetic disease; (ii) identify an individual from a minute biological sample (tissue typing); and (iii) aid in forensic identification of a biological sample. These applications are described in the subsections below.

[1181] 1. Chromosome Mapping

[1182] Once the sequence (or a portion of the sequence) of a gene has been isolated, this sequence can be used to map the location of the gene on a chromosome. This process is called chromosome mapping. Accordingly, portions or fragments of the TP-2 nucleotide sequences, described herein, can be used to map the location of the TP-2 genes on a chromosome. The mapping of the TP-2 sequences to chromosomes is an important first step in correlating these sequences with genes associated with disease.

[1183] Briefly, TP-2 genes can be mapped to chromosomes by preparing PCR primers (preferably 15-25 bp in length) from the TP-2 nucleotide sequences. Computer analysis of the TP-2 sequences can be used to predict primers that do not span more than one exon in the genomic DNA, thus complicating the amplification process. These primers can then be used for PCR screening of somatic cell hybrids containing individual human chromosomes. Only those hybrids containing the human gene corresponding to the TP-2 sequences will yield an amplified fragment.

[1184] Somatic cell hybrids are prepared by fusing somatic cells from different mammals (e.g., human and mouse cells). As hybrids of human and mouse cells grow and divide, they gradually lose human chromosomes in random order, but retain the mouse chromosomes. By using media in which mouse cells cannot grow, because they lack a particular enzyme, but human cells can, the one human chromosome that contains the gene encoding the needed enzyme, will be retained. By using various media, panels of hybrid cell lines can be established. Each cell line in a panel contains either a single human chromosome or a small number of human chromosomes, and a full set of mouse chromosomes, allowing easy mapping of individual genes to specific human chromosomes (D'Eustachio P. et al. (1983) Science 220:919-924). Somatic cell hybrids containing only fragments of human chromosomes can also be produced by using human chromosomes with translocations and deletions.

[1185] PCR mapping of somatic cell hybrids is a rapid procedure for assigning a particular sequence to a particular chromosome. Three or more sequences can be assigned per day using a single thermal cycler. Using the TP-2 nucleotide sequences to design oligonucleotide primers, sublocalization can be achieved with panels of fragments from specific chromosomes. Other mapping strategies which can similarly be used to map a TP-2 sequence to its chromosome include in situ hybridization (described in Fan, Y. et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 87:6223-27), pre-screening with labeled flow-sorted chromosomes, and pre-selection by hybridization to chromosome specific cDNA libraries.

[1186] Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of a DNA sequence to a metaphase chromosomal spread can further be used to provide a precise chromosomal location in one step. Chromosome spreads can be made using cells whose division has been blocked in metaphase by a chemical such as colcemid that disrupts the mitotic spindle. The chromosomes can be treated briefly with trypsin, and then stained with Giemsa. A pattern of light and dark bands develops on each chromosome, so that the chromosomes can be identified individually. The FISH technique can be used with a DNA sequence as short as 500 or 600 bases. However, clones larger than 1,000 bases have a higher likelihood of binding to a unique chromosomal location with sufficient signal intensity for simple detection. Preferably 1,000 bases, and more preferably 2,000 bases will suffice to get good results at a reasonable amount of time. For a review of this technique, see Verma et al., Human Chromosomes: A Manual of Basic Techniques (Pergamon Press, New York 1988).

[1187] Reagents for chromosome mapping can be used individually to mark a single chromosome or a single site on that chromosome, or panels of reagents can be used for marking multiple sites and/or multiple chromosomes. Reagents corresponding to noncoding regions of the genes actually are preferred for mapping purposes. Coding sequences are more likely to be conserved within gene families, thus increasing the chance of cross hybridizations during chromosomal mapping.

[1188] Once a sequence has been mapped to a precise chromosomal location, the physical position of the sequence on the chromosome can be correlated with genetic map data. (Such data are found, for example, in V. McKusick, Mendelian Inheritance in Man, available on-line through Johns Hopkins University Welch Medical Library). The relationship between a gene and a disease, mapped to the same chromosomal region, can then be identified through linkage analysis (co-inheritance of physically adjacent genes), described in, for example, Egeland, J. et al. (1987) Nature, 325:783-787.

[1189] Moreover, differences in the DNA sequences between individuals affected and unaffected with a disease associated with the TP-2 gene, can be determined. If a mutation is observed in some or all of the affected individuals but not in any unaffected individuals, then the mutation is likely to be the causative agent of the particular disease. Comparison of affected and unaffected individuals generally involves first looking for structural alterations in the chromosomes, such as deletions or translocations that are visible from chromosome spreads or detectable using PCR based on that DNA sequence. Ultimately, complete sequencing of genes from several individuals can be performed to confirm the presence of a mutation and to distinguish mutations from polymorphisms.

[1190] 2. Tissue Typing

[1191] The TP-2 sequences of the present invention can also be used to identify individuals from minute biological samples. The United States military, for example, is considering the use of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) for identification of its personnel. In this technique, an individual's genomic DNA is digested with one or more restriction enzymes, and probed on a Southern blot to yield unique bands for identification. This method does not suffer from the current limitations of “Dog Tags” which can be lost, switched, or stolen, making positive identification difficult. The sequences of the present invention are useful as additional DNA markers for RFLP (described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,057).

[1192] Furthermore, the sequences of the present invention can be used to provide an alternative technique which determines the actual base-by-base DNA sequence of selected portions of an individual's genome. Thus, the TP-2 nucleotide sequences described herein can be used to prepare two PCR primers from the 5′ and 3′ ends of the sequences. These primers can then be used to amplify an individual's DNA and subsequently sequence it.

[1193] Panels of corresponding DNA sequences from individuals, prepared in this manner, can provide unique individual identifications, as each individual will have a unique set of such DNA sequences due to allelic differences. The sequences of the present invention can be used to obtain such identification sequences from individuals and from tissue. The TP-2 nucleotide sequences of the invention uniquely represent portions of the human genome. Allelic variation occurs to some degree in the coding regions of these sequences, and to a greater degree in the noncoding regions. It is estimated that allelic variation between individual humans occurs with a frequency of about once per each 500 bases. Each of the sequences described herein can, to some degree, be used as a standard against which DNA from an individual can be compared for identification purposes. Because greater numbers of polymorphisms occur in the noncoding regions, fewer sequences are necessary to differentiate individuals. The noncoding sequences of SEQ ID NO: 15 can comfortably provide positive individual identification with a panel of perhaps 10 to 1,000 primers which each yield a noncoding amplified sequence of 100 bases. If predicted coding sequences, such as those in SEQ ID NO: 17 are used, a more appropriate number of primers for positive individual identification would be 500-2,000.

[1194] If a panel of reagents from TP-2 nucleotide sequences described herein is used to generate a unique identification database for an individual, those same reagents can later be used to identify tissue from that individual. Using the unique identification database, positive identification of the individual, living or dead, can be made from extremely small tissue samples.

[1195] 3. Use of TP-2 Sequences in Forensic Biology

[1196] DNA-based identification techniques can also be used in forensic biology. Forensic biology is a scientific field employing genetic typing of biological evidence found at a crime scene as a means for positively identifying, for example, a perpetrator of a crime. To make such an identification, PCR technology can be used to amplify DNA sequences taken from very small biological samples such as tissues, e.g., hair or skin, or body fluids, e.g., blood, saliva, or semen found at a crime scene. The amplified sequence can then be compared to a standard, thereby allowing identification of the origin of the biological sample.

[1197] The sequences of the present invention can be used to provide polynucleotide reagents, e.g., PCR primers, targeted to specific loci in the human genome, which can enhance the reliability of DNA-based forensic identifications by, for example, providing another “identification marker” (i.e. another DNA sequence that is unique to a particular individual). As mentioned above, actual base sequence information can be used for identification as an accurate alternative to patterns formed by restriction enzyme generated fragments. Sequences targeted to noncoding regions of SEQ ID NO: 15 are particularly appropriate for this use as greater numbers of polymorphisms occur in the noncoding regions, making it easier to differentiate individuals using this technique. Examples of polynucleotide reagents include the TP-2 nucleotide sequences or portions thereof, e.g., fragments derived from the noncoding regions of SEQ ID NO: 15 having a length of at least 20 bases, preferably at least 30 bases.

[1198] The TP-2 nucleotide sequences described herein can further be used to provide polynucleotide reagents, e.g., labeled or labelable probes which can be used in, for example, an in situ hybridization technique, to identify a specific tissue, e.g., brain tissue. This can be very useful in cases where a forensic pathologist is presented with a tissue of unknown origin. Panels of such TP-2 probes can be used to identify tissue by species and/or by organ type.

[1199] In a similar fashion, these reagents, e.g., TP-2 primers or probes can be used to screen tissue culture for contamination (i.e. screen for the presence of a mixture of different types of cells in a culture).

[1200] C. Predictive Medicine

[1201] The present invention also pertains to the field of predictive medicine in which diagnostic assays, prognostic assays, and monitoring clinical trials are used for prognostic (predictive) purposes to thereby treat an individual prophylactically. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention relates to diagnostic assays for determining TP-2 polypeptide and/or nucleic acid expression as well as TP-2 activity, in the context of a biological sample (e.g., blood, serum, cells, tissue) to thereby determine whether an individual is afflicted with a disease or disorder, or is at risk of developing a disorder, associated with aberrant or unwanted TP-2 expression or activity. The invention also provides for prognostic (or predictive) assays for determining whether an individual is at risk of developing a disorder associated with TP-2 polypeptide, nucleic acid expression or activity. For example, mutations in a TP-2 gene can be assayed in a biological sample. Such assays can be used for prognostic or predictive purpose to thereby prophylactically treat an individual prior to the onset of a disorder characterized by or associated with TP-2 polypeptide, nucleic acid expression or activity.

[1202] Another aspect of the invention pertains to monitoring the influence of agents (e.g., drugs, compounds) on the expression or activity of TP-2 in clinical trials.

[1203] These and other agents are described in further detail in the following sections.

[1204] 1. Diagnostic Assays

[1205] An exemplary method for detecting the presence or absence of TP-2 polypeptide or nucleic acid in a biological sample involves obtaining a biological sample from a test subject and contacting the biological sample with a compound or an agent capable of detecting TP-2 polypeptide or nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA, or genomic DNA) that encodes TP-2 polypeptide such that the presence of TP-2 polypeptide or nucleic acid is detected in the biological sample. In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for detecting the presence of TP-2 activity in a biological sample by contacting the biological sample with an agent capable of detecting an indicator of TP-2 activity such that the presence of TP-2 activity is detected in the biological sample. A preferred agent for detecting TP-2 mRNA or genomic DNA is a labeled nucleic acid probe capable of hybridizing to TP-2 mRNA or genomic DNA. The nucleic acid probe can be, for example, the TP-2 nucleic acid set forth in SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17, or the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or a portion thereof, such as an oligonucleotide of at least 15, 30, 50, 100, 250 or 500 nucleotides in length and sufficient to specifically hybridize under stringent conditions to TP-2 mRNA or genomic DNA. Other suitable probes for use in the diagnostic assays of the invention are described herein.

[1206] A preferred agent for detecting TP-2 polypeptide is an antibody capable of binding to TP-2 polypeptide, preferably an antibody with a detectable label. Antibodies can be polyclonal, or more preferably, monoclonal. An intact antibody, or a fragment thereof (e.g., Fab or F(ab′)2) can be used. The term “labeled”, with regard to the probe or antibody, is intended to encompass direct labeling of the probe or antibody by coupling (i.e., physically linking) a detectable substance to the probe or antibody, as well as indirect labeling of the probe or antibody by reactivity with another reagent that is directly labeled. Examples of indirect labeling include detection of a primary antibody using a fluorescently labeled secondary antibody and end-labeling of a DNA probe with biotin such that it can be detected with fluorescently labeled streptavidin. The term “biological sample” is intended to include tissues, cells and biological fluids isolated from a subject, as well as tissues, cells and fluids present within a subject. That is, the detection method of the invention can be used to detect TP-2 mRNA, polypeptide, or genomic DNA in a biological sample in vitro as well as in vivo. For example, in vitro techniques for detection of TP-2 mRNA include Northern hybridizations and in situ hybridizations. In vitro techniques for detection of TP-2 polypeptide include enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), Western blots, immunoprecipitations and immunofluorescence. In vitro techniques for detection of TP-2 genomic DNA include Southern hybridizations. Furthermore, in vivo techniques for detection of TP-2 polypeptide include introducing into a subject a labeled anti-TP-2 antibody. For example, the antibody can be labeled with a radioactive marker whose presence and location in a subject can be detected by standard imaging techniques.

[1207] The present invention also provides diagnostic assays for identifying the presence or absence of a genetic alteration characterized by at least one of (i) aberrant modification or mutation of a gene encoding a TP-2 polypeptide; (ii) aberrant expression of a gene encoding a TP-2 polypeptide; (iii) mis-regulation of the gene; and (iii) aberrant post-translational modification of a TP-2 polypeptide, wherein a wild-type form of the gene encodes a polypeptide with a TP-2 activity. “Misexpression or aberrant expression”, as used herein, refers to a non-wild type pattern of gene expression, at the RNA or protein level. It includes, but is not limited to, expression at non-wild type levels (e.g., over or under expression); a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the time or stage at which the gene is expressed (e.g., increased or decreased expression (as compared with wild type) at a predetermined developmental period or stage); a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of decreased expression (as compared with wild type) in a predetermined cell type or tissue type; a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the splicing size, amino acid sequence, post-transitional modification, or biological activity of the expressed polypeptide; a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the effect of an environmental stimulus or extracellular stimulus on expression of the gene (e.g., a pattern of increased or decreased expression (as compared with wild type) in the presence of an increase or decrease in the strength of the stimulus).

[1208] In one embodiment, the biological sample contains protein molecules from the test subject. Alternatively, the biological sample can contain mRNA molecules from the test subject or genomic DNA molecules from the test subject. A preferred biological sample is a serum sample isolated by conventional means from a subject.

[1209] In another embodiment, the methods further involve obtaining a control biological sample from a control subject, contacting the control sample with a compound or agent capable of detecting TP-2 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA, such that the presence of TP-2 polypeptide, mRNA or genomic DNA is detected in the biological sample, and comparing the presence of TP-2 polypeptide, mRNA or genomic DNA in the control sample with the presence of TP-2 polypeptide, mRNA or genomic DNA in the test sample.

[1210] The invention also encompasses kits for detecting the presence of TP-2 in a biological sample. For example, the kit can comprise a labeled compound or agent capable of detecting TP-2 polypeptide or mRNA in a biological sample; means for determining the amount of TP-2 in the sample; and means for comparing the amount of TP-2 in the sample with a standard. The compound or agent can be packaged in a suitable container. The kit can further comprise instructions for using the kit to detect TP-2 polypeptide or nucleic acid.

[1211] 2. Prognostic Assays

[1212] The diagnostic methods described herein can furthermore be utilized to identify subjects having or at risk of developing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted TP-2 expression or activity. As used herein, the term “aberrant” includes a TP-2 expression or activity which deviates from the wild type TP-2 expression or activity. Aberrant expression or activity includes increased or decreased expression or activity, as well as expression or activity which does not follow the wild type developmental pattern of expression or the subcellular pattern of expression. For example, aberrant TP-2 expression or activity is intended to include the cases in which a mutation in the TP-2 gene causes the TP-2 gene to be under-expressed or over-expressed and situations in which such mutations result in a non-functional TP-2 polypeptide or a polypeptide which does not function in a wild-type fashion, e.g., a polypeptide which does not interact with a TP-2 substrate, e.g., a transporter subunit or ligand, or one which interacts with a non-TP-2 substrate, e.g. a non-transporter subunit or ligand. As used herein, the term “unwanted” includes an unwanted phenomenon involved in a biological response, such as cellular proliferation. For example, the term unwanted includes a TP-2 expression or activity which is undesirable in a subject.

[1213] The assays described herein, such as the preceding diagnostic assays or the following assays, can be utilized to identify a subject having or at risk of developing a disorder associated with a misregulation in TP-2 polypeptide activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a transporter-associated disorder. Alternatively, the prognostic assays can be utilized to identify a subject having or at risk for developing a disorder associated with a misregulation in TP-2 polypeptide activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a transporter-associated disorder. Thus, the present invention provides a method for identifying a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted TP-2 expression or activity in which a test sample is obtained from a subject and TP-2 polypeptide or nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA or genomic DNA) is detected, wherein the presence of TP-2 polypeptide or nucleic acid is diagnostic for a subject having or at risk of developing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted TP-2 expression or activity. As used herein, a “test sample” refers to a biological sample obtained from a subject of interest. For example, a test sample can be a biological fluid (e.g., serum), cell sample, or tissue.

[1214] Furthermore, the prognostic assays described herein can be used to determine whether a subject can be administered an agent (e.g., an agonist, antagonist, peptidomimetic, protein, peptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or other drug candidate) to treat a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted TP-2 expression or activity. For example, such methods can be used to determine whether a subject can be effectively treated with an agent for a transporter-associated disorder. Thus, the present invention provides methods for determining whether a subject can be effectively treated with an agent for a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted TP-2 expression or activity in which a test sample is obtained and TP-2 polypeptide or nucleic acid expression or activity is detected (e.g., wherein the abundance of TP-2 polypeptide or nucleic acid expression or activity is diagnostic for a subject that can be administered the agent to treat a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted TP-2 expression or activity).

[1215] The methods of the invention can also be used to detect genetic alterations in a TP-2 gene, thereby determining if a subject with the altered gene is at risk for a disorder characterized by misregulation in TP-2 polypeptide activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a transporter-associated disorder. In preferred embodiments, the methods include detecting, in a sample of cells from the subject, the presence or absence of a genetic alteration characterized by at least one of an alteration affecting the integrity of a gene encoding a TP-2-polypeptide, or the mis-expression of the TP-2 gene. For example, such genetic alterations can be detected by ascertaining the existence of at least one of 1) a deletion of one or more nucleotides from a TP-2 gene; 2) an addition of one or more nucleotides to a TP-2 gene; 3) a substitution of one or more nucleotides of a TP-2 gene, 4) a chromosomal rearrangement of a TP-2 gene; 5) an alteration in the level of a messenger RNA transcript of a TP-2 gene, 6) aberrant modification of a TP-2 gene, such as of the methylation pattern of the genomic DNA, 7) the presence of a non-wild type splicing pattern of a messenger RNA transcript of a TP-2 gene, 8) a non-wild type level of a TP-2-polypeptide, 9) allelic loss of a TP-2 gene, and 10) inappropriate post-translational modification of a TP-2-polypeptide. As described herein, there are a large number of assays known in the art which can be used for detecting alterations in a TP-2 gene. A preferred biological sample is a tissue or serum sample isolated by conventional means from a subject.

[1216] In certain embodiments, detection of the alteration involves the use of a probe/primer in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195 and 4,683,202), such as anchor PCR or RACE PCR, or, alternatively, in a ligation chain reaction (LCR) (see, e.g., Landegran et al. (1988) Science 241:1077-1080; and Nakazawa et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:360-364), the latter of which can be particularly useful for detecting point mutations in the TP-2-gene (see Abravaya et al. (1995) Nucleic Acids Res. 23:675-682). This method can include the steps of collecting a sample of cells from a subject, isolating nucleic acid (e.g., genomic, mRNA or both) from the cells of the sample, contacting the nucleic acid sample with one or more primers which specifically hybridize to a TP-2 gene under conditions such that hybridization and amplification of the TP-2-gene (if present) occurs, and detecting the presence or absence of an amplification product, or detecting the size of the amplification product and comparing the length to a control sample. It is anticipated that PCR and/or LCR may be desirable to use as a preliminary amplification step in conjunction with any of the techniques used for detecting mutations described herein.

[1217] Alternative amplification methods include: self sustained sequence replication (Guatelli, J. C. et al., (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:1874-1878), transcriptional amplification system (Kwoh, D. Y. et al., (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:1173-1177), Q-Beta Replicase (Lizardi, P. M. et al. (1988) Bio-Technology 6:1197), or any other nucleic acid amplification method, followed by the detection of the amplified molecules using techniques well known to those of skill in the art. These detection schemes are especially useful for the detection of nucleic acid molecules if such molecules are present in very low numbers.

[1218] In an alternative embodiment, mutations in a TP-2 gene from a sample cell can be identified by alterations in restriction enzyme cleavage patterns. For example, sample and control DNA is isolated, amplified (optionally), digested with one or more restriction endonucleases, and fragment length sizes are determined by gel electrophoresis and compared. Differences in fragment length sizes between sample and control DNA indicates mutations in the sample DNA. Moreover, the use of sequence specific ribozymes (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,531) can be used to score for the presence of specific mutations by development or loss of a ribozyme cleavage site.

[1219] In other embodiments, genetic mutations in TP-2 can be identified by hybridizing a sample and control nucleic acids, e.g., DNA or RNA, to high density arrays containing hundreds or thousands of oligonucleotides probes (Cronin, M. T. et al. (1996) Human Mutation 7: 244-255; Kozal, M. J. et al. (1996) Nature Medicine 2: 753-759). For example, genetic mutations in TP-2 can be identified in two dimensional arrays containing light-generated DNA probes as described in Cronin, M. T. et al. supra. Briefly, a first hybridization array of probes can be used to scan through long stretches of DNA in a sample and control to identify base changes between the sequences by making linear arrays of sequential overlapping probes. This step allows the identification of point mutations. This step is followed by a second hybridization array that allows the characterization of specific mutations by using smaller, specialized probe arrays complementary to all variants or mutations detected. Each mutation array is composed of parallel probe sets, one complementary to the wild-type gene and the other complementary to the mutant gene.

[1220] In yet another embodiment, any of a variety of sequencing reactions known in the art can be used to directly sequence the TP-2 gene and detect mutations by comparing the sequence of the sample TP-2 with the corresponding wild-type (control) sequence. Examples of sequencing reactions include those based on techniques developed by Maxam and Gilbert ((1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:560) or Sanger ((1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:5463). It is also contemplated that any of a variety of automated sequencing procedures can be utilized when performing the diagnostic assays ((1995) Biotechniques 19:448), including sequencing by mass spectrometry (see, e.g., PCT International Publication No. WO 94/16101; Cohen et al. (1996) Adv. Chromatogr. 36:127-162; and Griffin et al. (1993) Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol 38:147-159).

[1221] Other methods for detecting mutations in the TP-2 gene include methods in which protection from cleavage agents is used to detect mismatched bases in RNA/RNA or RNA/DNA heteroduplexes (Myers et al (1985) Science 230:1242). In general, the art technique of “mismatch cleavage” starts by providing heteroduplexes of formed by hybridizing (labeled) RNA or DNA containing the wild-type TP-2 sequence with potentially mutant RNA or DNA obtained from a tissue sample. The double-stranded duplexes are treated with an agent which cleaves single-stranded regions of the duplex such as which will exist due to basepair mismatches between the control and sample strands. For instance, RNA/DNA duplexes can be treated with RNase and DNA/DNA hybrids treated with S1 nuclease to enzymatically digesting the mismatched regions. In other embodiments, either DNA/DNA or RNA/DNA duplexes can be treated with hydroxylamine or osmium tetroxide and with piperidine in order to digest mismatched regions. After digestion of the mismatched regions, the resulting material is then separated by size on denaturing polyacrylamide gels to determine the site of mutation. See, for example, Cotton et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:4397; Saleeba et al. (1992) Methods Enzymol. 217:286-295. In a preferred embodiment, the control DNA or RNA can be labeled for detection.

[1222] In still another embodiment, the mismatch cleavage reaction employs one or more proteins that recognize mismatched base pairs in double-stranded DNA (so called “DNA mismatch repair” enzymes) in defined systems for detecting and mapping point mutations in TP-2 cDNAs obtained from samples of cells. For example, the mutY enzyme of E. coli cleaves A at G/A mismatches and the thymidine DNA glycosylase from HeLa cells cleaves T at G/T mismatches (Hsu et al. (1994) Carcinogenesis 15:1657-1662). According to an exemplary embodiment, a probe based on a TP-2 sequence, e.g., a wild-type TP-2 sequence, is hybridized to a cDNA or other DNA product from a test cell(s). The duplex is treated with a DNA mismatch repair enzyme, and the cleavage products, if any, can be detected from electrophoresis protocols or the like. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,039.

[1223] In other embodiments, alterations in electrophoretic mobility will be used to identify mutations in TP-2 genes. For example, single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) may be used to detect differences in electrophoretic mobility between mutant and wild type nucleic acids (Orita et al. (1989) Proc Natl. Acad. Sci USA: 86:2766, see also Cotton (1993) Mutat. Res. 285:125-144; and Hayashi (1992) Genet. Anal. Tech. Appl. 9:73-79). Single-stranded DNA fragments of sample and control TP-2 nucleic acids will be denatured and allowed to renature. The secondary structure of single-stranded nucleic acids varies according to sequence, the resulting alteration in electrophoretic mobility enables the detection of even a single base change. The DNA fragments may be labeled or detected with labeled probes. The sensitivity of the assay may be enhanced by using RNA (rather than DNA), in which the secondary structure is more sensitive to a change in sequence. In a preferred embodiment, the subject method utilizes heteroduplex analysis to separate double stranded heteroduplex molecules on the basis of changes in electrophoretic mobility (Keen et al. (1991) Trends Genet 7:5).

[1224] In yet another embodiment the movement of mutant or wild-type fragments in polyacrylamide gels containing a gradient of denaturant is assayed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) (Myers et al. (1985) Nature 313:495). When DGGE is used as the method of analysis, DNA will be modified to insure that it does not completely denature, for example by adding a GC clamp of approximately 40 bp of high-melting GC-rich DNA by PCR. In a further embodiment, a temperature gradient is used in place of a denaturing gradient to identify differences in the mobility of control and sample DNA (Rosenbaum and Reissner (1987) Biophys Chem 265:12753).

[1225] Examples of other techniques for detecting point mutations include, but are not limited to, selective oligonucleotide hybridization, selective amplification, or selective primer extension. For example, oligonucleotide primers may be prepared in which the known mutation is placed centrally and then hybridized to target DNA under conditions which permit hybridization only if a perfect match is found (Saiki et al. (1986) Nature 324:163); Saiki et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6230). Such allele specific oligonucleotides are hybridized to PCR amplified target DNA or a number of different mutations when the oligonucleotides are attached to the hybridizing membrane and hybridized with labeled target DNA.

[1226] Alternatively, allele specific amplification technology which depends on selective PCR amplification may be used in conjunction with the instant invention. Oligonucleotides used as primers for specific amplification may carry the mutation of interest in the center of the molecule (so that amplification depends on differential hybridization) (Gibbs et al. (1989) Nucleic Acids Res. 17:2437-2448) or at the extreme 3′ end of one primer where, under appropriate conditions, mismatch can prevent, or reduce polymerase extension (Prossner (1993) Tibtech 11:238). In addition it may be desirable to introduce a novel restriction site in the region of the mutation to create cleavage-based detection (Gasparini et al. (1992) Mol. Cell Probes 6:1). It is anticipated that in certain embodiments amplification may also be performed using Taq ligase for amplification (Barany (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 88:189). In such cases, ligation will occur only if there is a perfect match at the 3′ end of the 5′ sequence making it possible to detect the presence of a known mutation at a specific site by looking for the presence or absence of amplification.

[1227] The methods described herein may be performed, for example, by utilizing pre-packaged diagnostic kits comprising at least one probe nucleic acid or antibody reagent described herein, which may be conveniently used, e.g., in clinical settings to diagnose patients exhibiting symptoms or family history of a disease or illness involving a TP-2 gene.

[1228] Furthermore, any cell type or tissue in which TP-2 is expressed may be utilized in the prognostic assays described herein.

[1229] 3. Monitoring of Effects During Clinical Trials

[1230] Monitoring the influence of agents (e.g., drugs) on the expression or activity of a TP-2 polypeptide (e.g., the modulation of transport of biological molecules across membranes) can be applied not only in basic drug screening, but also in clinical trials. For example, the effectiveness of an agent determined by a screening assay as described herein to increase TP-2 gene expression, polypeptide levels, or upregulate TP-2 activity, can be monitored in clinical trials of subjects exhibiting decreased TP-2 gene expression, polypeptide levels, or downregulated TP-2 activity. Alternatively, the effectiveness of an agent determined by a screening assay to decrease TP-2 gene expression, polypeptide levels, or downregulate TP-2 activity, can be monitored in clinical trials of subjects exhibiting increased TP-2 gene expression, polypeptide levels, or upregulated TP-2 activity. In such clinical trials, the expression or activity of a TP-2 gene, and preferably, other genes that have been implicated in, for example, a TP-2-associated disorder can be used as a “read out” or markers of the phenotype of a particular cell.

[1231] For example, and not by way of limitation, genes, including TP-2, that are modulated in cells by treatment with an agent (e.g., compound, drug or small molecule) which modulates TP-2 activity (e.g., identified in a screening assay as described herein) can be identified. Thus, to study the effect of agents on transporter-associated disorders, for example, in a clinical trial, cells can be isolated and RNA prepared and analyzed for the levels of expression of TP-2 and other genes implicated in the transporter-associated disorder, respectively. The levels of gene expression (e.g., a gene expression pattern) can be quantified by northern blot analysis or RT-PCR, as described herein, or alternatively by measuring the amount of polypeptide produced, by one of the methods as described herein, or by measuring the levels of activity of TP-2 or other genes. In this way, the gene expression pattern can serve as a marker, indicative of the physiological response of the cells to the agent. Accordingly, this response state may be determined before, and at various points during treatment of the individual with the agent.

[1232] In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method for monitoring the effectiveness of treatment of a subject with an agent (e.g., an agonist, antagonist, peptidomimetic, protein, peptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or other drug candidate identified by the screening assays described herein) including the steps of (i) obtaining a pre-administration sample from a subject prior to administration of the agent; (ii) detecting the level of expression of a TP-2 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the preadministration sample; (iii) obtaining one or more post-administration samples from the subject; (iv) detecting the level of expression or activity of the TP-2 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the post-administration samples; (v) comparing the level of expression or activity of the TP-2 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the pre-administration sample with the TP-2 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the post administration sample or samples; and (vi) altering the administration of the agent to the subject accordingly. For example, increased administration of the agent may be desirable to increase the expression or activity of TP-2 to higher levels than detected, i.e., to increase the effectiveness of the agent. Alternatively, decreased administration of the agent may be desirable to decrease expression or activity of TP-2 to lower levels than detected, i.e. to decrease the effectiveness of the agent. According to such an embodiment, TP-2 expression or activity may be used as an indicator of the effectiveness of an agent, even in the absence of an observable phenotypic response.

[1233] D. Methods of Treatment

[1234] The present invention provides for both prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treating a subject at risk of (or susceptible to) a disorder or having a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted TP-2 expression or activity, e.g. a transporter-associated disorder. “Treatment”, or “treating” as used herein, is defined as the application or administration of a therapeutic agent to a patient, or application or administration of a therapeutic agent to an isolated tissue or cell line from a patient, who has a disease or disorder, a symptom of disease or disorder or a predisposition toward a disease or disorder, with the purpose to cure, heal, alleviate, relieve, alter, remedy, ameliorate, improve or affect the disease or disorder, the symptoms of the disease or disorder, or the predisposition toward disease. A therapeutic agent includes, but is not limited to, small molecules, peptides, antibodies, ribozymes and antisense oligonucleotides. With regards to both prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treatment, such treatments may be specifically tailored or modified, based on knowledge obtained from the field of pharmacogenomics. “Pharmacogenomics”, as used herein, refers to the application of genomics technologies such as gene sequencing, statistical genetics, and gene expression analysis to drugs in clinical development and on the market. More specifically, the term refers the study of how a patient's genes determine his or her response to a drug (e.g., a patient's “drug response phenotype”, or “drug response genotype”). Thus, another aspect of the invention provides methods for tailoring an individual's prophylactic or therapeutic treatment with either the TP-2 molecules of the present invention or TP-2 modulators according to that individual's drug response genotype. Pharmacogenomics allows a clinician or physician to target prophylactic or therapeutic treatments to patients who will most benefit from the treatment and to avoid treatment of patients who will experience toxic drug-related side effects.

[1235] 1. Prophylactic Methods

[1236] In one aspect, the invention provides a method for preventing in a subject, a disease or condition associated with an aberrant or unwanted TP-2 expression or activity, by administering to the subject a TP-2 or an agent which modulates TP-2 expression or at least one TP-2 activity. Subjects at risk for a disease which is caused or contributed to by aberrant or unwanted TP-2 expression or activity can be identified by, for example, any or a combination of diagnostic or prognostic assays as described herein. Administration of a prophylactic agent can occur prior to the manifestation of symptoms characteristic of the TP-2 aberrancy, such that a disease or disorder is prevented or, alternatively, delayed in its progression. Depending on the type of TP-2 aberrancy, for example, a TP-2, TP-2 agonist or TP-2 antagonist agent can be used for treating the subject. The appropriate agent can be determined based on screening assays described herein.

[1237] 2. Therapeutic Methods

[1238] Another aspect of the invention pertains to methods of modulating TP-2 expression or activity for therapeutic purposes. Accordingly, in an exemplary embodiment, the modulatory method of the invention involves contacting a cell capable of expressing TP-2 with an agent that modulates one or more of the activities of TP-2 polypeptide activity associated with the cell, such that TP-2 activity in the cell is modulated. An agent that modulates TP-2 polypeptide activity can be an agent as described herein, such as a nucleic acid or a polypeptide, a naturally-occurring target molecule of a TP-2 polypeptide (e.g., a TP-2 substrate), a TP-2 antibody, a TP-2 agonist or antagonist, a peptidomimetic of a TP-2 agonist or antagonist, or other small molecule. In one embodiment, the agent stimulates one or more TP-2 activities. Examples of such stimulatory agents include active TP-2 polypeptide and a nucleic acid molecule encoding TP-2 that has been introduced into the cell. In another embodiment, the agent inhibits one or more TP-2 activities. Examples of such inhibitory agents include antisense TP-2 nucleic acid molecules, anti-TP-2 antibodies, and TP-2 inhibitors. These modulatory methods can be performed in vitro (e.g., by culturing the cell with the agent) or, alternatively, in vivo (e.g., by administering the agent to a subject). As such, the present invention provides methods of treating an individual afflicted with a disease or disorder characterized by aberrant or unwanted expression or activity of a TP-2 polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule. In one embodiment, the method involves administering an agent (e.g., an agent identified by a screening assay described herein), or combination of agents that modulates (e.g., upregulates or downregulates) TP-2 expression or activity. In another embodiment, the method involves administering a TP-2 polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule as therapy to compensate for reduced, aberrant, or unwanted TP-2 expression or activity.

[1239] Stimulation of TP-2 activity is desirable in situations in which TP-2 is abnormally downregulated and/or in which increased TP-2 activity is likely to have a beneficial effect. Likewise, inhibition of TP-2 activity is desirable in situations in which TP-2 is abnormally upregulated and/or in which decreased TP-2 activity is likely to have a beneficial effect.

[1240] 3. Pharmacogenomics

[1241] The TP-2 molecules of the present invention, as well as agents, or modulators which have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on TP-2 activity (e.g., TP-2 gene expression) as identified by a screening assay described herein can be administered to individuals to treat (prophylactically or therapeutically) transporter-associated disorders (e.g., proliferative disorders) associated with aberrant or unwanted TP-2 activity. In conjunction with such treatment, pharmacogenomics (i.e., the study of the relationship between an individual's genotype and that individual's response to a foreign compound or drug) may be considered. Differences in metabolism of therapeutics can lead to severe toxicity or therapeutic failure by altering the relation between dose and blood concentration of the pharmacologically active drug. Thus, a physician or clinician may consider applying knowledge obtained in relevant pharmacogenomics studies in determining whether to administer a TP-2 molecule or TP-2 modulator as well as tailoring the dosage and/or therapeutic regimen of treatment with a TP-2 molecule or TP-2 modulator.

[1242] Pharmacogenomics deals with clinically significant hereditary variations in the response to drugs due to altered drug disposition and abnormal action in affected persons. See, for example, Eichelbaum, M. et al. (1996) Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol. 23(10-11): 983-985 and Linder, M. W. et al. (1997) Clin. Chem. 43(2):254-266. In general, two types of pharmacogenetic conditions can be differentiated. Genetic conditions transmitted as a single factor altering the way drugs act on the body (altered drug action) or genetic conditions transmitted as single factors altering the way the body acts on drugs (altered drug metabolism). These pharmacogenetic conditions can occur either as rare genetic defects or as naturally-occurring polymorphisms. For example, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD) is a common inherited enzymopathy in which the main clinical complication is haemolysis after ingestion of oxidant drugs (anti-malarials, sulfonamides, analgesics, nitrofurans) and consumption of fava beans.

[1243] One pharmacogenomics approach to identifying genes that predict drug response, known as “a genome-wide association”, relies primarily on a high-resolution map of the human genome consisting of already known gene-related markers (e.g., a “bi-allelic” gene marker map which consists of 60,000-100,000 polymorphic or variable sites on the human genome, each of which has two variants.) Such a high-resolution genetic map can be compared to a map of the genome of each of a statistically significant number of patients taking part in a Phase II/III drug trial to identify markers associated with a particular observed drug response or side effect. Alternatively, such a high resolution map can be generated from a combination of some ten-million known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human genome. As used herein, a “SNP” is a common alteration that occurs in a single nucleotide base in a stretch of DNA. For example, a SNP may occur once per every 1000 bases of DNA. A SNP may be involved in a disease process, however, the vast majority may not be disease-associated. Given a genetic map based on the occurrence of such SNPs, individuals can be grouped into genetic categories depending on a particular pattern of SNPs in their individual genome. In such a manner, treatment regimens can be tailored to groups of genetically similar individuals, taking into account traits that may be common among such genetically similar individuals.

[1244] Alternatively, a method termed the “candidate gene approach”, can be utilized to identify genes that predict drug response. According to this method, if a gene that encodes a drugs target is known (e.g., a TP-2 polypeptide of the present invention), all common variants of that gene can be fairly easily identified in the population and it can be determined if having one version of the gene versus another is associated with a particular drug response.

[1245] As an illustrative embodiment, the activity of drug metabolizing enzymes is a major determinant of both the intensity and duration of drug action. The discovery of genetic polymorphisms of drug metabolizing enzymes (e.g., N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT 2) and cytochrome P450 enzymes CYP2D6 and CYP2C19) has provided an explanation as to why some patients do not obtain the expected drug effects or show exaggerated drug response and serious toxicity after taking the standard and safe dose of a drug. These polymorphisms are expressed in two phenotypes in the population, the extensive metabolizer (EM) and poor metabolizer (PM). The prevalence of PM is different among different populations. For example, the gene coding for CYP2D6 is highly polymorphic and several mutations have been identified in PM, which all lead to the absence of functional CYP2D6. Poor metabolizers of CYP2D6 and CYP2C 19 quite frequently experience exaggerated drug response and side effects when they receive standard doses. If a metabolite is the active therapeutic moiety, PM show no therapeutic response, as demonstrated for the analgesic effect of codeine mediated by its CYP2D6-formed metabolite morphine. The other extreme are the so called ultra-rapid metabolizers who do not respond to standard doses. Recently, the molecular basis of ultra-rapid metabolism has been identified to be due to CYP2D6 gene amplification.

[1246] Alternatively, a method termed the “gene expression profiling”, can be utilized to identify genes that predict drug response. For example, the gene expression of an animal dosed with a drug (e.g., a TP-2 molecule or TP-2 modulator of the present invention) can give an indication whether gene pathways related to toxicity have been turned on.

[1247] Information generated from more than one of the above pharmacogenomics approaches can be used to determine appropriate dosage and treatment regimens for prophylactic or therapeutic treatment an individual. This knowledge, when applied to dosing or drug selection, can avoid adverse reactions or therapeutic failure and thus enhance therapeutic or prophylactic efficiency when treating a subject with a TP-2 molecule or TP-2 modulator, such as a modulator identified by one of the exemplary screening assays described herein.

[1248] 4. Use of TP-2 Molecules as Surrogate Markers

[1249] The TP-2 molecules of the invention are also useful as markers of disorders or disease states, as markers for precursors of disease states, as markers for predisposition of disease states, as markers of drug activity, or as markers of the pharmacogenomic profile of a subject. Using the methods described herein, the presence, absence and/or quantity of the TP-2 molecules of the invention may be detected, and may be correlated with one or more biological states in vivo. For example, the TP-2 molecules of the invention may serve as surrogate markers for one or more disorders or disease states or for conditions leading up to disease states. As used herein, a “surrogate marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates with the absence or presence of a disease or disorder, or with the progression of a disease or disorder (e.g., with the presence or absence of a tumor). The presence or quantity of such markers is independent of the disease. Therefore, these markers may serve to indicate whether a particular course of treatment is effective in lessening a disease state or disorder. Surrogate markers are of particular use when the presence or extent of a disease state or disorder is difficult to assess through standard methodologies (e.g., early stage tumors), or when an assessment of disease progression is desired before a potentially dangerous clinical endpoint is reached (e.g., an assessment of cardiovascular disease may be made using cholesterol levels as a surrogate marker, and an analysis of HIV infection may be made using HIV RNA levels as a surrogate marker, well in advance of the undesirable clinical outcomes of myocardial infarction or fully-developed AIDS). Examples of the use of surrogate markers in the art include: Koomen et al. (2000) J. Mass. Spectrom. 35: 258-264; and James (1994) AIDS Treatment News Archive 209.

[1250] The TP-2 molecules of the invention are also useful as pharmacodynamic markers. As used herein, a “pharmacodynamic marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates specifically with drug effects. The presence or quantity of a pharmacodynamic marker is not related to the disease state or disorder for which the drug is being administered; therefore, the presence or quantity of the marker is indicative of the presence or activity of the drug in a subject. For example, a pharmacodynamic marker may be indicative of the concentration of the drug in a biological tissue, in that the marker is either expressed or transcribed or not expressed or transcribed in that tissue in relationship to the level of the drug. In this fashion, the distribution or uptake of the drug may be monitored by the pharmacodynamic marker. Similarly, the presence or quantity of the pharmacodynamic marker may be related to the presence or quantity of the metabolic product of a drug, such that the presence or quantity of the marker is indicative of the relative breakdown rate of the drug in vivo. Pharmacodynamic markers are of particular use in increasing the sensitivity of detection of drug effects, particularly when the drug is administered in low doses. Since even a small amount of a drug may be sufficient to activate multiple rounds of marker (e.g., a TP-2 marker) transcription or expression, the amplified marker may be in a quantity which is more readily detectable than the drug itself. Also, the marker may be more easily detected due to the nature of the marker itself; for example, using the methods described herein, anti-TP-2 antibodies may be employed in an immune-based detection system for a TP-2 polypeptide marker, or TP-2-specific radiolabeled probes may be used to detect a TP-2 mRNA marker. Furthermore, the use of a pharmacodynamic marker may offer mechanism-based prediction of risk due to drug treatment beyond the range of possible direct observations. Examples of the use of pharmacodynamic markers in the art include: Matsuda et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,862; Hattis et al. (1991) Env. Health Perspect. 90: 229-238; Schentag (1999) Am. J. Health-Syst. Pharm. 56 Suppl. 3: S21-S24; and Nicolau (1999) Am, J. Health-Syst. Pharm. 56 Suppl. 3: S16-S20.

[1251] The TP-2 molecules of the invention are also useful as pharmacogenomic markers. As used herein, a “pharmacogenomic marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates with a specific clinical drug response or susceptibility in a subject (see, e.g., McLeod et al. (1999) Eur. J. Cancer 35(12): 1650-1652). The presence or quantity of the pharmacogenomic marker is related to the predicted response of the subject to a specific drug or class of drugs prior to administration of the drug. By assessing the presence or quantity of one or more pharmacogenomic markers in a subject, a drug therapy which is most appropriate for the subject, or which is predicted to have a greater degree of success, may be selected. For example, based on the presence or quantity of RNA, or polypeptide (e.g., TP-2 polypeptide or RNA) for specific tumor markers in a subject, a drug or course of treatment may be selected that is optimized for the treatment of the specific tumor likely to be present in the subject. Similarly, the presence or absence of a specific sequence mutation in TP-2 DNA may correlate TP-2 drug response. The use of pharmacogenomic markers therefore permits the application of the most appropriate treatment for each subject without having to administer the therapy.

[1252] VI. Electronic Apparatus Readable Media and Arrays

[1253] Electronic apparatus readable media comprising TP-2 sequence information is also provided. As used herein, “TP-2 sequence information” refers to any nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence information particular to the TP-2 molecules of the present invention, including but not limited to full-length nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, partial nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, polymorphic sequences including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), epitope sequences, and the like. Moreover, information “related to” said TP-2 sequence information includes detection of the presence or absence of a sequence (e.g., detection of expression of a sequence, fragment, polymorphism, etc.), determination of the level of a sequence (e.g., detection of a level of expression, for example, a quantitative detection), detection of a reactivity to a sequence (e.g., detection of protein expression and/or levels, for example, using a sequence-specific antibody), and the like. As used herein, “electronic apparatus readable media” refers to any suitable medium for storing, holding or containing data or information that can be read and accessed directly by an electronic apparatus. Such media can include, but are not limited to: magnetic storage media, such as floppy discs, hard disc storage medium, and magnetic tape; optical storage media such as compact disc; electronic storage media such as RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM and the like; general hard disks and hybrids of these categories such as magnetic/optical storage media. The medium is adapted or configured for having recorded thereon TP-2 sequence information of the present invention.

[1254] As used herein, the term “electronic apparatus” is intended to include any suitable computing or processing apparatus or other device configured or adapted for storing data or information. Examples of electronic apparatus suitable for use with the present invention include stand-alone computing apparatus; networks, including a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) Internet, Intranet, and Extranet; electronic appliances such as a personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular phone, pager and the like; and local and distributed processing systems.

[1255] As used herein, “recorded” refers to a process for storing or encoding information on the electronic apparatus readable medium. Those skilled in the art can readily adopt any of the presently known methods for recording information on known media to generate manufactures comprising the TP-2 sequence information.

[1256] A variety of software programs and formats can be used to store the sequence information on the electronic apparatus readable medium. For example, the sequence information can be represented in a word processing text file, formatted in commercially-available software such as WordPerfect and Microsoft Word, or represented in the form of an ASCII file, stored in a database application, such as DB2, Sybase, Oracle, or the like, as well as in other forms. Any number of data processor structuring formats (e.g., text file or database) may be employed in order to obtain or create a medium having recorded thereon the TP-2 sequence information.

[1257] By providing TP-2 sequence information in readable form, one can routinely access the sequence information for a variety of purposes. For example, one skilled in the art can use the sequence information in readable form to compare a target sequence or target structural motif with the sequence information stored within the data storage means. Search means are used to identify fragments or regions of the sequences of the invention which match a particular target sequence or target motif.

[1258] The present invention therefore provides a medium for holding instructions for performing a method for determining whether a subject has a TP-2-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a TP-2-associated disease or disorder, wherein the method comprises the steps of determining TP-2 sequence information associated with the subject and based on the TP-2 sequence information, determining whether the subject has a TP-2-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a TP-2-associated disease or disorder and/or recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[1259] The present invention further provides in an electronic system and/or in a network, a method for determining whether a subject has a TP-2-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a disease associated with a TP-2 wherein the method comprises the steps of determining TP-2 sequence information associated with the subject, and based on the TP-2 sequence information, determining whether the subject has a TP-2-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a TP-2-associated disease or disorder, and/or recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition. The method may further comprise the step of receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject and/or acquiring from a network phenotypic information associated with the subject.

[1260] The present invention also provides in a network, a method for determining whether a subject has a TP-2-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a TP-2-associated disease or disorder associated with TP-2, said method comprising the steps of receiving TP-2 sequence information from the subject and/or information related thereto, receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject, acquiring information from the network corresponding to TP-2 and/or a TP-2-associated disease or disorder, and based on one or more of the phenotypic information, the TP-2 information (e.g., sequence information and/or information related thereto), and the acquired information, determining whether the subject has a TP-2-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a TP-2-associated disease or disorder. The method may further comprise the step of recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[1261] The present invention also provides a business method for determining whether a subject has a TP-2-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a TP-2-associated disease or disorder, said method comprising the steps of receiving information related to TP-2 (e.g., sequence information and/or information related thereto), receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject, acquiring information from the network related to TP-2 and/or related to a TP-2-associated disease or disorder, and based on one or more of the phenotypic information, the TP-2 information, and the acquired information, determining whether the subject has a TP-2-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a TP-2-associated disease or disorder. The method may further comprise the step of recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[1262] The invention also includes an array comprising a TP-2 sequence of the present invention. The array can be used to assay expression of one or more genes in the array. In one embodiment, the array can be used to assay gene expression in a tissue to ascertain tissue specificity of genes in the array. In this manner, up to about 7600 genes can be simultaneously assayed for expression, one of which can be TP-2. This allows a profile to be developed showing a battery of genes specifically expressed in one or more tissues.

[1263] In addition to such qualitative determination, the invention allows the quantitation of gene expression. Thus, not only tissue specificity, but also the level of expression of a battery of genes in the tissue is ascertainable. Thus, genes can be grouped on the basis of their tissue expression per se and level of expression in that tissue. This is useful, for example, in ascertaining the relationship of gene expression between or among tissues. Thus, one tissue can be perturbed and the effect on gene expression in a second tissue can be determined. In this context, the effect of one cell type on another cell type in response to a biological stimulus can be determined. Such a determination is useful, for example, to know the effect of cell-cell interaction at the level of gene expression. If an agent is administered therapeutically to treat one cell type but has an undesirable effect on another cell type, the invention provides an assay to determine the molecular basis of the undesirable effect and thus provides the opportunity to co-administer a counteracting agent or otherwise treat the undesired effect. Similarly, even within a single cell type, undesirable biological effects can be determined at the molecular level. Thus, the effects of an agent on expression of other than the target gene can be ascertained and counteracted.

[1264] In another embodiment, the array can be used to monitor the time course of expression of one or more genes in the array. This can occur in various biological contexts, as disclosed herein, for example development of a TP-2-associated disease or disorder, progression of TP-2-associated disease or disorder, and processes, such a cellular transformation associated with the TP-2-associated disease or disorder.

[1265] The array is also useful for ascertaining the effect of the expression of a gene on the expression of other genes in the same cell or in different cells (e.g., ascertaining the effect of TP-2 expression on the expression of other genes). This provides, for example, for a selection of alternate molecular targets for therapeutic intervention if the ultimate or downstream target cannot be regulated.

[1266] The array is also useful for ascertaining differential expression patterns of one or more genes in normal and abnormal cells. This provides a battery of genes (e.g., including TP-2) that could serve as a molecular target for diagnosis or therapeutic intervention.

[1267] This invention is further illustrated by the following examples which should not be construed as limiting. The contents of all references, patents and published patent applications cited throughout this application, as well as the Figures and the Sequence Listing, are incorporated herein by reference.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Identification and Characterization of Human TP-2 cDNA

[1268] In this example, the identification and characterization of the gene encoding human TP-2 (clone 63760) is described.

[1269] Isolation of the Human TP-2 cDNA

[1270] The invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of a human gene encoding a novel polypeptide, referred to herein as human TP-2. The entire sequence of the human clone 63760 was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “TP-2.” The nucleotide sequence of the human TP-2 gene is set forth in FIGS. 20A-B and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 15. The amino acid sequence of the human TP-2 expression product is set forth in FIGS. 20A-B and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 16. The TP-2 polypeptide comprises 474 amino acids. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 15 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 17. Clone 63760, comprising the coding region of human TP-2, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, VA 20110-2209, on ______, and assigned Accession No. ______.

[1271] Analysis of the Human TP-2 Molecules

[1272] The human TP-2 amino acid sequence was aligned with the amino acid sequence of the tetracycline-6-hydroxylase/oxygenase homolog gene from Salmonella typhi (SEQ ID NO: 4) using the CLUSTAL W (1.74) multiple sequence alignment program. The results of the alignment are set forth in FIG. 24.

[1273] A search using the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16 was performed against the HMM database in PFAM (FIGS. 22A-C) resulting in the identification of a potential sugar transporter domain in the amino acid sequence of human TP-2 at about residues 37-454 of SEQ ID NO: 16 (score=−101.1), a potential LacY proton/sugar symporter domain in the amino acid sequence of human TP-2 at about residues 39-383 of SEQ ID NO: 16 (score=−336.7), a potential glutamine amidotransferases class-II domain in the amino acid sequence of human TP-2 at about residues 165-170 of SEQ ID NO: 16 (score=1.2), and a potential MCT domain in the amino acid sequence of human TP-2 at about residues 33-458 of SEQ ID NO: 16 (score=−167.8).

[1274] The amino acid sequence of human TP-2 was analyzed using the program PSORT (http://www.psort.nibb.ac.jp) to predict the localization of the proteins within the cell. This program assesses the presence of different targeting and localization amino acid sequences within the query sequence. The results of this analysis show that human TP-2 may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, secretory vesicles, or mitochondria.

[1275] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human TP-2 were further performed against the Prosite database. These searches resulted in the identification in the amino acid sequence of human TP-2 of two potential glycosaminoglycan attachment sites at about residues 176-179 and 464-467 of SEQ ID NO: 16, two potential cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation sites at about residues 108-111 and 460-463 of SEQ ID NO: 16, a number of potential protein kinase C phosphorylation sites at about residues 228-230, 253-255, and 260-262 of SEQ ID NO: 16, a number of potential casein kinase II phosphorylation sites at about residues 28-31, 191-194, 247-250, and 463-466 of SEQ ID NO: 16, a number of potential N-myristoylation sites at about residues 38-43, 75-80, 82-87, 127-132, 187-192, 332-337, 403-408, 409-414, 415-420, and 445-450 of SEQ ID NO: 16, one potential amidation site at about residues 106-109 of SEQ ID NO: 16, and a potential prokaryotic membrane lipoprotein lipid attachment site at about residues 99-114 of SEQ ID NO: 16.

[1276] A MEMSAT analysis of the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16 was also performed (FIG. 23), predicting eleven potential transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human TR-2 (SEQ ID NO: 16) at about residues 45-69, 80-102, 112-136, 167-190, 197-218, 288-310, 323-343, 352-368, 375-391, 409-433, and 422-458. However, a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis (FIG. 21) resulted in the identification of twelve transmembrane domains. Accordingly, the TP-2 protein of SEQ ID NO: 16 is predicted to have at least 12 transmembrane domains, which are identified in FIGS. 21 and 23 as transmembrane (TM) domains 1 through 12. TM1 is at about residues 45-69, TM2 is at about residues 80-102, TM3 is at about residues 112-126, TM4 is at about residues 133-156, TM5 is at about residues 167-190, TM6 is at about residues 197-218, TM7 is at about residues 288-310, TM8 is at about residues 323-343, TM9 is at about residues 352-368, TM10 is at about residues 375-391, TM11 is at about residues 409-433, and TM12 is at about residues 442-458.

[1277] A search of the amino acid sequence of human TP-2 was also performed against the ProDom database. These searches resulted in the identification of a “kinase activity integral membrane domain” at about amino acid residues 36-235, a “transport integral membrane” at about amino acid residues 41-190, a “YFKF transporter MFS transmembrane domain” at about amino acid residues 45-229, a “multidrug transmembrane domain” at about amino acid residues 130-250, a “transporter-like polyspecific organic subtransferable suppressing membrane tumor domain” at about amino acid residues 133-214, a “transport membrane domain” at about amino acid residues 163-244, a “NORA domain” at about amino acid residues 190-462, and a “family C2-domain” at about amino acid residues 399-466 in the amino acid protein sequence of TP-2 (SEQ ID NO: 16).

Example 2 Expression of Recombinant TP-2 Polypeptide in Bacterial Cells

[1278] In this example, human TP-2 is expressed as a recombinant glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion polypeptide in E. coli and the fusion polypeptide is isolated and characterized. Specifically, TP-2 is fused to GST and this fusion polypeptide is expressed in E. coli, e.g., strain PEB1199. Expression of the GST-TP-2 fusion polypeptide in PEB199 is induced with IPTG. The recombinant fusion polypeptide is purified from crude bacterial lysates of the induced PEB199 strain by affinity chromatography on glutathione beads. Using polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis of the polypeptide purified from the bacterial lysates, the molecular weight of the resultant fusion polypeptide is determined.

Example 3 Expression of Recombinant TP-2 Polypeptide in COS Cells

[1279] To express the human TP-2 gene in COS cells, the pcDNA/Amp vector by Invitrogen Corporation (San Diego, Calif.) is used. This vector contains an SV40 origin of replication, an ampicillin resistance gene, an E. coli replication origin, a CMV promoter followed by a polylinker region, and an SV40 intron and polyadenylation site. A DNA fragment encoding the entire TP-2 polypeptide and an HA tag (Wilson et al. (1984) Cell 37:767) or a FLAG tag fused in-frame to its 3′ end of the fragment is cloned into the polylinker region of the vector, thereby placing the expression of the recombinant polypeptide under the control of the CMV promoter.

[1280] To construct the plasmid, the human TP-2 DNA sequence is amplified by PCR using two primers. The 5′ primer contains the restriction site of interest followed by approximately twenty nucleotides of the TP-2 coding sequence starting from the initiation codon; the 3′ end sequence contains complementary sequences to the other restriction site of interest, a translation stop codon, the HA tag or FLAG tag and the last 20 nucleotides of the TP-2 coding sequence. The PCR amplified fragment and the pCDNA/Amp vector are digested with the appropriate restriction enzymes and the vector is dephosphorylated using the CIAP enzyme (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.). Preferably the two restriction sites chosen are different so that the TP-2 gene is inserted in the correct orientation. The ligation mixture is transformed into E. coli cells (strains HB101, DH5α, SURE, available from Stratagene Cloning Systems, La Jolla, Calif., can be used), the transformed culture is plated on ampicillin media plates, and resistant colonies are selected. Plasmid DNA is isolated from transformants and examined by restriction analysis for the presence of the correct fragment.

[1281] COS cells are subsequently transfected with the human TP-2-pcDNA/Amp plasmid DNA using the calcium phosphate or calcium chloride co-precipitation methods, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, lipofection, or electroporation. Other suitable methods for transfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989. The expression of the IC54420 polypeptide is detected by radiolabeling (³⁵S-methionine or ³⁵S-cysteine available from NEN, Boston, Mass., can be used) and immunoprecipitation (Harlow, E. and Lane, D. Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1988) using an HA specific monoclonal antibody. Briefly, the cells are labeled for 8 hours with ³⁵S-methionine (or ³⁵S-cysteine). The culture media are then collected and the cells are lysed using detergents (RIPA buffer, 150 mM NaCl, 1% NP-40, 0.1% SDS, 0.5% DOC, 50 mM Tris, pH 7.5). Both the cell lysate and the culture media are precipitated with an HA specific monoclonal antibody. Precipitated polypeptides are then analyzed by SDS-PAGE.

[1282] Alternatively, DNA containing the human TP-2 coding sequence is cloned directly into the polylinker of the pCDNA/Amp vector using the appropriate restriction sites. The resulting plasmid is transfected into COS cells in the manner described above, and the expression of the TP-2 polypeptide is detected by radiolabeling and immunoprecipitation using a TP-2-specific monoclonal antibody.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[1283] The E1-E2 ATPase family is a large superfamily of transport enzymes that contains at least 80 members found in diverse organisms such as bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes (Palmgren, M. G. and Axelsen, K. B. (1998) Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1365:37-45). These enzymes are involved in ATP hydrolysis-dependent transmembrane movement of a variety of inorganic cations (e.g., H⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Cu²⁺, Cd⁺, and Mg²⁺ ions) across a concentration gradient, whereby the enzyme converts the free energy of ATP hydrolysis into electrochemical ion gradients. E1-E2 ATPases are also known as “P-type” ATPases, referring to the existence of a covalent high-energy phosphoryl-enzyme intermediate in the chemical reaction pathway of these transporters. Until recently, the superfamily contained four major groups: Ca²⁺ transporting ATPases; Na⁺/K⁺-and gastric H⁺/K⁺ transporting ATPases; plasma membrane H⁺ transporting ATPases of plants, fungi, and lower eukaryotes; and all bacterial P-type ATPases (Kuhlbrandt et al. (1998) Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol. 8:510-516).

[1284] E1-E2 ATPases are phosphorylated at a highly conserved DKTG sequence. Phosphorylation at this site is thought to control the enzyme's substrate affinity. Most E1-E2 ATPases contain ten alpha-helical transmembrane domains, although additional domains may be present. A majority of known gated-pore translocators contain twelve alpha-helices, including Na⁺/H⁺ antiporters (West (1997) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1331:213-234).

[1285] Members of the E1-E2 ATPase superfamily are able to generate electrochemical ion gradients which enable a variety of processes in the cell such as absorption, secretion, transmembrane signaling, nerve impulse transmission, excitation/contraction coupling, and growth and differentiation (Scarborough (1999) Curr. Opin. Cell Biol. 11:517-522). These molecules are thus critical to normal cell function and well-being of the organism.

[1286] Recently, a new class of E1-E2 ATPases was identified, the aminophospholipid transporters or translocators. These transporters transport not cations, but phospholipids (Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497; Bull, L. N. et al. (1998) Nat. Genet. 18:219-224; Mauro, I. et al. (1999) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 257:333-339). These transporters are involved in cellular functions including bile acid secretion and maintenance of the asymmetrical integrity of the plasma membrane.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[1287] The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel phospholipid transporter family members, referred to herein as “Phospholipid Transporter-1” or “PLTR-1” nucleic acid and protein molecules. The PLTR-1 nucleic acid and protein molecules of the present invention are useful as modulating agents in regulating a variety of cellular processes, e.g., phospholipid transport (e.g., aminophospholipid transport), absorption, secretion, gene expression, intra- or intercellular signaling, blood coagulation, and/or cellular proliferation, growth, apoptosis, and/or differentiation. Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding PLTR-1 proteins or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments suitable as primers or hybridization probes for the detection of PLTR-1-encoding nucleic acids.

[1288] In one embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that includes the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21. In another embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that encodes a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 20. In another embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that includes the nucleotide sequence contained in the plasmid deposited with ATCC® as Accession Number ______.

[1289] In still other embodiments, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules including nucleotide sequences that are substantially identical (e.g., 75%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, or 99.9% identical) to the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21. The invention further features isolated nucleic acid molecules including at least 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 676, 677, 689, 690, 691, 692, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1562, 1600, 1610, 1660, 1700, 1750, 1800, 1850, 1900, 1950, 2000, 2050, 2100, 2150, 2200, 2250, 2300, 2350, 2373, 2374, 2375, 2400, 2450, 2500, 2550, 2600, 2650, 2700, 2750, 2800, 2850, 2900, 2950, 3000, 3050, 3063, 3064, 3100, 3150, 3200, 3250, 3300, 3350, 3400, 3450, 3500, 3550, 3600, 3650, 3700, 3750, 3753, 3754, 3800, 3850, 3900, 3950, 4000, 4050, 4100, 4150, 4200, 4250, 4300, 4350, 4400, 4450, 4500, 4550, 4600, 4650 contiguous nucleotides of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21. In another embodiment, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence that is substantially identical (e.g., 75%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, or 99.9% identical) to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 20. Also featured are nucleic acid molecules which encode allelic variants of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 20. In addition to isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding full-length polypeptides, the present invention also features nucleic acid molecules which encode fragments, for example, biologically active or antigenic fragments, of the full-length polypeptides of the present invention (e.g., fragments including at least 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 25, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 250, 300, 328, 350, 375, 400, 450, 465, 500, 520, 550, 600, 650, 700, 703, 750, 800, 850, 900, 932, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, or 1150 contiguous amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20). In still other embodiments, the invention features nucleic acid molecules that are complementary to, antisense to, or hybridize under stringent conditions to the isolated nucleic acid molecules described herein.

[1290] In a related aspect, the invention provides vectors including the isolated nucleic acid molecules described herein (e.g., PLTR-1-encoding nucleic acid molecules). Such vectors can optionally include nucleotide sequences encoding heterologous polypeptides. Also featured are host cells including such vectors (e.g., host cells including vectors suitable for producing PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides).

[1291] In another aspect, the invention features isolated PLTR-1 polypeptides and/or biologically active or antigenic fragments thereof. Exemplary embodiments feature a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 20, a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence at least 75%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, or 99.9% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 20, a polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid molecule including a nucleotide sequence at least 75%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, or 99.9% identical to the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21. Also featured are fragments of the full-length polypeptides described herein (e.g., fragments including at least 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 25, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 250, 300, 328, 350, 375, 400, 450, 465, 500, 520, 550, 600, 650, 700, 703, 750, 800, 850, 900, 932, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, or 1150 contiguous amino acid residues of the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 20) as well as allelic variants of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 20.

[1292] The PLTR-1 polypeptides and/or biologically active or antigenic fragments thereof, are useful, for example, as reagents or targets in assays applicable to treatment and/or diagnosis of PLTR-1 associated or related disorders. In one embodiment, a PLTR-1 polypeptide or fragment thereof has a PLTR-1 activity. In another embodiment, a PLTR-1 polypeptide or fragment thereof has at least one or more of the following domains, sites, or motifs: a transmembrane domain, an N-terminal large extramembrane domain, a C-terminal large extramembrane domain, an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif, and/or one or more phospholipid transporter specific amino acid resides, and optionally, has a PLTR-1 activity. In a related aspect, the invention features antibodies (e.g., antibodies which specifically bind to any one of the polypeptides, as described herein) as well as fusion polypeptides including all or a fragment of a polypeptide described herein.

[1293] The present invention further features methods for detecting PLTR-1 polypeptides and/or PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecules, such methods featuring, for example, a probe, primer or antibody described herein. Also featured are kits for the detection of PLTR-1 polypeptides and/or PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecules. In a related aspect, the invention features methods for identifying compounds which bind to and/or modulate the activity of a PLTR-1 polypeptide or PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecule described herein. Also featured are methods for modulating a PLTR-1 activity.

[1294] Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[1295] The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel phospholipid transporter family members, referred to herein as “Phospholipid Transporter-1” or “PLTR-1” nucleic acid and protein molecules. These novel molecules are capable of transporting phospholipids (e.g., aminophospholipids such as phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine, choline phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin, and bile acids) across cellular membranes and, thus, play a role in or function in a variety of cellular processes, e.g., phospholipid transport, absorption, secretion, gene expression, intra- or intercellular signaling, and/or cellular proliferation, growth, and/or differentiation. Thus, the PLTR-1 molecules of the present invention provide novel diagnostic targets and therapeutic agents to control PLTR-1-associated disorders, as defined herein.

[1296] The term “family” when referring to the protein and nucleic acid molecules of the invention is intended to mean two or more proteins or nucleic acid molecules having a common structural domain or motif and having sufficient amino acid or nucleotide sequence homology as defined herein. Such family members can be naturally or non-naturally occurring and can be from either the same or different species. For example, a family can contain a first protein of human origin as well as other distinct proteins of human origin or alternatively, can contain homologues of non-human origin, e.g., rat or mouse proteins. Members of a family can also have common functional characteristics.

[1297] For example, the family of PLTR-1 proteins of the present invention comprises at least one “transmembrane domain,” preferably at least 2, 3, or 4 transmembrane domains, more preferably 5, 6, or 7 transmembrane domains, even more preferably 8 or 9 transmembrane domains, and most preferably, 10 transmembrane domains. As used herein, the term “transmembrane domain” includes an amino acid sequence of about 15 amino acid residues in length which spans the plasma membrane. More preferably, a transmembrane domain includes about at least 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, or 45 amino acid residues and spans the plasma membrane. Transmembrane domains are rich in hydrophobic residues, and typically have an alpha-helical structure. In a preferred embodiment, at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or more of the amino acids of a transmembrane domain are hydrophobic, e.g., leucines, isoleucines, tyrosines, or tryptophans. Transmembrane domains are described in, for example, Zagotta, W. N. et al. (1996) Annu. Rev. Neurosci. 19:235-263, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Amino acid residues 55-71, 78-94, 276-298, 320-344, 880-897, 904-924, 954-977, 993-1011, 1022-1038, 1066, 1084 of the human PLTR-1 protein (SEQ ID NO: 20) are predicted to comprise transmembrane domains (see FIGS. 26A-B and 27).

[1298] The family of PLTR-1 proteins of the present invention also comprises at least one “large extramembrane domain” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, a “large extramembrane domain” includes a domain having greater than 20 amino acid residues that is found between transmembrane domains, preferably on the cytoplasmic side of the plasma membrane, and does not span or traverse the plasma membrane. A large extramembrane domain preferably includes at least one, two, three, four or more motifs or consensus sequences characteristic of P-type ATPases, i.e., includes one, two, three, four, or more “P-type ATPase consensus sequences or motifs”. As used herein, the phrase “P-type ATPase consensus sequences or motifs” includes any consensus sequence or motif known in the art to be characteristic of P-type ATPases, including, but not limited to, the P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif (as defined herein), the P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif (as defined herein), the P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif (as defined herein), and the E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site (as defined herein).

[1299] In one embodiment, the family of PLTR-1 proteins of the present invention comprises at least one “N-terminal” large extramembrane domain in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, an “N-terminal” large extramembrane domain is found in the N-terminal ⅓^(rd) of the protein, preferably between the second and third transmembrane domains of a PLTR-1 protein and includes about 60-300, 80-280, 100-260, 120-240, 140-220, 160-200, or preferably, 181 amino acid residues. In a preferred embodiment, an N-terminal large extramembrane domain includes at least one P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif (as described herein). An N-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 at about residues 95-275 of SEQ ID NO: 20. The family of PLTR-I proteins of the present invention also comprises at least one “C-terminal” large extramembrane domain in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, a “C-terminal” large extramembrane domain is found in the C-terminal ⅔^(rds) of the protein, preferably between the fourth and fifth transmembrane domains of a PLTR-1 protein and includes about 430-650, 450-630, 470-610, 490-590, 510-570, 530-550, or preferably, 535 amino acid residues. In a preferred embodiment, a C-terminal large extramembrane domain includes at least one or more of the following motifs: a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif (as described herein), a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif (as defined herein), and/or an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site (as defined herein). A C-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 at about residues 345-879 of SEQ ID NO: 20.

[1300] In another preferred embodiment, a C-terminal large extramembrane domain includes at least one or more of the following domains: one, two, or three hydrolase domains and/or an Adeno_E1B_(—)19K domain. To identify the presence of a hydrolase domain or an Adeno_E1B_(—)19K domain in a PLTR-1 family member and make the determination that a protein of interest has a particular profile, the amino acid sequence of the protein is searched against a database of HMMs (e.g., the Pfam database, release 2.1) using the default parameters (available online at the PFAM website, available through Washington University in St. Louis). For example, the hmmsf program, which is available as part of the HMMER package of search programs, is a family specific default program with a score of 15 as the default threshold score for determining a hit. Alternatively, the threshold score for determining a hit can be lowered (e.g., to 8 bits). A description of the Pfam database can be found in Sonhammer et al. (1997) Proteins 28(3)405-420 and a detailed description of HMMs can be found, for example, in Gribskov et al. (1990) Meth. Enzymol. 183:146-159; Gribskov et al.(1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:4355-4358; Krogh et al.(1994) J. Mol. Biol. 235:1501-1531; and Stultz et al.(1993) Protein Sci. 2:305-314, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. A search was performed against the HMM database resulting in the identification of 3 hydrolase domains and 1 Adeno_E1B_(—)19K domain in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20. The results of the search are set forth below. Scores for sequence family classification (score includes all domains): Model Description Score E-value N Hydrolase haloacid dehalogenase-like hydrolase 20.9 6.5e-05 3 Adeno_E1B_19K Adenovirus E1B 19K protein/small t-an 9.1 0.28 1 Parsed for domains: Model Domain seq-f seq-t hmm-f hmm-t score E-value Hydrolase 1/3 386 399 .. 1 14 [. 3.5 7.4 Adeno_E1B_19K 1/1 462 482 .. 56 76 .. 9.1 0.28 Hydrolase 2/3 603 682 .. 34 104 .. 4.2 4.7 Hydrolase 3/3 762 835 .. 106 184 .] 12.9 0.013 Alignments of top-scoring domains: Hydrolase: domain 1 of 3, from 386 to 399: score 3.5, E = 7.4 *->ikavvFDkDGTLtd<-* + ++ Dk+GTLt+ 49938 386 VEYIFSDKTGTLTQ 399 Adeno_E1B_19K: domain 1 of 1, from 462 to 482: score 9.1, E = 0.28 *->pecpglfasLnlGytlvFqek<-* p+++++f++L l++t+ ++ek 49938 462 PHTHEFFRLLSLCHTVMSEEK 482 Hydrolase: domain 2 of 3, from 603 to 682: score 4.2, E = 4.7 *->apleevekllgrgl.gerilleggltaell......ld.evlglial +++e++e +++r l++ ++++++ + + ++ +++ +lg+ a 49938 603 LDEEYYEEWAERRLqA-SLAQDSREDRLASiyeeveNNmMLLGATAI 648 .dklypgarealkaLkerGikvailTngdr.nae<-* +dkl g++e+++ L ++ik+++lT++ +++a+ 49938 649 eDKLQQGVPETIALLTLANIKIWVLTGDKQeTAV 682 Hydrolase: domain 3 of 3, from 762 to 835: score 12.9, E = 0.013 *->llealgla.lfdaivdsdevggvgpvvvgKPkpeifllalerlgvkp l+ al+++ +++++++++ ++ +v++ + p + +++e ++ 49938 762 LAHALEADmELEFLETACACK---AVICCRVTPLQKAQVVELVKKYK 805 eevgpkvlmvGDginDapalaaAGvgvamgngg<-* ++v +l++GDg nD+ +++ A++gv + 49938 806 KAV---TLAIGDGANDVSMIKTAHIGVGISGQE 835

[1301] In another embodiment, a PLTR-1 protein includes at least one “P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, a “P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif” is a conserved sequence motif diagnostic for P-type ATPases (Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497; Fagan, M. J. and Saier, M. H. (1994) J. Mol. Evol. 38:57). A P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif is involved in the coupling of ATP hydrolysis with transport (e.g., transport of phospholipids). The consensus sequence for a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif is [DNS]-[QENR]-[SA]-[LIVSAN]-[LIV]-[TSN]-G-E-[SN] (SEQ ID NO: 23). The use of amino acids in brackets indicates that the amino acid at the indicated position may be any one of the amino acids within the brackets, e.g., [SA] indicates any of one of either S (serine) or A (alanine). In a preferred embodiment, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif is contained within an N-terminal large extramembrane domain. In another preferred embodiment, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif in the PLTR-1 proteins of the present invention has at least 1, 2, 3, or preferably 4 amino acid resides which match the consensus sequence for a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif. A P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 at about residues 164-172 of SEQ ID NO: 20.

[1302] In another embodiment, a PLTR-1 protein includes at least one “P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, a “P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif” is a conserved sequence motif diagnostic for P-type ATPases (Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497; Fagan, M. J. and Saier, M. H. (1994) J. Mol Evol. 38:57). Preferably, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif overlaps with and/or includes an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site (as defined herein). The consensus sequence for a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif is [LIV]-[CAML]-[STFL]-D-K-T-G-T-[LI]-T (SEQ ID NO: 24). The use of amino acids in brackets indicates that the amino acid at the indicated position may be any one of the amino acids within the brackets, e.g., [LI] indicates any of one of either L (leucine) or I (isoleucine). In a preferred embodiment, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif is contained within a C-terminal large extramembrane domain. In another preferred embodiment, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif in the PLTR-1 proteins of the present invention has at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or more preferably 9 amino acid resides which match the consensus sequence for a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif. A P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 at about residues 389-398 of SEQ ID NO: 20.

[1303] In yet another embodiment, a PLTR-1 protein includes at least one “P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, a “P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif” is a conserved sequence motif diagnostic for P-type ATPases (Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497; Fagan, M. J. and Saier, M. H. (1994) J. Mol. Evol. 38:57). A P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif is involved in ATP binding. The consensus sequence for a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif is [TIV]-G-D-G-X-N-D-[ASG]-P-[ASV]-L (SEQ ID NO: 25). X indicates that the amino acid at the indicated position may be any amino acid (i.e., is not conserved). The use of amino acids in brackets indicates that the amino acid at the indicated position may be any one of the amino acids within the brackets, e.g., [TIV] indicates any of one of either T (threonine), I (isoleucine), or V (valine). In a preferred embodiment, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif is contained within a C-terminal large extramembrane domain. In another preferred embodiment, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif in the PLTR-1 proteins of the present invention has at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or more preferably 7 amino acid resides (including the amino acid at the position indicated by “X”) which match the consensus sequence for a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif. A P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 at about residues 812-822 of SEQ ID NO: 20.

[1304] In another embodiment, a PLTR-1 protein of the present invention is identified based on the presence of an “E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site” (alternatively referred to simply as a “phosphorylation site”) in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. An E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site functions in accepting a phosphate moiety and has the following consensus sequence: D-K-T-G-T-[LIVM]-[TI] (SEQ ID NO: 26), wherein D is phosphorylated. The use of amino acids in brackets indicates that the amino acid at the indicated position may be any one of the amino acids within the brackets, e.g., [TI] indicates any of one of either T (threonine) or I (isoleucine). The E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site has been assigned ProSite Accession Number PS00154. To identify the presence of an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site in a PLTR-1 protein, and to make the determination that a protein of interest has a particular profile, the amino acid sequence of the protein may be searched against a database of known protein domains (e.g., the ProSite database) using the default parameters (available online through the Swiss Institute for Bioinformatics). A search was performed against the ProSite database resulting in the identification of an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site in the amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 (SEQ ID NO: 20) at about residues 392-398 (see FIGS. 26A-B).

[1305] Preferably an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site has a “phosphorylation site activity,” for example, the ability to be phosphorylated; to be dephosphorylated; to regulate the E1-E2 conformational change of the phospholipid transporter in which it is contained; to regulate transport of phospholipids (e.g., aminophospholipids such as phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine, choline phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin, and bile acids) across a cellular membrane by the PLTR-1 protein in which it is contained; and/or to regulate the activity (as defined herein) of the PLTR-1 protein in which it is contained. Accordingly, identifying the presence of an “E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site” can include isolating a fragment of a PLTR-1 molecule (e.g., a PLTR-1 polypeptide) and assaying for the ability of the fragment to exhibit one of the aforementioned phosphorylation site activities.

[1306] In another embodiment, a PLTR-1 protein of the present invention may also be identified based on its ability to adopt an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation. As used herein, an “E1 conformation” of a PLTR-1 protein includes a 3-dimensional conformation of a PLTR-1 protein which does not exhibit PLTR-1 activity (e.g., the ability to transport phospholipids), as defined herein. An E1 conformation of a PLTR-1 protein usually occurs when the PLTR-1 protein is unphosphorylated. As used herein, an “E2 conformation” of a PLTR-1 protein includes a 3-dimensional conformation of a PLTR-1 protein which exhibits PLTR-1 activity (e.g., the ability to transport phospholipids), as defined herein. An E2 conformation of a PLTR-1 protein usually occurs when the PLTR-1 protein is phosphorylated.

[1307] In still another embodiment, a PLTR-1 protein of the present invention is identified based on the presence of“phospholipid transporter specific” amino acid residues. As used herein, “phospholipid transporter specific” amino acid residues are amino acid residues specific to the class of phospholipid transporting P-type ATPases (as defined in Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497). Phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues are not found in P-type ATPases which transport molecules which are not phospholipids (e.g., cations). For example, phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues are found at the first, second, and fifth positions of the P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif. In phospholipid transporting P-type ATPases, the first position of the P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif is preferably E (glutamic acid), the second position is preferably T (threonine), and the fifth position is preferably L (leucine). A phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residue is further found at the second position of the P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif. In phospholipid transporting P-type ATPases, the second position of the P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif is preferably F (phenylalanine). Phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues are still further found at the first, tenth, and eleventh positions of the P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif. In phospholipid transporting P-type ATPases, the first position of the P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif is preferably I (isoleucine), the tenth position is preferably M (methionine), and the eleventh position is preferably I (isoleucine). Phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues were identified in the amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 (SEQ ID NO: 20) at about residues 164, 165, and 168 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif, see FIGS. 26A-B), at about residue 390 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif, see FIGS. 26-B), and at about residues 812, 821, and 822 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif, see FIGS. 26-B).

[1308] Isolated proteins of the present invention, preferably PLTR-1 proteins, have an amino acid sequence sufficiently homologous to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20, or are encoded by a nucleotide sequence sufficiently homologous to SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21. As used herein, the term “sufficiently homologous” refers to a first amino acid or nucleotide sequence which contains a sufficient or minimum number of identical or equivalent (e.g., an amino acid residue which has a similar side chain) amino acid residues or nucleotides to a second amino acid or nucleotide sequence such that the first and second amino acid or nucleotide sequences share common structural domains or motifs and/or a common functional activity. For example, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share common structural domains having at least 75%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9% or more homology or identity across the amino acid sequences of the domains and contain at least one and preferably two structural domains or motifs, are defined herein as sufficiently homologous. Furthermore, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share at least 75%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9% or more homology or identity and share a common functional activity are defined herein as sufficiently homologous. In a preferred embodiment, amino acid or nucleotide sequences share percent identity across the full or entire length of the amino acid or nucleotide sequence being aligned, for example, when the sequences are globally aligned (e.g., as determined by the ALIGN algorithm as defined herein).

[1309] In a preferred embodiment, a PLTR-1 protein includes at least one or more of the following domains, sites, or motifs: a transmembrane domain, an N-terminal large extramembrane domain, a C-terminal large extramembrane domain, an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif, and/or one or more phospholipid transporter specific amino acid resides and has an amino acid sequence at least about 75%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9% or more homologous or identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20, or the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. In yet another preferred embodiment, a PLTR-1 protein includes at least one or more of the following domains, sites, or motifs: a transmembrane domain, an N-terminal large extramembrane domain, a C-terminal large extramembrane domain, an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif, and/or one or more phospholipid transporter specific amino acid resides, and is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule having a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21. In another preferred embodiment, a PLTR-1 protein includes at least one or more of the following domains, sites, or motifs: a transmembrane domain, an N-terminal large extramembrane domain, a C-terminal large extramembrane domain, an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif, and/or one or more phospholipid transporter specific amino acid resides, and has a PLTR-1 activity.

[1310] As used interchangeably herein, a “PLTR-1 activity”, “phospholipid transporter activity”, “biological activity of PLTR-1”, or “functional activity of PLTR-1”, includes an activity exerted or mediated by a PLTR-1 protein, polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule on a PLTR-1 responsive cell or on a PLTR-1 substrate, as determined in vivo or in vitro, according to standard techniques. In one embodiment, a PLTR-1 activity is a direct activity, such as an association with a PLTR-1 target molecule. As used herein, a “target molecule” or “binding partner” is a molecule with which a PLTR-1 protein binds or interacts in nature, such that PLTR-1-mediated function is achieved. A PLTR-1 target molecule can be a non-PLTR-1 molecule or a PLTR-1 protein or polypeptide of the present invention. In an exemplary embodiment, a PLTR-1 target molecule is a PLTR-1 substrate (e.g., a phospholipid, ATP, or a non-PLTR-1 protein). A PLTR-1 activity can also be an indirect activity, such as a cellular signaling activity mediated by interaction of the PLTR-1 protein with a PLTR-1 substrate.

[1311] In a preferred embodiment, a PLTR-1 activity is at least one of the following activities: (i) interaction with a PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid, ATP, or a non-PLTR-1 protein); (ii) transport of a PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule (e.g., an aminophospholipid such as phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylethanolamine) from one side of a cellular membrane to the other; (iii) the ability to be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated; (iv) adoption of an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation; (v) conversion of a PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., hydrolysis of ATP); (vi) interaction with a second non-PLTR-1 protein; (vii) modulation of substrate or target molecule location (e.g., modulation of phospholipid location within a cell and/or location with respect to a cellular membrane); (viii) maintenance of aminophospholipid gradients; (ix) modulation of blood coagulation; (x) modulation of intra- or intercellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); and/or (xi) modulation of cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, apoptosis, absorption, or secretion.

[1312] The nucleotide sequence of the isolated human PLTR-1 cDNA and the predicted amino acid sequence encoded by the PLTR-1 cDNA are shown in FIGS. 25A-D and in SEQ ID NOs: 19 and 20, respectively. A plasmid containing the human PLTR-1 cDNA was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______ and assigned Accession Number ______. This deposit will be maintained under the terms of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure. This deposit were made merely as a convenience for those of skill in the art and is not an admission that a deposit is required under 35 U.S.C. §112.

[1313] The human PLTR-1 gene, which is approximately 4693 nucleotides in length, encodes a protein having a molecular weight of approximately 130.9 kD and which is approximately 1190 amino acid residues in length.

[1314] Various aspects of the invention are described in further detail in the following subsections:

[1315] I. Isolated Nucleic Acid Molecules

[1316] One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated nucleic acid molecules that encode PLTR-1 proteins or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments sufficient for use as hybridization probes to identify PLTR-1-encoding nucleic acid molecules (e.g., PLTR-1 mRNA) and fragments for use as PCR primers for the amplification or mutation of PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecules. As used herein, the term “nucleic acid molecule” is intended to include DNA molecules (e.g., cDNA or genomic DNA) and RNA molecules (e.g., mRNA) and analogs of the DNA or RNA generated using nucleotide analogs. The nucleic acid molecule can be single-stranded or double-stranded, but preferably is double-stranded DNA.

[1317] The term “isolated nucleic acid molecule” includes nucleic acid molecules which are separated from other nucleic acid molecules which are present in the natural source of the nucleic acid. For example, with regards to genomic DNA, the term “isolated” includes nucleic acid molecules which are separated from the chromosome with which the genomic DNA is naturally associated. Preferably, an “isolated” nucleic acid is free of sequences which naturally flank the nucleic acid (i.e., sequences located at the 5′ and 3′ ends of the nucleic acid) in the genomic DNA of the organism from which the nucleic acid is derived. For example, in various embodiments, the isolated PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecule can contain less than about 5 kb, 4 kb, 3 kb, 2 kb, 1 kb, 0.5 kb or 0.1 kb of nucleotide sequences which naturally flank the nucleic acid molecule in genomic DNA of the cell from which the nucleic acid is derived. Moreover, an “isolated” nucleic acid molecule, such as a cDNA molecule, can be substantially free of other cellular material, or culture medium when produced by recombinant techniques, or substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized.

[1318] A nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, e.g., a nucleic acid molecule having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or a portion thereof, can be isolated using standard molecular biology techniques and the sequence information provided herein. Using all or a portion of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, as hybridization probes, PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecules can be isolated using standard hybridization and cloning techniques (e.g., as described in Sambrook, J. et al. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd) ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989).

[1319] Moreover, a nucleic acid molecule encompassing all or a portion of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ can be isolated by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using synthetic oligonucleotide primers designed based upon the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______.

[1320] A nucleic acid of the invention can be amplified using cDNA, mRNA or alternatively, genomic DNA, as a template and appropriate oligonucleotide primers according to standard PCR amplification techniques. The nucleic acid so amplified can be cloned into an appropriate vector and characterized by DNA sequence analysis. Furthermore, oligonucleotides corresponding to PLTR-1 nucleotide sequences can be prepared by standard synthetic techniques, e.g., using an automated DNA synthesizer.

[1321] In one embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21. This cDNA may comprise sequences encoding the human PLTR-1 protein (e.g., the “coding region”, from nucleotides 171-3740), as well as 5′ untranslated sequence (nucleotides 1-170) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 3741-4693) of SEQ ID NO: 19. Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 19 (e.g., nucleotides 171-3740, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 21). Accordingly, in another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises SEQ ID NO: 21 and nucleotides 1-170 of SEQ ID NO: 19. In yet another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 21 and nucleotides 3741-4693 of SEQ ID NO: 19. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21. In another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 19 (e.g., nucleotides 171-3740, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 21), as well as a stop codon (e.g., nucleotides 3741-3743 of SEQ ID NO: 19). In other embodiments, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise nucleotides 1-743 of SEQ ID NO: 19.

[1322] In still another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises a nucleic acid molecule which is a complement of the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or a portion of any of these nucleotide sequences. A nucleic acid molecule which is complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, is one which is sufficiently complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, such that it can hybridize to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, thereby forming a stable duplex.

[1323] In still another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least about 75%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9% or more identical to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21 (e.g., to the entire length of the nucleotide sequence), or to the nucleotide sequence (e.g., the entire length of the nucleotide sequence) of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or a portion or complement of any of these nucleotide sequences. In one embodiment, a nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least (or no greater than) 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 676, 677, 689, 690, 691, 692, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1562, 1600, 1610, 1660, 1700, 1750, 1800, 1850, 1900, 1950, 2000, 2050, 2100, 2150, 2200, 2250, 2300, 2350, 2373, 2374, 2375, 2400, 2450, 2500, 2550, 2600, 2650, 2700, 2750, 2800, 2850, 2900, 2950, 3000, 3050, 3063, 3064, 3100, 3150, 3200, 3250, 3300, 3350, 3400, 3450, 3500, 3550, 3600, 3650, 3700, 3750, 3753, 3754, 3800, 3850, 3900, 3950, 4000, 4050, 4100, 4150, 4200, 4250, 4300, 4350, 4400, 4450, 4500, 4550, 4600, 4650 or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______.

[1324] Moreover, the nucleic acid molecule of the invention can comprise only a portion of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, for example, a fragment which can be used as a probe or primer or a fragment encoding a portion of a PLTR-1 protein, e.g., a biologically active portion of a PLTR-1 protein. The nucleotide sequence determined from the cloning of the PLTR-1 gene allows for the generation of probes and primers designed for use in identifying and/or cloning other PLTR-1 family members, as well as PLTR-1 homologues from other species. The probe/primer (e.g., oligonucleotide) typically comprises substantially purified oligonucleotide. The oligonucleotide typically comprises a region of nucleotide sequence that hybridizes under stringent conditions to at least about 12 or 15, preferably about 20 or 25, more preferably about 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, or 75 consecutive nucleotides of a sense sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, of an anti-sense sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or of a naturally occurring allelic variant or mutant of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______.

[1325] Exemplary probes or primers are at least (or no greater than) 12 or 15, 20 or 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75 or more nucleotides in length and/or comprise consecutive nucleotides of an isolated nucleic acid molecule described herein. Also included within the scope of the present invention are probes or primers comprising contiguous or consecutive nucleotides of an isolated nucleic acid molecule described herein, but for the difference of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 bases within the probe or primer sequence. Probes based on the PLTR-1 nucleotide sequences can be used to detect (e.g., specifically detect) transcripts or genomic sequences encoding the same or homologous proteins. In preferred embodiments, the probe further comprises a label group attached thereto, e.g., the label group can be a radioisotope, a fluorescent compound, an enzyme, or an enzyme co-factor. In another embodiment a set of primers is provided, e.g., primers suitable for use in a PCR, which can be used to amplify a selected region of a PLTR-1 sequence, e.g., a domain, region, site or other sequence described herein. The primers should be at least 5, 10, or 50 base pairs in length and less than 100, or less than 200, base pairs in length. The primers should be identical, or differ by no greater than 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 bases when compared to a sequence disclosed herein or to the sequence of a naturally occurring variant. Such probes can be used as a part of a diagnostic test kit for identifying cells or tissue which misexpress a PLTR-1 protein, such as by measuring a level of a PLTR-1-encoding nucleic acid in a sample of cells from a subject, e.g., detecting PLTR-1 mRNA levels or determining whether a genomic PLTR-1 gene has been mutated or deleted.

[1326] A nucleic acid fragment encoding a “biologically active portion of a PLTR-1 protein” can be prepared by isolating a portion of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, which encodes a polypeptide having a PLTR-1 biological activity (the biological activities of the PLTR-1 proteins are described herein), expressing the encoded portion of the PLTR-1 protein (e.g., by recombinant expression in vitro) and assessing the activity of the encoded portion of the PLTR-1 protein. In an exemplary embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule is at least 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 676, 677, 689, 690, 691, 692, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1562, 1600, 1610, 1660, 1700, 1750, 1800, 1850, 1900, 1950, 2000, 2050, 2100, 2150, 2200, 2250, 2300, 2350, 2373, 2374, 2375, 2400, 2450, 2500, 2550, 2600, 2650, 2700, 2750, 2800, 2850, 2900, 2950, 3000, 3050, 3063, 3064, 3100, 3150, 3200, 3250, 3300, 3350, 3400, 3450, 3500, 3550, 3600, 3650, 3700, 3750, 3753, 3754, 3800, 3850, 3900, 3950, 4000, 4050, 4100, 4150, 4200, 4250, 4300, 4350, 4400, 4450, 4500, 4550, 4600, 4650 or more nucleotides in length and encodes a protein having a PLTR-1 activity (as described herein).

[1327] The invention further encompasses nucleic acid molecules that differ from the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, due to degeneracy of the genetic code and thus encode the same PLTR-1 proteins as those encoded by the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. In another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention has a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence which differs by at least 1, but no greater than 5, 10, 20, 50 or 100 amino acid residues from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 20, or the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule encodes the amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1. If an alignment is needed for this comparison, the sequences should be aligned for maximum homology.

[1328] Nucleic acid variants can be naturally occurring, such as allelic variants (same locus), homologues (different locus), and orthologues (different organism) or can be non naturally occurring. Non-naturally occurring variants can be made by mutagenesis techniques, including those applied to polynucleotides, cells, or organisms. The variants can contain nucleotide substitutions, deletions, inversions and insertions. Variation can occur in either or both the coding and non-coding regions. The variations can produce both conservative and non-conservative amino acid substitutions (as compared in the encoded product).

[1329] Allelic variants result, for example, from DNA sequence polymorphisms within a population (e.g., the human population) that lead to changes in the amino acid sequences of the PLTR-1 proteins. Such genetic polymorphism in the PLTR-1 genes may exist among individuals within a population due to natural allelic variation. As used herein, the terms “gene” and “recombinant gene” refer to nucleic acid molecules which include an open reading frame encoding a PLTR-1 protein, preferably a mammalian PLTR-1 protein, and can further include non-coding regulatory sequences, and introns.

[1330] Accordingly, in one embodiment, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode a naturally occurring allelic variant of a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, wherein the nucleic acid molecule hybridizes to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, for example, under stringent hybridization conditions.

[1331] Allelic variants of PLTR-1, e.g., human PLTR-1, include both functional and non-functional PLTR-1 proteins. Functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the PLTR-1 protein that maintain the ability to, e.g., bind or interact with a PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule, transport a PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid) across a cellular membrane, hydrolyze ATP, be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated, adopt an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation, and/or modulate cellular signaling, growth, proliferation, differentiation, absorption, or secretion. Functional allelic variants will typically contain only conservative substitution of one or more amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 20, or substitution, deletion or insertion of non-critical residues in non-critical regions of the protein.

[1332] Non-functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the PLTR-1 protein, e.g., human PLTR-1, that do not have the ability to, e.g., bind or interact with a PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule, transport a PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid) across a cellular membrane, hydrolyze ATP, be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated, adopt an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation, and/or modulate cellular signaling, growth, proliferation, differentiation, absorption, or secretion. Non-functional allelic variants will typically contain a non-conservative substitution, a deletion, or insertion, or premature truncation of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20, or a substitution, insertion, or deletion in critical residues or critical regions of the protein.

[1333] The present invention further provides non-human orthologues (e.g., non-human orthologues of the human PLTR-1 protein). Orthologues of the human PLTR-1 protein are proteins that are isolated from non-human organisms and possess the same PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule binding mechanisms, phospholipid transporting activity, ATPase activity, and/or modulation of cellular signaling mechanisms of the human PLTR-1 proteins. Orthologues of the human PLTR-1 protein can readily be identified as comprising an amino acid sequence that is substantially homologous to SEQ ID NO: 20.

[1334] Moreover, nucleic acid molecules encoding other PLTR-1 family members and, thus, which have a nucleotide sequence which differs from the PLTR-1 sequences of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, another PLTR-1 cDNA can be identified based on the nucleotide sequence of human PLTR-1. Moreover, nucleic acid molecules encoding PLTR-1 proteins from different species, and which, thus, have a nucleotide sequence which differs from the PLTR-1 sequences of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, a mouse or monkey PLTR-1 cDNA can be identified based on the nucleotide sequence of a human PLTR-1.

[1335] Nucleic acid molecules corresponding to natural allelic variants and homologues of the PLTR-1 cDNAs of the invention can be isolated based on their homology to the PLTR-1 nucleic acids disclosed herein using the cDNAs disclosed herein, or a portion thereof, as a hybridization probe according to standard hybridization techniques under stringent hybridization conditions. Nucleic acid molecules corresponding to natural allelic variants and homologues of the PLTR-1 cDNAs of the invention can further be isolated by mapping to the same chromosome or locus as the PLTR-1 gene.

[1336] Orthologues, homologues and allelic variants can be identified using methods known in the art (e.g., by hybridization to an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, for example, under stringent hybridization conditions). In one embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention is at least 15, 20, 25, 30 or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. In other embodiment, the nucleic acid is at least 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 676, 677, 689, 690, 691, 692, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1562, 1600, 1610, 1660, 1700, 1750, 1800, 1850, 1900, 1950, 2000, 2050, 2100, 2150, 2200, 2250, 2300, 2350, 2373, 2374, 2375, 2400, 2450, 2500, 2550, 2600, 2650, 2700, 2750, 2800, 2850, 2900, 2950, 3000, 3050, 3063, 3064, 3100, 3150, 3200, 3250, 3300, 3350, 3400, 3450, 3500, 3550, 3600, 3650, 3700, 3750, 3753, 3754, 3800, 3850, 3900, 3950, 4000, 4050, 4100, 4150, 4200, 4250, 4300, 4350, 4400, 4450, 4500, 4550, 4600, 4650 or more nucleotides in length.

[1337] As used herein, the term “hybridizes under stringent conditions” is intended to describe conditions for hybridization and washing under which nucleotide sequences that are significantly identical or homologous to each other remain hybridized to each other. Preferably, the conditions are such that sequences at least about 70%, more preferably at least about 80%, even more preferably at least about 85% or 90% identical to each other remain hybridized to each other. Such stringent conditions are known to those skilled in the art and can be found in Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Ausubel et a., eds., John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1995), sections 2, 4, and 6. Additional stringent conditions can be found in Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Sambrook et al., Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989), chapters 7, 9, and 11. A preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 4× sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC), at about 65-70° C. (or alternatively hybridization in 4× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 42-50° C.) followed by one or more washes in 1× SSC, at about 65-70° C. A preferred, non-limiting example of highly stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 1× SSC, at about 65-70° C. (or alternatively hybridization in 1× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 42-50° C.) followed by one or more washes in 0.3× SSC, at about 65-70° C. A preferred, non-limiting example of reduced stringency hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 4× SSC, at about 50-60° C. (or alternatively hybridization in 6× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 40-45° C.) followed by one or more washes in 2× SSC, at about 50-60° C. Ranges intermediate to the above-recited values, e.g., at 65-70° C. or at 42-50° C. are also intended to be encompassed by the present invention. SSPE (1×SSPE is 0.15M NaCl, 10 mM NaH₂PO₄, and 1.25 mM EDTA, pH 7.4) can be substituted for SSC (1× SSC is 0.1 5M NaCl and 15 mM sodium citrate) in the hybridization and wash buffers; washes are performed for 15 minutes each after hybridization is complete. The hybridization temperature for hybrids anticipated to be less than 50 base pairs in length should be 5-10° C. less than the melting temperature (T_(m)) of the hybrid, where T_(m) is determined according to the following equations. For hybrids less than 18 base pairs in length, T_(m)(° C.)=2(# of A+T bases)+4(# of G+C bases). For hybrids between 18 and 49 base pairs in length, T_(m)(° C.)=81.5+16.6(log₁₀[Na⁺])+0.41(%G+C)−(600/N), where N is the number of bases in the hybrid, and [Na+] is the concentration of sodium ions in the hybridization buffer ([Na⁺] for 1× SSC=0.165 M). It will also be recognized by the skilled practitioner that additional reagents may be added to hybridization and/or wash buffers to decrease non-specific hybridization of nucleic acid molecules to membranes, for example, nitrocellulose or nylon membranes, including but not limited to blocking agents (e.g., BSA or salmon or herring sperm carrier DNA), detergents (e.g., SDS), chelating agents (e.g., EDTA), Ficoll, PVP and the like. When using nylon membranes, in particular, an additional preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions is hybridization in 0.25-0.5M NaH₂PO₄, 7% SDS at about 65° C., followed by one or more washes at 0.02M NaH₂PO₄, 1% SDS at 65° C. (see e.g., Church and Gilbert (1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:1991-1995), or alternatively 0.2× SSC, 1% SDS.

[1338] Preferably, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21 corresponds to a naturally-occurring nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, a “naturally-occurring” nucleic acid molecule refers to an RNA or DNA molecule having a nucleotide sequence that occurs in nature (e.g., encodes a natural protein).

[1339] In addition to naturally-occurring allelic variants of the PLTR-1 sequences that may exist in the population, the skilled artisan will further appreciate that changes can be introduced by mutation into the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, thereby leading to changes in the amino acid sequence of the encoded PLTR-1 proteins, without altering the functional ability of the PLTR-1 proteins. For example, nucleotide substitutions leading to amino acid substitutions at “non-essential” amino acid residues can be made in the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. A “non-essential” amino acid residue is a residue that can be altered from the wild-type sequence of PLTR-1 (e.g., the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20) without altering the biological activity, whereas an “essential” amino acid residue is required for biological activity. For example, amino acid residues that are conserved among the PLTR-1 proteins of the present invention, e.g., those present in a E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site, are predicted to be particularly unamenable to alteration. Furthermore, additional amino acid residues that are conserved between the PLTR-1 proteins of the present invention and other members of the phospholipid transporter family (e.g., those that are phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues) are not likely to be amenable to alteration.

[1340] Accordingly, another aspect of the invention pertains to nucleic acid molecules encoding PLTR-1 proteins that contain changes in amino acid residues that are not essential for activity. Such PLTR-1 proteins differ in amino acid sequence from SEQ ID NO: 20, yet retain biological activity. In one embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein, wherein the protein comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 75%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9%or more homologous to SEQ ID NO: 20, e.g., to the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 20.

[1341] An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a PLTR-1 protein homologous to the protein of SEQ ID NO: 20 can be created by introducing one or more nucleotide substitutions, additions or deletions into the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, such that one or more amino acid substitutions, additions or deletions are introduced into the encoded protein. Mutations can be introduced into SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ by standard techniques, such as site-directed mutagenesis and PCR-mediated mutagenesis. Preferably, conservative amino acid substitutions are made at one or more predicted non-essential amino acid residues. A “conservative amino acid substitution” is one in which the amino acid residue is replaced with an amino acid residue having a similar side chain. Families of amino acid residues having similar side chains have been defined in the art. These families include amino acids with basic side chains (e.g., lysine, arginine, histidine), acidic side chains (e.g., aspartic acid, glutamic acid), uncharged polar side chains (e.g., glycine, asparagine, glutamine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, cysteine, tryptophan), nonpolar side chains (e.g., alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, proline, phenylalanine, methionine), beta-branched side chains (e.g., threonine, valine, isoleucine) and aromatic side chains (e.g., tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, histidine). Thus, a predicted nonessential amino acid residue in a PLTR-1 protein is preferably replaced with another amino acid residue from the same side chain family. Alternatively, in another embodiment, mutations can be introduced randomly along all or part of a PLTR-1 coding sequence, such as by saturation mutagenesis, and the resultant mutants can be screened for PLTR-1 biological activity to identify mutants that retain activity. Following mutagenesis of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, the encoded protein can be expressed recombinantly and the activity of the protein can be determined.

[1342] In a preferred embodiment, a mutant PLTR-1 protein can be assayed for the ability to (i) interact with a PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid, ATP, or a non-PLTR-1 protein); (ii) transport a PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule (e.g., an aminophospholipid such as phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylethanolamine) from one side of a cellular membrane to the other; (iii) be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated; (iv) adopt an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation; (v) convert a PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., hydrolysis of ATP); (vi) interact with a second non-PLTR-1 protein; (vii) modulate substrate or target molecule location (e.g., modulation of phospholipid location within a cell and/or location with respect to a cellular membrane); (viii) maintain aminophospholipid gradients; (ix) modulate blood coagulation; (x) modulate intra- or intercellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); and/or (xi) modulate cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, apoptosis, absorption, or secretion.

[1343] In addition to the nucleic acid molecules encoding PLTR-1 proteins described above, another aspect of the invention pertains to isolated nucleic acid molecules which are antisense thereto. In an exemplary embodiment, the invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule which is antisense to a PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecule (e.g., is antisense to the coding strand of a PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecule). An “antisense” nucleic acid comprises a nucleotide sequence which is complementary to a “sense” nucleic acid encoding a protein, e.g., complementary to the coding strand of a double-stranded cDNA molecule or complementary to an mRNA sequence. Accordingly, an antisense nucleic acid can hydrogen bond to a sense nucleic acid. The antisense nucleic acid can be complementary to an entire PLTR-1 coding strand, or to only a portion thereof. In one embodiment, an antisense nucleic acid molecule is antisense to “coding region sequences” of the coding strand of a nucleotide sequence encoding PLTR-1. The term “coding region sequences” refers to the region of the nucleotide sequence comprising codons which are translated into amino acid residues (e.g., the coding region sequences of human PLTR-1 corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 21). In another embodiment, the antisense nucleic acid molecule is antisense to a “noncoding region” of the coding strand of a nucleotide sequence encoding PLTR-1. The term “noncoding region” refers to 5′ and/or 3′ sequences which flank the coding region sequences that are not translated into amino acids (also referred to as 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions).

[1344] Given the coding strand sequences encoding PLTR-1 disclosed herein (e.g., SEQ ID NO: 21), antisense nucleic acids of the invention can be designed according to the rules of Watson and Crick base pairing. The antisense nucleic acid molecule can be complementary to coding region sequences of PLTR-1 mRNA, but more preferably is an oligonucleotide which is antisense to only a portion of the PLTR-1 mRNA. An antisense oligonucleotide can be, for example, about 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, or more nucleotides in length. An antisense nucleic acid of the invention can be constructed using chemical synthesis and enzymatic ligation reactions using procedures known in the art. For example, an antisense nucleic acid (e.g., an antisense oligonucleotide) can be chemically synthesized using naturally occurring nucleotides or variously modified nucleotides designed to increase the biological stability of the molecules or to increase the physical stability of the duplex formed between the antisense and sense nucleic acids, e.g., phosphorothioate derivatives and acridine substituted nucleotides can be used. Examples of modified nucleotides which can be used to generate the antisense nucleic acid include 5-fluorouracil, 5-bromouracil, 5-chlorouracil, 5-iodouracil, hypokanthine, xantine, 4-acetylcytosine, 5-(carboxyhydroxylmethyl) uracil, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyl-2-thiouridine, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyluracil, dihydrouracil, beta-D-galactosylqueosine, inosine, N6-isopentenyladenine, 1-methylguanine, 1-methylinosine, 2,2-dimethylguanine, 2-methyladenine, 2-methylguanine, 3-methylcytosine, 5-methylcytosine, N6-adenine, 7-methylguanine, 5-methylaminomethyluracil, 5-methoxyaminomethyl-2-thiouracil, beta-D-mannosylqueosine, 5′-methoxycarboxymethyluracil, 5-methoxyuracil, 2-methylthio-N6-isopentenyladenine, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), wybutoxosine, pseudouracil, queosine, 2-thiocytosine, 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 2-thiouracil, 4-thiouracil, 5-methyluracil, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid methylester, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 3-(3-amino-3-N-2-carboxypropyl) uracil, (acp3)w, and 2,6-diaminopurine. Alternatively, the antisense nucleic acid can be produced biologically using an expression vector into which a nucleic acid has been subcloned in an antisense orientation (i.e., RNA transcribed from the inserted nucleic acid will be of an antisense orientation to a target nucleic acid of interest, described further in the following subsection).

[1345] The antisense nucleic acid molecules of the invention are typically administered to a subject or generated in situ such that they hybridize with or bind to cellular mRNA and/or genomic DNA encoding a PLTR-1 protein to thereby inhibit expression of the protein, e.g., by inhibiting transcription and/or translation. The hybridization can be by conventional nucleotide complementarity to form a stable duplex, or, for example, in the case of an antisense nucleic acid molecule which binds to DNA duplexes, through specific interactions in the major groove of the double helix. An example of a route of administration of antisense nucleic acid molecules of the invention include direct injection at a tissue site. Alternatively, antisense nucleic acid molecules can be modified to target selected cells and then administered systemically. For example, for systemic administration, antisense molecules can be modified such that they specifically bind to receptors or antigens expressed on a selected cell surface, e.g., by linking the antisense nucleic acid molecules to peptides or antibodies which bind to cell surface receptors or antigens. The antisense nucleic acid molecules can also be delivered to cells using the vectors described herein. To achieve sufficient intracellular concentrations of the antisense molecules, vector constructs in which the antisense nucleic acid molecule is placed under the control of a strong pol II or pol III promoter are preferred.

[1346] In yet another embodiment, the antisense nucleic acid molecule of the invention is an α-anomeric nucleic acid molecule. An α-anomeric nucleic acid molecule forms specific double-stranded hybrids with complementary RNA in which, contrary to the usual β-units, the strands run parallel to each other (Gaultier et al. (1987) Nucleic Acids Res. 15:6625-6641). The antisense nucleic acid molecule can also comprise a 2′-o-methylribonucleotide (Inoue et al. (1987) Nucleic Acids Res. 15:6131-6148) or a chimeric RNA-DNA analogue (Inoue et al. (1987) FEBS Lett. 215:327-330).

[1347] In still another embodiment, an antisense nucleic acid of the invention is a ribozyme. Ribozymes are catalytic RNA molecules with ribonuclease activity which are capable of cleaving a single-stranded nucleic acid, such as an mRNA, to which they have a complementary region. Thus, ribozymes (e.g., hammerhead ribozymes (described in Haseloff and Gerlach (1988) Nature 334:585-591)) can be used to catalytically cleave PLTR-1 mRNA transcripts to thereby inhibit translation of PLTR-1 mRNA. A ribozyme having specificity for a PLTR-1-encoding nucleic acid can be designed based upon the nucleotide sequence of a PLTR-1 cDNA disclosed herein (i.e., SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______). For example, a derivative of a Tetrahymena L-19 IVS RNA can be constructed in which the nucleotide sequence of the active site is complementary to the nucleotide sequence to be cleaved in a PLTR-1-encoding mRNA. See, e.g., Cech et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,071; and Cech et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,742. Alternatively, PLTR-1 mRNA can be used to select a catalytic RNA having a specific ribonuclease activity from a pool of RNA molecules. See, e.g., Bartel, D. and Szostak, J. W. (1993) Science 261:1411-1418.

[1348] Alternatively, PLTR-1 gene expression can be inhibited by targeting nucleotide sequences complementary to the regulatory region of the PLTR-1 (e.g., the PLTR-1 promoter and/or enhancers; e.g., nucleotides 1-170 of SEQ ID NO: 19) to form triple helical structures that prevent transcription of the PLTR-1 gene in target cells. See generally, Helene, C. (1991) Anticancer Drug Des. 6(6):569-84; Helene, C. et al. (1992) Ann. N.Y Acad. Sci. 660:27-36; and Maher, L. J. (1992) Bioessays 14(12):807-15.

[1349] In yet another embodiment, the PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecules of the present invention can be modified at the base moiety, sugar moiety or phosphate backbone to improve, e.g., the stability, hybridization, or solubility of the molecule. For example, the deoxyribose phosphate backbone of the nucleic acid molecules can be modified to generate peptide nucleic acids (see Hyrup, B. and Nielsen, P. E. (1996) Bioorg. Med. Chem. 4(l):5-23). As used herein, the terms “peptide nucleic acids” or “PNAs” refer to nucleic acid mimics, e.g., DNA mimics, in which the deoxyribose phosphate backbone is replaced by a pseudopeptide backbone and only the four natural nucleobases are retained. The neutral backbone of PNAs has been shown to allow for specific hybridization to DNA and RNA under conditions of low ionic strength. The synthesis of PNA oligomers can be performed using standard solid phase peptide synthesis protocols as described in Hyrup and Nielsen (1996) supra and Perry-O'Keefe et al. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:14670-675.

[1350] PNAs of PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecules can be used in therapeutic and diagnostic applications. For example, PNAs can be used as antisense or antigene agents for sequence-specific modulation of gene expression by, for example, inducing transcription or translation arrest or inhibiting replication. PNAs of PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecules can also be used in the analysis of single base pair mutations in a gene (e.g., by PNA-directed PCR clamping); as ‘artificial restriction enzymes’ when used in combination with other enzymes (e.g., S1 nucleases (Hyrup and Nielsen (1996) supra)); or as probes or primers for DNA sequencing or hybridization (Hyrup and Nielsen (1996) supra; Perry-O'Keefe et al. (1996) supra).

[1351] In another embodiment, PNAs of PLTR-1 can be modified (e.g., to enhance their stability or cellular uptake), by attaching lipophilic or other helper groups to PNA, by the formation of PNA-DNA chimeras, or by the use of liposomes or other techniques of drug delivery known in the art. For example, PNA-DNA chimeras of PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecules can be generated which may combine the advantageous properties of PNA and DNA. Such chimeras allow DNA recognition enzymes (e.g., RNase H and DNA polymerases) to interact with the DNA portion while the PNA portion would provide high binding affinity and specificity. PNA-DNA chimeras can be linked using linkers of appropriate lengths selected in terms of base stacking, number of bonds between the nucleobases, and orientation (Hyrup and Nielsen (1996) supra). The synthesis of PNA-DNA chimeras can be performed as described in Hyrup and Nielsen (1996) supra and Finn, P. J. et al. (1996) Nucleic Acids Res. 24(17):3357-63. For example, a DNA chain can be synthesized on a solid support using standard phosphoramidite coupling chemistry and modified nucleoside analogs, e.g., 5′-(4-methoxytrityl)amino-5′-deoxy-thymidine phosphoramidite, can be used as a between the PNA and the 5′ end of DNA (Mag, M. et al. (1989) Nucleic Acids Res. 17:5973-88). PNA monomers are then coupled in a stepwise manner to produce a chimeric molecule with a 5′ PNA segment and a 3′ DNA segment (Finn, P. J. et al. (1996) supra). Alternatively, chimeric molecules can be synthesized with a 5′ DNA segment and a 3′ PNA segment (Peterser, K. H. et al. (1975) Bioorganic Med. Chem. Lett. 5:1119-11124).

[1352] In other embodiments, the oligonucleotide may include other appended groups such as peptides (e.g., for targeting host cell receptors in vivo), or agents facilitating transport across the cell membrane (see, e.g., Letsinger et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6553-6556; Lemaitre et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:648-652; PCT Publication No. WO 88/09810) or the blood-brain barrier (see, e.g., PCT Publication No. WO 89/10134). In addition, oligonucleotides can be modified with hybridization-triggered cleavage agents (See, e.g., Krol et al. (1988) Bio-Techniques 6:958-976) or intercalating agents (See, e.g., Zon (1988) Pharm. Res. 5:539-549). To this end, the oligonucleotide may be conjugated to another molecule (e.g., a peptide, hybridization triggered cross-linking agent, transport agent, or hybridization-triggered cleavage agent).

[1353] II. Isolated PLTR-1 Proteins and Anti-PLTR-1 Antibodies

[1354] One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated or recombinant PLTR-1 proteins and polypeptides, and biologically active portions thereof, as well as polypeptide fragments suitable for use as immunogens to raise anti-PLTR-1 antibodies. In one embodiment, native PLTR-1 proteins can be isolated from cells or tissue sources by an appropriate purification scheme using standard protein purification techniques. In another embodiment, PLTR-1 proteins are produced by recombinant DNA techniques. Alternative to recombinant expression, a PLTR-1 protein or polypeptide can be synthesized chemically using standard peptide synthesis techniques.

[1355] An “isolated” or “purified” protein or biologically active portion thereof is substantially free of cellular material or other contaminating proteins from the cell or tissue source from which the PLTR-1 protein is derived, or substantially free from chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized. The language “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of PLTR-1 protein in which the protein is separated from cellular components of the cells from which it is isolated or recombinantly produced. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of PLTR-1 protein having less than about 30% (by dry weight) of non-PLTR-1 protein (also referred to herein as a “contaminating protein”), more preferably less than about 20% of non-PLTR-1 protein, still more preferably less than about 10% of non-PLTR-1 protein, and most preferably less than about 5% non-PLTR-1 protein. When the PLTR-1 protein or biologically active portion thereof is recombinantly produced, it is also preferably substantially free of culture medium, i.e., culture medium represents less than about 20%, more preferably less than about 10%, and most preferably less than about 5% of the volume of the protein preparation.

[1356] The language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of PLTR-1 protein in which the protein is separated from chemical precursors or other chemicals which are involved in the synthesis of the protein. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of PLTR-1 protein having less than about 30% (by dry weight) of chemical precursors or non-PLTR-1 chemicals, more preferably less than about 20% chemical precursors or non-PLTR-1 chemicals, still more preferably less than about 10% chemical precursors or non-PLTR-1 chemicals, and most preferably less than about 5% chemical precursors or non-PLTR-1 chemicals.

[1357] As used herein, a “biologically active portion” of a PLTR-1 protein includes a fragment of a PLTR-1 protein which participates in an interaction between a PLTR-1 molecule and a non-PLTR-1 molecule (e.g., a PLTR-1 substrate such as a phospholipid or ATP). Biologically active portions of a PLTR-1 protein include peptides comprising amino acid sequences sufficiently homologous to or derived from the PLTR-1 amino acid sequences, e.g., the amino acid sequences shown in SEQ ID NO: 20, which include sufficient amino acid residues to exhibit at least one activity of a PLTR-1 protein. Typically, biologically active portions comprise a domain or motif with at least one activity of the PLTR-1 protein, e.g., the ability to interact with a PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid; ATP; a non-PLTR-1 protein; or another PLTR-1 protein or subunit); the ability to transport a PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid) from one side of a cellular membrane to the other; the ability to be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated; the ability to adopt an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation; the ability to convert a PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., the ability to hydrolyze ATP); the ability to interact with a second non-PLTR-1 protein; the ability to modulate intra- or inter-cellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); the ability to modulate cellular growth, proliferation, differentiation, absorption, and/or secretion. A biologically active portion of a PLTR-1 protein can be a polypeptide which is, for example, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 25, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 250, 300, 328, 350, 375, 400, 450, 465, 500, 520, 550, 600, 650, 700, 703, 750, 800, 850, 900, 932, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150 or more amino acids in length. Biologically active portions of a PLTR-1 protein can be used as targets for developing agents which modulate a PLTR-1 mediated activity, e.g., any of the aforementioned PLTR-1 activities.

[1358] In one embodiment, a biologically active portion of a PLTR-1 protein comprises at least one at least one or more of the following domains, sites, or motifs: a transmembrane domain, an N-terminal large extramembrane domain, a C-terminal large extramembrane domain, an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif, and/or one or more phospholipid transporter specific amino acid resides. Moreover, other biologically active portions, in which other regions of the protein are deleted, can be prepared by recombinant techniques and evaluated for one or more of the functional activities of a native PLTR-1 protein.

[1359] Another aspect of the invention features fragments of the protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20, for example, for use as immunogens. In one embodiment, a fragment comprises at least 5 amino acids (e.g., contiguous or consecutive amino acids) of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______. In another embodiment, a fragment comprises at least 8, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 or more amino acids (e.g., contiguous or consecutive amino acids) of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______. In a preferred embodiment, a PLTR-1 protein has an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 20. In other embodiments, the PLTR-1 protein is substantially identical to SEQ ID NO: 20, and retains the functional activity of the protein of SEQ ID NO: 20, yet differs in amino acid sequence due to natural allelic variation or mutagenesis, as described in detail in subsection I above. In another embodiment, the PLTR-1 protein is a protein which comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 75%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9% or more identical to SEQ ID NO: 20.

[1360] In another embodiment, the invention features a PLTR-1 protein which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence at least about 75%, 79%, 80%,81%,85%,90%,91%,92%,93%,94%,95%,96%,97%,98%,99%,99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9% or more identical to a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or a complement thereof. This invention further features a PLTR-1 protein which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or a complement thereof.

[1361] To determine the percent identity of two amino acid sequences or of two nucleic acid sequences, the sequences are aligned for optimal comparison purposes (e.g., gaps can be introduced in one or both of a first and a second amino acid or nucleic acid sequence for optimal alignment and non-homologous sequences can be disregarded for comparison purposes). In a preferred embodiment, the length of a reference sequence aligned for comparison purposes is at least 30%, preferably at least 40%, more preferably at least 50%, even more preferably at least 60%, and even more preferably at least 70%, 80%, or 90% of the length of the reference sequence (e.g., when aligning a second sequence to the PLTR-1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20 having 1190 amino acid residues, at least 357, preferably at least 476, more preferably at least 595, even more preferably at least 714, and even more preferably at least 833, 952 or 1071 amino acid residues are aligned). The amino acid residues or nucleotides at corresponding amino acid positions or nucleotide positions are then compared. When a position in the first sequence is occupied by the same amino acid residue or nucleotide as the corresponding position in the second sequence, then the molecules are identical at that position (as used herein amino acid or nucleic acid “identity” is equivalent to amino acid or nucleic acid “homology”). The percent identity between the two sequences is a function of the number of identical positions shared by the sequences, taking into account the number of gaps, and the length of each gap, which need to be introduced for optimal alignment of the two sequences.

[1362] The comparison of sequences and determination of percent identity between two sequences can be accomplished using a mathematical algorithm. In a preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid sequences is determined using the Needleman and Wunsch (J. Mol. Biol. (48):444-453 (1970)) algorithm which has been incorporated into the GAP program in the GCG software package (available online through the Genetics Computer Group, using either a Blossum 62 matrix or a PAM250 matrix, and a gap weight of 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, or 4 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. In yet another preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two nucleotide sequences is determined using the GAP program in the GCG software package (available at online through the Genetics Computer Group), using a NWSgapdna.CMP matrix and a gap weight of 40, 50, 60, 70, or 80 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. A preferred, non-limiting example of parameters to be used in conjunction with the GAP program include a Blosum 62 scoring matrix with a gap penalty of 12, a gap extend penalty of 4, and a frameshift gap penalty of 5.

[1363] In another embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid or nucleotide sequences is determined using the algorithm of Meyers and Miller (Comput. Appl. Biosci. 4:11-17 (1988)) which has been incorporated into the ALIGN program (version 2.0 or version 2.0U), using a PAM120 weight residue table, a gap length penalty of 12 and a gap penalty of 4.

[1364] The nucleic acid and protein sequences of the present invention can further be used as a “query sequence” to perform a search against public databases to, for example, identify other family members or related sequences. Such searches can be performed using the NBLAST and XBLAST programs (version 2.0) of Altschul et al. (1990) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-10. BLAST nucleotide searches can be performed with the NBLAST program, score=100, wordlength=12 to obtain nucleotide sequences homologous to PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecules of the invention. BLAST protein searches can be performed with the XBLAST program, score=50, wordlength=3 to obtain amino acid sequences homologous to PLTR-1 protein molecules of the invention. To obtain gapped alignments for comparison purposes, Gapped BLAST can be utilized as described in Altschul et al. (1997) Nucleic Acids Res. 25(17):3389-3402. When utilizing BLAST and Gapped BLAST programs, the default parameters of the respective programs (e.g., XBLAST and NBLAST) can be used. See the website for the National Center for Biotechnology Information.

[1365] The invention also provides PLTR-1 chimeric or fusion proteins. As used herein, a PLTR-1 “chimeric protein” or “fusion protein” comprises a PLTR-1 polypeptide operatively linked to a non-PLTR-1 polypeptide. A “PLTR-1 polypeptide” refers to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to PLTR-1, whereas a “non-PLTR-1 polypeptide” refers to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to a protein which is not substantially homologous to the PLTR-1 protein, e.g., a protein which is different from the PLTR-1 protein and which is derived from the same or a different organism. Within a PLTR-1 fusion protein the PLTR-1 polypeptide can correspond to all or a portion of a PLTR-1 protein. In a preferred embodiment, a PLTR-1 fusion protein comprises at least one biologically active portion of a PLTR-1 protein. In another preferred embodiment, a PLTR-1 fusion protein comprises at least two biologically active portions of a PLTR-1 protein. Within the fusion protein, the term “operatively linked” is intended to indicate that the PLTR-1 polypeptide and the non-PLTR-1 polypeptide are fused in-frame to each other. The non-PLTR-1 polypeptide can be fused to the N-terminus or C-terminus of the PLTR-1 polypeptide.

[1366] For example, in one embodiment, the fusion protein is a GST-PLTR-1 fusion protein in which the PLTR-1 sequences are fused to the C-terminus of the GST sequences. Such fusion proteins can facilitate the purification of recombinant PLTR-1. In another embodiment, the fusion protein is a PLTR-1 protein containing a heterologous signal sequence at its N-terminus. In certain host cells (e.g., mammalian host cells), expression and/or secretion of PLTR-1 can be increased through use of a heterologous signal sequence.

[1367] The PLTR-1 fusion proteins of the invention can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions and administered to a subject in vivo. The PLTR-1 fusion proteins can be used to affect the bioavailability of a PLTR-1 substrate. Use of PLTR-1 fusion proteins may be useful therapeutically for the treatment of disorders caused by, for example, (i) aberrant modification or mutation of a gene encoding a PLTR-1 protein; (ii) mis-regulation of the PLTR-1 gene; and (iii) aberrant post-translational modification of a PLTR-1 protein.

[1368] Moreover, the PLTR-1-fusion proteins of the invention can be used as immunogens to produce anti-PLTR-1 antibodies in a subject, to purify PLTR-1 substrates, and in screening assays to identify molecules which inhibit or enhance the interaction with or transport of PLTR-1 with a PLTR-1 substrate.

[1369] Preferably, a PLTR-1 chimeric or fusion protein of the invention is produced by standard recombinant DNA techniques. For example, DNA fragments coding for the different polypeptide sequences are ligated together in-frame in accordance with conventional techniques, for example by employing blunt-ended or stagger-ended termini for ligation, restriction enzyme digestion to provide for appropriate termini, filling-in of cohesive ends as appropriate, alkaline phosphatase treatment to avoid undesirable joining, and enzymatic ligation. In another embodiment, the fusion gene can be synthesized by conventional techniques including automated DNA synthesizers. Alternatively, PCR amplification of gene fragments can be carried out using anchor primers which give rise to complementary overhangs between two consecutive gene fragments which can subsequently be annealed and reamplified to generate a chimeric gene sequence (see, for example, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, eds. Ausubel et al. John Wiley & Sons: 1992). Moreover, many expression vectors are commercially available that already encode a fusion moiety (e.g., a GST polypeptide). A PLTR-1-encoding nucleic acid can be cloned into such an expression vector such that the fusion moiety is linked in-frame to the PLTR-1 protein.

[1370] The present invention also pertains to variants of the PLTR-1 proteins which function as either PLTR-1 agonists (mimetics) or as PLTR-1 antagonists. Variants of the PLTR-1 proteins can be generated by mutagenesis, e.g., discrete point mutation or truncation of a PLTR-1 protein. An agonist of the PLTR-1 proteins can retain substantially the same, or a subset, of the biological activities of the naturally occurring form of a PLTR-1 protein. An antagonist of a PLTR-1 protein can inhibit one or more of the activities of the naturally occurring form of the PLTR-1 protein by, for example, competitively modulating a PLTR-1-mediated activity of a PLTR-1 protein. Thus, specific biological effects can be elicited by treatment with a variant of limited function. In one embodiment, treatment of a subject with a variant having a subset of the biological activities of the naturally occurring form of the protein has fewer side effects in a subject relative to treatment with the naturally occurring form of the PLTR-1 protein.

[1371] In one embodiment, variants of a PLTR-1 protein which function as either PLTR-1 agonists (mimetics) or as PLTR-1 antagonists can be identified by screening combinatorial libraries of mutants, e.g., truncation mutants, of a PLTR-1 protein for PLTR-1 protein agonist or antagonist activity. In one embodiment, a variegated library of PLTR-1 variants is generated by combinatorial mutagenesis at the nucleic acid level and is encoded by a variegated gene library. A variegated library of PLTR-1 variants can be produced by, for example, enzymatically ligating a mixture of synthetic oligonucleotides into gene sequences such that a degenerate set of potential PLTR-1 sequences is expressible as individual polypeptides, or alternatively, as a set of larger fusion proteins (e.g., for phage display) containing the set of PLTR-1 sequences therein. There are a variety of methods which can be used to produce libraries of potential PLTR-1 variants from a degenerate oligonucleotide sequence. Chemical synthesis of a degenerate gene sequence can be performed in an automatic DNA synthesizer, and the synthetic gene then ligated into an appropriate expression vector. Use of a degenerate set of genes allows for the provision, in one mixture, of all of the sequences encoding the desired set of potential PLTR-1 sequences. Methods for synthesizing degenerate oligonucleotides are known in the art (see, e.g., Narang, S. A. (1983) Tetrahedron 39:3; Itakura et al. (1984) Annu. Rev. Biochem. 53:323; Itakura et al. (1984) Science 198:1056; Ike et al. (1983) Nucleic Acids Res. 11:477.

[1372] In addition, libraries of fragments of a PLTR-1 protein coding sequence can be used to generate a variegated population of PLTR-1 fragments for screening and subsequent selection of variants of a PLTR-1 protein. In one embodiment, a library of coding sequence fragments can be generated by treating a double stranded PCR fragment of a PLTR-1 coding sequence with a nuclease under conditions wherein nicking occurs only about once per molecule, denaturing the double stranded DNA, renaturing the DNA to form double stranded DNA which can include sense/antisense pairs from different nicked products, removing single stranded portions from reformed duplexes by treatment with S1 nuclease, and ligating the resulting fragment library into an expression vector. By this method, an expression library can be derived which encodes N-terminal, C-terminal and internal fragments of various sizes of the PLTR-1 protein.

[1373] Several techniques are known in the art for screening gene products of combinatorial libraries made by point mutations or truncation, and for screening cDNA libraries for gene products having a selected property. Such techniques are adaptable for rapid screening of the gene libraries generated by the combinatorial mutagenesis of PLTR-1 proteins. The most widely used techniques, which are amenable to high through-put analysis, for screening large gene libraries typically include cloning the gene library into replicable expression vectors, transforming appropriate cells with the resulting library of vectors, and expressing the combinatorial genes under conditions in which detection of a desired activity facilitates isolation of the vector encoding the gene whose product was detected. Recursive ensemble mutagenesis (REM), a new technique which enhances the frequency of functional mutants in the libraries, can be used in combination with the screening assays to identify PLTR-1 variants (Arkin and Youvan (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:7811-7815; Delagrave et al. (1993) Protein Eng. 6(3):327-331).

[1374] In one embodiment, cell based assays can be exploited to analyze a variegated PLTR-1 library. For example, a library of expression vectors can be transfected into a cell line which ordinarily responds to PLTR-1 in a particular PLTR-1 substrate-dependent manner. The transfected cells are then contacted with PLTR-1 and the effect of the expression of the mutant on signaling by the PLTR-1 substrate can be detected, e.g., phospholipid transport (e.g., by measuring phospholipid levels inside the cell or its various cellular compartments, within various cellular membranes, or in the extracellular medium), hydrolysis of ATP, phosphorylation or dephosphorylation of the HEAT protein, and/or gene transcription. Plasmid DNA can then be recovered from the cells which score for inhibition, or alternatively, potentiation of signaling by the HEAT substrate, or which score for increased or decreased levels of phospholipid transport or ATP hydrolysis, and the individual clones further characterized.

[1375] An isolated PLTR-1 protein, or a portion or fragment thereof, can be used as an immunogen to generate antibodies that bind PLTR-1 using standard techniques for polyclonal and monoclonal antibody preparation. A full-length PLTR-1 protein can be used or, alternatively, the invention provides antigenic peptide fragments of PLTR-1 for use as immunogens. The antigenic peptide of PLTR-1 comprises at least 8 amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 20 and encompasses an epitope of PLTR-1 such that an antibody raised against the peptide forms a specific immune complex with PLTR-1. Preferably, the antigenic peptide comprises at least 10 amino acid residues, more preferably at least 15 amino acid residues, even more preferably at least 20 amino acid residues, and most preferably at least 30 amino acid residues.

[1376] Preferred epitopes encompassed by the antigenic peptide are regions of PLTR-1 that are located on the surface of the protein, e.g., hydrophilic regions, as well as regions with high antigenicity (see, for example, FIG. 27).

[1377] A PLTR-1 immunogen typically is used to prepare antibodies by immunizing a suitable subject (e.g., rabbit, goat, mouse, or other mammal) with the immunogen. An appropriate immunogenic preparation can contain, for example, recombinantly expressed PLTR-1 protein or a chemically-synthesized PLTR-1 polypeptide. The preparation can further include an adjuvant, such as Freund's complete or incomplete adjuvant, or similar immunostimulatory agent. Immunization of a suitable subject with an immunogenic PLTR-1 preparation induces a polyclonal anti-PLTR-1 antibody response.

[1378] Accordingly, another aspect of the invention pertains to anti-PLTR-1 antibodies. The term “antibody” as used herein refers to immunoglobulin molecules and immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules, i.e., molecules that contain an antigen binding site which specifically binds (immunoreacts with) an antigen, such as PLTR-1. Examples of immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules include F(ab) and F(ab′)₂ fragments which can be generated by treating the antibody with an enzyme such as pepsin. The invention provides polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies that bind PLTR-1. The term “monoclonal antibody” or “monoclonal antibody composition”, as used herein, refers to a population of antibody molecules that contain only one species of an antigen binding site capable of immunoreacting with a particular epitope of PLTR-1. A monoclonal antibody composition thus typically displays a single binding affinity for a particular PLTR-1 protein with which it immunoreacts.

[1379] Polyclonal anti-PLTR-1 antibodies can be prepared as described above by immunizing a suitable subject with a PLTR-1 immunogen. The anti-PLTR-1 antibody titer in the immunized subject can be monitored over time by standard techniques, such as with an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using immobilized PLTR-1. If desired, the antibody molecules directed against PLTR-1 can be isolated from the mammal (e.g., from the blood) and further purified by well known techniques, such as protein A chromatography to obtain the IgG fraction. At an appropriate time after immunization, e.g., when the anti-PLTR-1 antibody titers are highest, antibody-producing cells can be obtained from the subject and used to prepare monoclonal antibodies by standard techniques, such as the hybridoma technique originally described by Kohler and Milstein (1975) Nature 256:495-497 (see also Brown et al. (1981) J. Immunol. 127:539-46; Brown et al. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255:4980-83; Yeh et al. (1976) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 76:2927-31; and Yeh et al. (1982) Int. J. Cancer 29:269-75), the more recent human B cell hybridoma technique (Kozbor et al. (1983) Immunol. Today 4:72), the EBV-hybridoma technique (Cole et al. (1985), Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, Inc., pp. 77-96) or trioma techniques. The technology for producing monoclonal antibody hybridomas is well known (see generally Kenneth, R. H., in Monoclonal Antibodies: A New Dimension In Biological Analyses, Plenum Publishing Corp., New York, N.Y. (1980); Lerner, E. A. (1981) Yale J. Biol. Med. 54:387-402; Gefter, M. L. et al. (1977) Somatic Cell Genet. 3:231-36). Briefly, an immortal cell line (typically a myeloma) is fused to lymphocytes (typically splenocytes) from a mammal immunized with a PLTR-1 immunogen as described above, and the culture supernatants of the resulting hybridoma cells are screened to identify a hybridoma producing a monoclonal antibody that binds PLTR-1.

[1380] Any of the many well known protocols used for fusing lymphocytes and immortalized cell lines can be applied for the purpose of generating an anti-PLTR-1 monoclonal antibody (see, e.g., Galfre, G. et al. (1977) Nature 266:55052; Gefter et al. (1997) supra; Lerner (1981) supra; Kenneth (1980) supra). Moreover, the ordinarily skilled worker will appreciate that there are many variations of such methods which also would be useful. Typically, the immortal cell line (e.g., a myeloma cell line) is derived from the same mammalian species as the lymphocytes. For example, murine hybridomas can be made by fusing lymphocytes from a mouse immunized with an immunogenic preparation of the present invention with an immortalized mouse cell line. Preferred immortal cell lines are mouse myeloma cell lines that are sensitive to culture medium containing hypoxanthine, aminopterin and thymidine (“HAT medium”). Any of a number of myeloma cell lines can be used as a fusion partner according to standard techniques, e.g., the P3-NS1/1-Ag4-1, P3-x63-Ag8.653 or Sp2/O-Ag14 myeloma lines. These myeloma lines are available from ATCC. Typically, HAT-sensitive mouse myeloma cells are fused to mouse splenocytes using polyethylene glycol (“PEG”). Hybridoma cells resulting from the fusion are then selected using HAT medium, which kills unfused and unproductively fused myeloma cells (unfused splenocytes die after several days because they are not transformed). Hybridoma cells producing a monoclonal antibody of the invention are detected by screening the hybridoma culture supernatants for antibodies that bind PLTR-1, e.g., using a standard ELISA assay.

[1381] Alternative to preparing monoclonal antibody-secreting hybridomas, a monoclonal anti-PLTR-1 antibody can be identified and isolated by screening a recombinant combinatorial immunoglobulin library (e.g., an antibody phage display library) with PLTR-1 to thereby isolate immunoglobulin library members that bind PLTR-1. Kits for generating and screening phage display libraries are commercially available (e.g., the Pharmacia Recombinant Phage Antibody System, Catalog No. 27-9400-01; and the Stratagene SurfZAP™ Phage Display Kit, Catalog No. 240612). Additionally, examples of methods and reagents particularly amenable for use in generating and screening antibody display library can be found in, for example, Ladner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409; Kang et al., PCT International Publication No. WO 92/18619; Dower et al., PCT International Publication No. WO 91/17271; Winter et al., PCT International Publication No. WO 92/20791; Markland et al., PCT International Publication No. WO 92/15679; Breitling et al., PCT International Publication No. WO 93/01288; McCafferty et al., PCT International Publication No. WO 92/01047; Garrard et al., PCT International Publication No. WO 92/09690; Ladner et al., PCT International Publication No. WO 90/02809; Fuchs et al. (1991) Biotechnology (NY) 9:1369-1372; Hay et al. (1992) Hum. Antibod. Hybridomas 3:81-85; Huse et al. (1989) Science 246:1275-1281; Griffiths et al. (1993) EMBO J.12:725-734; Hawkins et al. (1992) J. Mol. Biol. 226:889-896; Clackson et al. (1991) Nature 352:624-628; Gram et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:3576-3580; Garrard et al. (1991) Biotechnology (NY) 9:1373-1377; Hoogenboom et al. (1991) Nucleic Acids Res. 19:4133-4137; Barbas et al. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:7978-7982; and McCafferty et al. (1990) Nature 348:552-554.

[1382] Additionally, recombinant anti-PLTR-1 antibodies, such as chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies, comprising both human and non-human portions, which can be made using standard recombinant DNA techniques, are within the scope of the invention. Such chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies can be produced by recombinant DNA techniques known in the art, for example using methods described in Robinson et al., International Application No. PCT/US86/02269; Akira et al., European Patent Application 184,187; Taniguchi, M., European Patent Application 171,496; Morrison et al., European Patent Application 173,494; Neuberger et al., PCT International Publication No. WO 86/01533; Cabilly et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,567; Cabilly et al., European Patent Application 125,023; Better et al. (1988) Science 240:1041-1043; Liu et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:3439-3443; Liu et al. (1987) J. Immunol. 139:3521-3526; Sun et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:214-218; Nishimura et al. (1987) Cancer Res. 47:999-1005; Wood et al. (1985) Nature 314:446-449; and Shaw et al. (1988) J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 80:1553-1559); Morrison, S. L. (1985) Science 229:1202-1207; Oi et al. (1986) Biotechniques 4:214; Winter, U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,539; Jones et al. (1986) Nature 321:552-525; Verhoeyen et al. (1988) Science 239:1534; and Beidler et al. (1988) J. Immunol. 141:4053-4060.

[1383] An anti-PLTR-1 antibody (e.g., monoclonal antibody) can be used to isolate PLTR-1 by standard techniques, such as affinity chromatography or immunoprecipitation. An anti-PLTR-1 antibody can facilitate the purification of natural PLTR-1 from cells and of recombinantly produced PLTR-1 expressed in host cells. Moreover, an anti-PLTR-1 antibody can be used to detect PLTR-1 protein (e.g., in a cellular lysate or cell supernatant) in order to evaluate the abundance and pattern of expression of the PLTR-1 protein. Anti-PLTR-1 antibodies can be used diagnostically to monitor protein levels in tissue as part of a clinical testing procedure, e.g., to, for example, determine the efficacy of a given treatment regimen. Detection can be facilitated by coupling (i.e., physically linking) the antibody to a detectable substance. Examples of detectable substances include various enzymes, prosthetic groups, fluorescent materials, luminescent materials, bioluminescent materials, and radioactive materials. Examples of suitable enzymes include horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, β-galactosidase, or acetylcholinesterase; examples of suitable prosthetic group complexes include streptavidin/biotin and avidin/biotin; examples of suitable fluorescent materials include umbelliferone, fluorescein, fluorescein isothiocyanate, rhodamine, dichlorotriazinylamine fluorescein, dansyl chloride or phycoerythrin; an example of a luminescent material includes luminol; examples of bioluminescent materials include luciferase, luciferin, and aequorin, and examples of suitable radioactive material include ¹²⁵I, ¹³¹I, ³⁵S or ³H.

[1384] III. Recombinant Expression Vectors and Host Cells

[1385] Another aspect of the invention pertains to vectors, for example recombinant expression vectors, containing a PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecule or vectors containing a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a PLTR-1 protein (or a portion thereof). As used herein, the term “vector” refers to a nucleic acid molecule capable of transporting another nucleic acid to which it has been linked. One type of vector is a “plasmid”, which refers to a circular double stranded DNA loop into which additional DNA segments can be ligated. Another type of vector is a viral vector, wherein additional DNA segments can be ligated into the viral genome. Certain vectors are capable of autonomous replication in a host cell into which they are introduced (e.g., bacterial vectors having a bacterial origin of replication and episomal mammalian vectors). Other vectors (e.g., non-episomal mammalian vectors) are integrated into the genome of a host cell upon introduction into the host cell, and thereby are replicated along with the host genome. Moreover, certain vectors are capable of directing the expression of genes to which they are operatively linked. Such vectors are referred to herein as “expression vectors”. In general, expression vectors of utility in recombinant DNA techniques are often in the form of plasmids. In the present specification, “plasmid” and “vector” can be used interchangeably as the plasmid is the most commonly used form of vector. However, the invention is intended to include such other forms of expression vectors, such as viral vectors (e.g., replication defective retroviruses, adenoviruses and adeno-associated viruses), which serve equivalent functions.

[1386] The recombinant expression vectors of the invention comprise a nucleic acid of the invention in a form suitable for expression of the nucleic acid in a host cell, which means that the recombinant expression vectors include one or more regulatory sequences, selected on the basis of the host cells to be used for expression, which is operatively linked to the nucleic acid sequence to be expressed. Within a recombinant expression vector, “operably linked” is intended to mean that the nucleotide sequence of interest is linked to the regulatory sequence(s) in a manner which allows for expression of the nucleotide sequence (e.g., in an in vitro transcription/translation system or in a host cell when the vector is introduced into the host cell). The term “regulatory sequence” is intended to include promoters, enhancers and other expression control elements (e.g., polyadenylation signals). Such regulatory sequences are described, for example, in Goeddel (1990) Methods Enzymol. 185:3-7. Regulatory sequences include those which direct constitutive expression of a nucleotide sequence in many types of host cells and those which direct expression of the nucleotide sequence only in certain host cells (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory sequences). It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the design of the expression vector can depend on such factors as the choice of the host cell to be transformed, the level of expression of protein desired, and the like. The expression vectors of the invention can be introduced into host cells to thereby produce proteins or peptides, including fusion proteins or peptides, encoded by nucleic acids as described herein (e.g., PLTR-1 proteins, mutant forms of PLTR-1 proteins, fusion proteins, and the like).

[1387] Accordingly, an exemplary embodiment provides a method for producing a protein, preferably a PLTR-1 protein, by culturing in a suitable medium a host cell of the invention (e.g., a mammalian host cell such as a non-human mammalian cell) containing a recombinant expression vector, such that the protein is produced.

[1388] The recombinant expression vectors of the invention can be designed for expression of PLTR-1 proteins in prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells. For example, PLTR-1 proteins can be expressed in bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells (using baculovirus expression vectors) yeast cells or mammalian cells. Suitable host cells are discussed further in Goeddel (1990) supra. Alternatively, the recombinant expression vector can be transcribed and translated in vitro, for example using T7 promoter regulatory sequences and T7 polymerase.

[1389] Expression of proteins in prokaryotes is most often carried out in E. coli with vectors containing constitutive or inducible promoters directing the expression of either fusion or non-fusion proteins. Fusion vectors add a number of amino acids to a protein encoded therein, usually to the amino terminus of the recombinant protein. Such fusion vectors typically serve three purposes: 1) to increase expression of recombinant protein; 2) to increase the solubility of the recombinant protein; and 3) to aid in the purification of the recombinant protein by acting as a ligand in affinity purification. Often, in fusion expression vectors, a proteolytic cleavage site is introduced at the junction of the fusion moiety and the recombinant protein to enable separation of the recombinant protein from the fusion moiety subsequent to purification of the fusion protein. Such enzymes, and their cognate recognition sequences, include Factor Xa, thrombin and enterokinase. Typical fusion expression vectors include pGEX (Pharmacia Biotech Inc; Smith, D. B. and Johnson, K. S. (1988) Gene 67:31-40), pMAL (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.) and pRIT5 (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.) which fuse glutathione S-transferase (GST), maltose E binding protein, or protein A, respectively, to the target recombinant protein.

[1390] Purified fusion proteins can be utilized in PLTR-1 activity assays (e.g., direct assays or competitive assays described in detail below), or to generate antibodies specific for PLTR-1 proteins, for example. In a preferred embodiment, a PLTR-1 fusion protein expressed in a retroviral expression vector of the present invention can be utilized to infect bone marrow cells, which are subsequently transplanted into irradiated recipients. The pathology of the subject recipient is then examined after sufficient time has passed (e.g., six (6) weeks).

[1391] Examples of suitable inducible non-fusion E. coli expression vectors include pTrc (Amann et al. (1988) Gene 69:301-315) and pET 11d (Studier et al. (1990) Methods Enzymol. 185:60-89). Target gene expression from the pTrc vector relies on host RNA polymerase transcription from a hybrid trp-lac fusion promoter. Target gene expression from the pET 11d vector relies on transcription from a T7 gn10-lac fusion promoter mediated by a coexpressed viral RNA polymerase (T7 gn1). This viral polymerase is supplied by host strains BL21(DE3) or HMS174(DE3) from a resident prophage harboring a T7 gn1 gene under the transcriptional control of the lacUV 5 promoter.

[1392] One strategy to maximize recombinant protein expression in E. coli is to express the protein in a host bacteria with an impaired capacity to proteolytically cleave the recombinant protein (Gottesman, S. (1990) Methods Enzymol. 185:119-128). Another strategy is to alter the nucleic acid sequence of the nucleic acid to be inserted into an expression vector so that the individual codons for each amino acid are those preferentially utilized in E. coli (Wada et al. (1992) Nucleic Acids Res. 20:2111-2118). Such alteration of nucleic acid sequences of the invention can be carried out by standard DNA synthesis techniques.

[1393] In another embodiment, the PLTR-1 expression vector is a yeast expression vector. Examples of vectors for expression in yeast S. cerevisiae include pYepSec1 (Baldari et al. (1987) EMBO J.6:229-234), pMFa (Kurjan and Herskowitz (1982) Cell 30:933-943), pJRY88 (Schultz et al. (1987) Gene 54:113-123), pYES2 (Invitrogen Corporation, San Diego, Calif.), and picZ (Invitrogen Corp., San Diego, Calif.).

[1394] Alternatively, PLTR-1 proteins can be expressed in insect cells using baculovirus expression vectors. Baculovirus vectors available for expression of proteins in cultured insect cells (e.g., Sf9 cells) include the pAc series (Smith et al. (1983) Mol. Cell Biol. 3:2156-2165) and the pVL series (Lucklow and Summers (1989) Virology 170:31-39).

[1395] In yet another embodiment, a nucleic acid of the invention is expressed in mammalian cells using a mammalian expression vector. Examples of mammalian expression vectors include pCDM8 (Seed, B. (1987) Nature 329:840) and pMT2PC (Kaufman et al. (1987) EMBO J. 6:187-195). When used in mammalian cells, the expression vector's control functions are often provided by viral regulatory elements. For example, commonly used promoters are derived from polyoma, Adenovirus 2, cytomegalovirus and Simian Virus 40. For other suitable expression systems for both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells see chapters 16 and 17 of Sambrook, J. et al. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd) ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989.

[1396] In another embodiment, the recombinant mammalian expression vector is capable of directing expression of the nucleic acid preferentially in a particular cell type (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory elements are used to express the nucleic acid). Tissue-specific regulatory elements are known in the art. Non-limiting examples of suitable tissue-specific promoters include the albumin promoter (liver-specific; Pinkert et al. (1987) Genes Dev. 1:268-277), lymphoid-specific promoters (Calame and Eaton (1988) Adv. Immunol. 43:235-275), in particular promoters of T cell receptors (Winoto and Baltimore (1989) EMBO J. 8:729-733) and immunoglobulins (Banerji et al. (1983) Cell 33:729-740; Queen and Baltimore (1983) Cell 33:741-748), neuron-specific promoters (e.g., the neurofilament promoter; Byrne and Ruddle (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:5473-5477), pancreas-specific promoters (Edlund et al. (1985) Science 230:912-916), and mammary gland-specific promoters (e.g., milk whey promoter; U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,316 and European Application Publication No. 264,166). Developmentally-regulated promoters are also encompassed, for example the murine hox promoters (Kessel and Gruss (1990) Science 249:374-379) and the α-fetoprotein promoter (Campes and Tilghman (1989) Genes Dev. 3:537-546).

[1397] The invention further provides a recombinant expression vector comprising a DNA molecule of the invention cloned into the expression vector in an antisense orientation. That is, the DNA molecule is operatively linked to a regulatory sequence in a manner which allows for expression (by transcription of the DNA molecule) of an RNA molecule which is antisense to PLTR-1 mRNA. Regulatory sequences operatively linked to a nucleic acid cloned in the antisense orientation can be chosen which direct the continuous expression of the antisense RNA molecule in a variety of cell types, for instance viral promoters and/or enhancers, or regulatory sequences can be chosen which direct constitutive, tissue specific or cell type specific expression of antisense RNA. The antisense expression vector can be in the form of a recombinant plasmid, phagemid or attenuated virus in which antisense nucleic acids are produced under the control of a high efficiency regulatory region, the activity of which can be determined by the cell type into which the vector is introduced. For a discussion of the regulation of gene expression using antisense genes see Weintraub, H. et al. “Antisense RNA as a molecular tool for genetic analysis”, Reviews—Trends in Genetics, Vol. 1(1) 1986.

[1398] Another aspect of the invention pertains to host cells into which a PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecule of the invention is introduced, e.g., a PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecule within a vector (e.g., a recombinant expression vector) or a PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecule containing sequences which allow it to homologously recombine into a specific site of the host cell's genome. The terms “host cell” and “recombinant host cell” are used interchangeably herein. It is understood that such terms refer not only to the particular subject cell but to the progeny or potential progeny of such a cell. Because certain modifications may occur in succeeding generations due to either mutation or environmental influences, such progeny may not, in fact, be identical to the parent cell, but are still included within the scope of the term as used herein.

[1399] A host cell can be any prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell. For example, a PLTR-1 protein can be expressed in bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells, yeast or mammalian cells (such as Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) or COS cells). Other suitable host cells are known to those skilled in the art.

[1400] Vector DNA can be introduced into prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells via conventional transformation or transfection techniques. As used herein, the terms “transformation” and “transfection” are intended to refer to a variety of art-recognized techniques for introducing foreign nucleic acid (e.g., DNA) into a host cell, including calcium phosphate or calcium chloride co-precipitation, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, lipofection, or electroporation. Suitable methods for transforming or transfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook et al. (Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd) ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), and other laboratory manuals.

[1401] For stable transfection of mammalian cells, it is known that, depending upon the expression vector and transfection technique used, only a small fraction of cells may integrate the foreign DNA into their genome. In order to identify and select these integrants, a gene that encodes a selectable marker (e.g., resistance to antibiotics) is generally introduced into the host cells along with the gene of interest. Preferred selectable markers include those which confer resistance to drugs, such as G418, hygromycin and methotrexate. Nucleic acid encoding a selectable marker can be introduced into a host cell on the same vector as that encoding a PLTR-1 protein or can be introduced on a separate vector. Cells stably transfected with the introduced nucleic acid can be identified by drug selection (e.g., cells that have incorporated the selectable marker gene will survive, while the other cells die).

[1402] A host cell of the invention, such as a prokaryotic or eukaryotic host cell in culture, can be used to produce (i.e., express) a PLTR-1 protein. Accordingly, the invention further provides methods for producing a PLTR-1 protein using the host cells of the invention. In one embodiment, the method comprises culturing the host cell of the invention (into which a recombinant expression vector encoding a PLTR-1 protein has been introduced) in a suitable medium such that a PLTR-1 protein is produced. In another embodiment, the method further comprises isolating a PLTR-1 protein from the medium or the host cell.

[1403] The host cells of the invention can also be used to produce non-human transgenic animals. For example, in one embodiment, a host cell of the invention is a fertilized oocyte or an embryonic stem cell into which PLTR-1-coding sequences have been introduced. Such host cells can then be used to create non-human transgenic animals in which exogenous PLTR-1 sequences have been introduced into their genome or homologous recombinant animals in which endogenous PLTR-1 sequences have been altered. Such animals are useful for studying the function and/or activity of a PLTR-1 protein and for identifying and/or evaluating modulators of PLTR-1 activity. As used herein, a “transgenic animal” is a non-human animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a rodent such as a rat or mouse, in which one or more of the cells of the animal includes a transgene. Other examples of transgenic animals include non-human primates, sheep, dogs, cows, goats, chickens, amphibians, and the like. A transgene is exogenous DNA which is integrated into the genome of a cell from which a transgenic animal develops and which remains in the genome of the mature animal, thereby directing the expression of an encoded gene product in one or more cell types or tissues of the transgenic animal. As used herein, a “homologous recombinant animal” is a non-human animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a mouse, in which an endogenous PLTR-1 gene has been altered by homologous recombination between the endogenous gene and an exogenous DNA molecule introduced into a cell of the animal, e.g., an embryonic cell of the animal, prior to development of the animal.

[1404] A transgenic animal of the invention can be created by introducing a PLTR-1-encoding nucleic acid into the male pronuclei of a fertilized oocyte, e.g., by microinjection or retroviral infection, and allowing the oocyte to develop in a pseudopregnant female foster animal. The PLTR-1 cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 can be introduced as a transgene into the genome of a non-human animal. Alternatively, a non-human homologue of a human PLTR-1 gene, such as a rat or mouse PLTR-1 gene, can be used as a transgene. Alternatively, a PLTR-1 gene homologue, such as another PLTR-1 family member, can be isolated based on hybridization to the PLTR-1 cDNA sequences of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ (described further in subsection I above) and used as a transgene. Intronic sequences and polyadenylation signals can also be included in the transgene to increase the efficiency of expression of the transgene. A tissue-specific regulatory sequence(s) can be operably linked to a PLTR-1 transgene to direct expression of a PLTR-1 protein to particular cells. Methods for generating transgenic animals via embryo manipulation and microinjection, particularly animals such as mice, have become conventional in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,736,866 and 4,870,009, both by Leder et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,191 by Wagner et al. and in Hogan, B., Manipulating the Mouse Embryo, (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1986). Similar methods are used for production of other transgenic animals. A transgenic founder animal can be identified based upon the presence of a PLTR-1 transgene in its genome and/or expression of PLTR-1 mRNA in tissues or cells of the animals. A transgenic founder animal can then be used to breed additional animals carrying the transgene. Moreover, transgenic animals carrying a transgene encoding a PLTR-1 protein can further be bred to other transgenic animals carrying other transgenes.

[1405] To create a homologous recombinant animal, a vector is prepared which contains at least a portion of a PLTR-1 gene into which a deletion, addition or substitution has been introduced to thereby alter, e.g., functionally disrupt, the PLTR-1 gene. The PLTR-1 gene can be a human gene (e.g., the cDNA of SEQ ID NO: 21), but more preferably, is a non-human homologue of a human PLTR-1 gene (e.g., a cDNA isolated by stringent hybridization with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19), For example, a mouse PLTR-1 gene can be used to construct a homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule, e.g., a vector, suitable for altering an endogenous PLTR-1 gene in the mouse genome. In a preferred embodiment, the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule is designed such that, upon homologous recombination, the endogenous PLTR-1 gene is functionally disrupted (i.e., no longer encodes a functional protein; also referred to as a “knock out” vector). Alternatively, the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule can be designed such that, upon homologous recombination, the endogenous PLTR-1 gene is mutated or otherwise altered but still encodes functional protein (e.g., the upstream regulatory region can be altered to thereby alter the expression of the endogenous PLTR-1 protein). In the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule, the altered portion of the PLTR-1 gene is flanked at its 5′ and 3′ ends by additional nucleic acid sequence of the PLTR-1 gene to allow for homologous recombination to occur between the exogenous PLTR-1 gene carried by the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule and an endogenous PLTR-1 gene in a cell, e.g., an embryonic stem cell. The additional flanking PLTR-1 nucleic acid sequence is of sufficient length for successful homologous recombination with the endogenous gene. Typically, several kilobases of flanking DNA (both at the 5′ and 3′ ends) are included in the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule (see, e.g., Thomas, K. R. and Capecchi, M. R. (1987) Cell 51:503 for a description of homologous recombination vectors). The homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule is introduced into a cell, e.g., an embryonic stem cell line (e.g., by electroporation) and cells in which the introduced PLTR-1 gene has homologously recombined with the endogenous PLTR-1 gene are selected (see e.g., Li, E. et al. (1992) Cell 69:915). The selected cells can then be injected into a blastocyst of an animal (e.g., a mouse) to form aggregation chimeras (see e.g., Bradley, A., in Teratocarcinomas and Embryonic Stem Cells: A Practical Approach, Robertson, E. J. ed. (IRL, Oxford, 1987) pp. 113-152). A chimeric embryo can then be implanted into a suitable pseudopregnant female foster animal and the embryo brought to term. Progeny harboring the homologously recombined DNA in their germ cells can be used to breed animals in which all cells of the animal contain the homologously recombined DNA by germline transmission of the transgene. Methods for constructing homologous recombination nucleic acid molecules, e.g., vectors, or homologous recombinant animals are described further in Bradley, A. (1991) Curr. Opin. Biotechnol. 2:823-829 and in PCT International Publication Nos.: WO 90/11354 by Le Mouellec et al.; WO 91/01140 by Smithies et al.; WO 92/0968 by Zijlstra et al.; and WO 93/04169 by Berns et al.

[1406] In another embodiment, transgenic non-humans animals can be produced which contain selected systems which allow for regulated expression of the transgene. One example of such a system is the cre/loxP recombinase system of bacteriophage P1. For a description of the cre/loxP recombinase system, see, e.g., Lakso et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:6232-6236. Another example of a recombinase system is the FLP recombinase system of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (O'Gorman et al. (1991) Science 251:1351-1355). If a cre/loxP recombinase system is used to regulate expression of the transgene, animals containing transgenes encoding both the Cre recombinase and a selected protein are required. Such animals can be provided through the construction of “double” transgenic animals, e.g., by mating two transgenic animals, one containing a transgene encoding a selected protein and the other containing a transgene encoding a recombinase.

[1407] Clones of the non-human transgenic animals described herein can also be produced according to the methods described in Wilmut, I. et al. (1997) Nature 385:810-813 and PCT International Publication Nos. WO 97/07668 and WO 97/07669. In brief, a cell, e.g., a somatic cell, from the transgenic animal can be isolated and induced to exit the growth cycle and enter G_(o) phase. The quiescent cell can then be fused, e.g., through the use of electrical pulses, to an enucleated oocyte from an animal of the same species from which the quiescent cell is isolated. The reconstructed oocyte is then cultured such that it develops to morula or blastocyte and then transferred to pseudopregnant female foster animal. The offspring borne of this female foster animal will be a clone of the animal from which the cell, e.g., the somatic cell, is isolated.

[1408] IV. Pharmaceutical Compositions

[1409] The PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecules, of PLTR-1 proteins, fragments thereof, anti-PLTR-1 antibodies, and PLTR-1 modulators (also referred to herein as “active compounds”) of the invention can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions suitable for administration. Such compositions typically comprise the nucleic acid molecule, protein, or antibody and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. As used herein the language “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” is intended to include any and all solvents, dispersion media, coatings, antibacterial and antifungal agents, isotonic and absorption delaying agents, and the like, compatible with pharmaceutical administration. The use of such media and agents for pharmaceutically active substances is well known in the art. Except insofar as any conventional media or agent is incompatible with the active compound, use thereof in the compositions is contemplated. Supplementary active compounds can also be incorporated into the compositions.

[1410] A pharmaceutical composition of the invention is formulated to be compatible with its intended route of administration. Examples of routes of administration include parenteral, e.g., intravenous, intradermal, subcutaneous, oral (e.g., inhalation), transdermal (topical), transmucosal, and rectal administration. Solutions or suspensions used for parenteral, intradermal, or subcutaneous application can include the following components: a sterile diluent such as water for injection, saline solution, fixed oils, polyethylene glycols, glycerine, propylene glycol or other synthetic solvents; antibacterial agents such as benzyl alcohol or methyl parabens; antioxidants such as ascorbic acid or sodium bisulfite; chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; buffers such as acetates, citrates or phosphates and agents for the adjustment of tonicity such as sodium chloride or dextrose. pH can be adjusted with acids or bases, such as hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide. The parenteral preparation can be enclosed in ampoules, disposable syringes or multiple dose vials made of glass or plastic.

[1411] Pharmaceutical compositions suitable for injectable use include sterile aqueous solutions (where water soluble) or dispersions and sterile powders for the extemporaneous preparation of sterile injectable solutions or dispersion. For intravenous administration, suitable carriers include physiological saline, bacteriostatic water, Cremophor EL™ (BASF, Parsippany, N.J.) or phosphate buffered saline (PBS). In all cases, the composition must be sterile and should be fluid to the extent that easy syringeability exists. It must be stable under the conditions of manufacture and storage and must be preserved against the contaminating action of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. The carrier can be a solvent or dispersion medium containing, for example, water, ethanol, polyol (for example, glycerol, propylene glycol, and liquid polyetheylene glycol, and the like), and suitable mixtures thereof. The proper fluidity can be maintained, for example, by the use of a coating such as lecithin, by the maintenance of the required particle size in the case of dispersion and by the use of surfactants. Prevention of the action of microorganisms can be achieved by various antibacterial and antifungal agents, for example, parabens, chlorobutanol, phenol, ascorbic acid, thimerosal, and the like. In many cases, it will be preferable to include isotonic agents, for example, sugars, polyalcohols such as manitol, sorbitol, sodium chloride in the composition. Prolonged absorption of the injectable compositions can be brought about by including in the composition an agent which delays absorption, for example, aluminum monostearate and gelatin.

[1412] Sterile injectable solutions can be prepared by incorporating the active compound (e.g., a fragment of a PLTR-1 protein or an anti-PLTR-1 antibody) in the required amount in an appropriate solvent with one or a combination of ingredients enumerated above, as required, followed by filtered sterilization. Generally, dispersions are prepared by incorporating the active compound into a sterile vehicle which contains a basic dispersion medium and the required other ingredients from those enumerated above. In the case of sterile powders for the preparation of sterile injectable solutions, the preferred methods of preparation are vacuum drying and freeze-drying which yields a powder of the active ingredient plus any additional desired ingredient from a previously sterile-filtered solution thereof.

[1413] Oral compositions generally include an inert diluent or an edible carrier. They can be enclosed in gelatin capsules or compressed into tablets. For the purpose of oral therapeutic administration, the active compound can be incorporated with excipients and used in the form of tablets, troches, or capsules. Oral compositions can also be prepared using a fluid carrier for use as a mouthwash, wherein the compound in the fluid carrier is applied orally and swished and expectorated or swallowed. Pharmaceutically compatible binding agents, and/or adjuvant materials can be included as part of the composition. The tablets, pills, capsules, troches and the like can contain any of the following ingredients, or compounds of a similar nature: a binder such as microcrystalline cellulose, gum tragacanth or gelatin; an excipient such as starch or lactose, a disintegrating agent such as alginic acid, Primogel, or corn starch; a lubricant such as magnesium stearate or Sterotes; a glidant such as colloidal silicon dioxide; a sweetening agent such as sucrose or saccharin; or a flavoring agent such as peppermint, methyl salicylate, or orange flavoring.

[1414] For administration by inhalation, the compounds are delivered in the form of an aerosol spray from pressured container or dispenser which contains a suitable propellant, e.g., a gas such as carbon dioxide, or a nebulizer.

[1415] Systemic administration can also be by transmucosal or transdermal means. For transmucosal or transdermal administration, penetrants appropriate to the barrier to be permeated are used in the formulation. Such penetrants are generally known in the art, and include, for example, for transmucosal administration, detergents, bile salts, and fusidic acid derivatives. Transmucosal administration can be accomplished through the use of nasal sprays or suppositories. For transdermal administration, the active compounds are formulated into ointments, salves, gels, or creams as generally known in the art.

[1416] The compounds can also be prepared in the form of suppositories (e.g., with conventional suppository bases such as cocoa butter and other glycerides) or retention enemas for rectal delivery.

[1417] In one embodiment, the active compounds are prepared with carriers that will protect the compound against rapid elimination from the body, such as a controlled release formulation, including implants and microencapsulated delivery systems. Biodegradable, biocompatible polymers can be used, such as ethylene vinyl acetate, polyanhydrides, polyglycolic acid, collagen, polyorthoesters, and polylactic acid. Methods for preparation of such formulations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The materials can also be obtained commercially from Alza Corporation and Nova Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Liposomal suspensions (including liposomes targeted to infected cells with monoclonal antibodies to viral antigens) can also be used as pharmaceutically acceptable carriers. These can be prepared according to methods known to those skilled in the art, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,811.

[1418] It is especially advantageous to formulate oral or parenteral compositions in dosage unit form for ease of administration and uniformity of dosage. Dosage unit form as used herein refers to physically discrete units suited as unitary dosages for the subject to be treated; each unit containing a predetermined quantity of active compound calculated to produce the desired therapeutic effect in association with the required pharmaceutical carrier. The specification for the dosage unit forms of the invention are dictated by and directly dependent on the unique characteristics of the active compound and the particular therapeutic effect to be achieved, and the limitations inherent in the art of compounding such an active compound for the treatment of individuals.

[1419] Toxicity and therapeutic efficacy of such compounds can be determined by standard pharmaceutical procedures in cell cultures or experimental animals, e.g., for determining the LD50 (the dose lethal to 50% of the population) and the ED50 (the dose therapeutically effective in 50% of the population). The dose ratio between toxic and therapeutic effects is the therapeutic index and it can be expressed as the ratio LD50/ED50. Compounds which exhibit large therapeutic indices are preferred. While compounds that exhibit toxic side effects may be used, care should be taken to design a delivery system that targets such compounds to the site of affected tissue in order to minimize potential damage to uninfected cells and, thereby, reduce side effects.

[1420] The data obtained from the cell culture assays and animal studies can be used in formulating a range of dosage for use in humans. The dosage of such compounds lies preferably within a range of circulating concentrations that include the ED50 with little or no toxicity. The dosage may vary within this range depending upon the dosage form employed and the route of administration utilized. For any compound used in the method of the invention, the therapeutically effective dose can be estimated initially from cell culture assays. A dose may be formulated in animal models to achieve a circulating plasma concentration range that includes the IC50 (i.e., the concentration of the test compound which achieves a half-maximal inhibition of symptoms) as determined in cell culture. Such information can be used to more accurately determine useful doses in humans. Levels in plasma may be measured, for example, by high performance liquid chromatography.

[1421] As defined herein, a therapeutically effective amount of protein or polypeptide (i.e., an effective dosage) ranges from about 0.001 to 30 mg/kg body weight, preferably about 0.01 to 25 mg/kg body weight, more preferably about 0.1 to 20 mg/kg body weight, and even more preferably about 1 to 10 mg/kg, 2 to 9 mg/kg, 3 to 8 mg/kg, 4 to 7 mg/kg, or 5 to 6 mg/kg body weight. The skilled artisan will appreciate that certain factors may influence the dosage required to effectively treat a subject, including but not limited to the severity of the disease or disorder, previous treatments, the general health and/or age of the subject, and other diseases present. Moreover, treatment of a subject with a therapeutically effective amount of a protein, polypeptide, or antibody can include a single treatment or, preferably, can include a series of treatments.

[1422] In a preferred example, a subject is treated with antibody, protein, or polypeptide in the range of between about 0.1 to 20 mg/kg body weight, one time per week for between about 1 to 10 weeks, preferably between 2 to 8 weeks, more preferably between about 3 to 7 weeks, and even more preferably for about 4, 5, or 6 weeks. It will also be appreciated that the effective dosage of antibody, protein, or polypeptide used for treatment may increase or decrease over the course of a particular treatment. Changes in dosage may result and become apparent from the results of diagnostic assays as described herein.

[1423] The present invention encompasses agents which modulate expression or activity. An agent may, for example, be a small molecule. For example, such small molecules include, but are not limited to, peptides, peptidomimetics, amino acids, amino acid analogs, polynucleotides, polynucleotide analogs, nucleotides, nucleotide analogs, organic or inorganic compounds (i.e., including heteroorganic and organometallic compounds) having a molecular weight less than about 10,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 5,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 1,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 500 grams per mole, and salts, esters, and other pharmaceutically acceptable forms of such compounds. It is understood that appropriate doses of small molecule agents depends upon a number of factors within the ken of the ordinarily skilled physician, veterinarian, or researcher. The dose(s) of the small molecule will vary, for example, depending upon the identity, size, and condition of the subject or sample being treated, further depending upon the route by which the composition is to be administered, if applicable, and the effect which the practitioner desires the small molecule to have upon the nucleic acid or polypeptide of the invention.

[1424] Exemplary doses include milligram or microgram amounts of the small molecule per kilogram of subject or sample weight (e.g., about 1 microgram per kilogram to about 500 milligrams per kilogram, about 100 micrograms per kilogram to about 5 milligrams per kilogram, or about 1 microgram per kilogram to about 50 micrograms per kilogram. It is furthermore understood that appropriate doses of a small molecule depend upon the potency of the small molecule with respect to the expression or activity to be modulated. Such appropriate doses may be determined using the assays described herein. When one or more of these small molecules is to be administered to an animal (e.g., a human) in order to modulate expression or activity of a polypeptide or nucleic acid of the invention, a physician, veterinarian, or researcher may, for example, prescribe a relatively low dose at first, subsequently increasing the dose until an appropriate response is obtained. In addition, it is understood that the specific dose level for any particular animal subject will depend upon a variety of factors including the activity of the specific compound employed, the age, body weight, general health, gender, and diet of the subject, the time of administration, the route of administration, the rate of excretion, any drug combination, and the degree of expression or activity to be modulated.

[1425] In certain embodiments of the invention, a modulator of PLTR-1 activity is administered in combination with other agents (e.g., a small molecule), or in conjunction with another, complementary treatment regime. For example, in one embodiment, a modulator of PLTR-1 activity is used to treat a PLTR-1 associated disorder. Accordingly, modulation of PLTR-1 activity may be used in conjunction with, for example, another agent used to treat the disorder.

[1426] Further, an antibody (or fragment thereof) may be conjugated to a therapeutic moiety such as a cytotoxin, a therapeutic agent or a radioactive metal ion. A cytotoxin or cytotoxic agent includes any agent that is detrimental to cells. Examples include taxol, cytochalasin B, gramicidin D, ethidium bromide, emetine, mitomycin, etoposide, tenoposide, vincristine, vinblastine, colchicin, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, dihydroxy anthracin dione, mitoxantrone, mithramycin, actinomycin D, 1-dehydrotestosterone, glucocorticoids, procaine, tetracaine, lidocaine, propranolol, and puromycin and analogs or homologs thereof. Therapeutic agents include, but are not limited to, antimetabolites (e.g., methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, cytarabine, 5-fluorouracil decarbazine), alkylating agents (e.g., mechlorethamine, thioepa chlorambucil, melphalan, carmustine (BSNU) and lomustine (CCNU), cyclothosphamide, busulfan, dibromomannitol, streptozotocin, mitomycin C, and cis-dichlorodiamine platinum (II) (DDP) cisplatin), anthracyclines (e.g., daunorubicin (formerly daunomycin) and doxorubicin), antibiotics (e.g., dactinomycin (formerly actinomycin), bleomycin, mithramycin, and anthramycin (AMC)), and anti-mitotic agents (e.g., vincristine and vinblastine).

[1427] The conjugates of the invention can be used for modifying a given biological response, the drug moiety is not to be construed as limited to classical chemical therapeutic agents. For example, the drug moiety may be a protein or polypeptide possessing a desired biological activity. Such proteins may include, for example, a toxin such as abrin, ricin A, pseudomonas exotoxin, or diphtheria toxin; a protein such as tumor necrosis factor, alpha-interferon, beta-interferon, nerve growth factor, platelet derived growth factor, tissue plasminogen activator; or, biological response modifiers such as, for example, lymphokines, interleukin-1 (“IL-1”), interleukin-2 (“IL-2”), interleukin-6 (“IL-6”), granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (“GM-CSF”), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (“G-CSF”), or other growth factors.

[1428] Techniques for conjugating such therapeutic moiety to antibodies are well known, see, e.g., Arnon et al. “Monoclonal Antibodies For Immunotargeting Of Drugs In Cancer Therapy” in Monoclonal Antibodies And Cancer Therapy, Reisfeld et al. (eds.), pp. 243-56 (Alan R. Liss, Inc. 1985); Hellstrom et al. “Antibodies For Drug Delivery” in Controlled Drug Delivery (2nd Ed.), Robinson et al (eds.), pp. 623-53 (Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1987); Thorpe “Antibody Carriers of Cytotoxic Agents in Cancer Therapy: A Review” in Monoclonal Antibodies '84: Biological And Clinical Applications, Pinchera et al. (eds.), pp. 475-506 (1985); “Analysis, Results, and Future Prospective of the Therapeutic Use of Radiolabeled Antibody in Cancer Therapy” in Monoclonal Antibodies for Cancer Detection and Therapy, Baldwin et al. (eds.), pp. 303-16 (Academic Press 1985); and Thorpe et al. “The Preparation and Cytotoxic Properties of Antibody-Toxin Conjugates” Immunol. Rev. 62:119-58 (1982). Alternatively, an antibody can be conjugated to a second antibody to form an antibody heteroconjugate as described by Segal in U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,980.

[1429] The nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be inserted into vectors and used as gene therapy vectors. Gene therapy vectors can be delivered to a subject by, for example, intravenous injection, local administration (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,470) or by stereotactic injection (see e.g., Chen et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:3054-3057). The pharmaceutical preparation of the gene therapy vector can include the gene therapy vector in an acceptable diluent, or can comprise a slow release matrix in which the gene delivery vehicle is imbedded. Alternatively, where the complete gene delivery vector can be produced intact from recombinant cells, e.g., retroviral vectors, the pharmaceutical preparation can include one or more cells which produce the gene delivery system.

[1430] The pharmaceutical compositions can be included in a container, pack, or dispenser together with instructions for administration.

[1431] V. Uses and Methods of the Invention

[1432] The nucleic acid molecules, proteins, protein homologues, protein fragments, antibodies, peptides, peptidomimetics, and small molecules described herein can be used in one or more of the following methods: a) screening assays; b) predictive medicine (e.g., diagnostic assays, prognostic assays, monitoring clinical trials, and pharmacogenetics); and c) methods of treatment (e.g., therapeutic and prophylactic). As described herein, a PLTR-1 protein of the invention has one or more of the following activities: (i) interaction with a PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid, ATP, or a non-PLTR-1 protein); (ii) transport of a PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule (e.g., an aminophospholipid such as phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylethanolamine) from one side of a cellular membrane to the other; (iii) the ability to be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated; (iv) adoption of an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation; (v) conversion of a PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., hydrolysis of ATP); (vi) interaction with a second non-PLTR-1 protein; (vii) modulation of substrate or target molecule location (e.g., modulation of phospholipid location within a cell and/or location with respect to a cellular membrane); (viii) maintenance of aminophospholipid gradients; (ix) modulation of blood coagulation; (x) modulation of intra- or intercellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); and/or (xi) modulation of cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, apoptosis, absorption, or secretion.

[1433] The isolated nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be used, for example, to express PLTR-1 protein (e.g., via a recombinant expression vector in a host cell in gene therapy applications), to detect PLTR-1 mRNA (e.g., in a biological sample) or a genetic alteration in a PLTR-1 gene, and to modulate PLTR-1 activity, as described further below. The PLTR-1 proteins can be used to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive production or transport of a PLTR-1 substrate or production of PLTR-1 inhibitors, for example, PLTR-1 associated disorders.

[1434] As used interchangeably herein, a “phospholipid transporter associated disorder” or a “PLTR-1 associated disorder” includes a disorder, disease or condition which is caused or characterized by a misregulation (e.g., downregulation or upregulation) of PLTR-1 activity. PLTR-1 associated disorders can detrimentally affect cellular functions such as cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, inter- or intra-cellular communication; tissue function, such as cardiac function or musculoskeletal function; systemic responses in an organism, such as nervous system responses, hormonal responses (e.g., insulin response), or immune responses; and protection of cells from toxic compounds (e.g., carcinogens, toxins, or mutagens).

[1435] Preferred examples of PLTR-1 associated disorders include cardiovascular or cardiac-related disorders. Cardiovascular system disorders in which the PLTR-1 molecules of the invention may be directly or indirectly involved include arteriosclerosis, ischemia reperfusion injury, restenosis, arterial inflammation, vascular wall remodeling, ventricular remodeling, rapid ventricular pacing, coronary microembolism, tachycardia, bradycardia, pressure overload, aortic bending, coronary artery ligation, vascular heart disease, atrial fibrilation, Jervell syndrome, Lange-Nielsen syndrome, long-QT syndrome, congestive heart failure, sinus node dysfunction, angina, heart failure, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, dilated cardiomyopathy, idiopathic cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, coronary artery spasm, and arrhythmia. PLTR-1 associated disorders also include disorders of the musculoskeletal system such as paralysis and muscle weakness, e.g., ataxia, myotonia, and myokymia.

[1436] Other examples of PLTR-1 associated disorders include lipid homeostasis disorders such as atherosclerosis, obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, hypolipidemia, dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, hypocholesterolemia, triglyceride storage disease, cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease, hypertension, stroke, overweight, anorexia, cachexia, hyperlipoproteinemia, hypolipoproteinemia, Niemann Pick disease, hypertriglyceridemia, hypotriglyceridemia, pancreatitis, diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH), atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype (ALP), epilepsy, liver disease, fatty liver, steatohepatitis, and polycystic ovarian syndrome.

[1437] Further examples of PLTR-1 associated disorders include CNS disorders such as cognitive and neurodegenerative disorders, examples of which include, but are not limited to, Alzheimer's disease, dementias related to Alzheimer's disease (such as Pick's disease), Parkinson's and other Lewy diffuse body diseases, senile dementia, Huntington's disease, Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive supranuclear palsy, epilepsy, seizure disorders, and Jakob-Creutzfieldt disease; autonomic function disorders such as hypertension and sleep disorders, and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, korsakoff's psychosis, mania, anxiety disorders, or phobic disorders; learning or memory disorders, e.g., amnesia or age-related memory loss, attention deficit disorder, dysthymic disorder, major depressive disorder, mania, obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychoactive substance use disorders, anxiety, phobias, panic disorder, as well as bipolar affective disorder, e.g., severe bipolar affective (mood) disorder (BP-1), and bipolar affective neurological disorders, e.g., migraine and obesity. Further CNS-related disorders include, for example, those listed in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the most current version of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[1438] PLTR-1 associated disorders also include cellular proliferation, growth, or differentiation disorders. Cellular proliferation, growth, or differentiation disorders include those disorders that affect cell proliferation, growth, or differentiation processes. As used herein, a “cellular proliferation, growth, or differentiation process” is a process by which a cell increases in number, size or content, or by which a cell develops a specialized set of characteristics which differ from that of other cells. The PLTR-1 molecules of the present invention are involved in phospholipid transport mechanisms, which are known to be involved in cellular growth, proliferation, and differentiation processes. Thus, the PLTR-1 molecules may modulate cellular growth, proliferation, or differentiation, and may play a role in disorders characterized by aberrantly regulated growth, proliferation, or differentiation. Such disorders include cancer, e.g., carcinoma, sarcoma, or leukemia; tumor angiogenesis and metastasis; skeletal dysplasia; hepatic disorders; and hematopoietic and/or myeloproliferative disorders.

[1439] PLTR-1 associated or related disorders also include hormonal disorders, such as conditions or diseases in which the production and/or regulation of hormones in an organism is aberrant. Examples of such disorders and diseases include type I and type II diabetes mellitus, pituitary disorders (e.g., growth disorders), thyroid disorders (e.g., hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism), and reproductive or fertility disorders (e.g., disorders which affect the organs of the reproductive system, e.g., the prostate gland, the uterus, or the vagina; disorders which involve an imbalance in the levels of a reproductive hormone in a subject; disorders affecting the ability of a subject to reproduce; and disorders affecting secondary sex characteristic development, e.g., adrenal hyperplasia).

[1440] PLTR-1 associated or related disorders also include immune disorders, such as autoimmune disorders or immune deficiency disorders, e.g., congenital X-linked infantile hypogammaglobulinemia, transient hypogammaglobulinemia, common variable immunodeficiency, selective IgA deficiency, chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, or severe combined immunodeficiency.

[1441] PLTR-1 associated or related disorders also include disorders affecting tissues in which PLTR-1 protein is expressed (e.g., vessels).

[1442] In addition, the PLTR-1 proteins can be used to screen for naturally occurring PLTR-1 substrates, to screen for drugs or compounds which modulate PLTR-1 activity, as well as to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive production of PLTR-1 protein or production of PLTR-1 protein forms which have decreased, aberrant or unwanted activity compared to PLTR-1 wild type protein (e.g., a PLTR-1-associated disorder).

[1443] Moreover, the anti-PLTR-1 antibodies of the invention can be used to detect and isolate PLTR-1 proteins, regulate the bioavailability of PLTR-1 proteins, and modulate PLTR-1 activity.

[1444] A. Screening Assays

[1445] The invention provides a method (also referred to herein as a “screening assay”) for identifying modulators, i.e., candidate or test compounds or agents (e.g., peptides, peptidomimetics, small molecules or other drugs) which bind to PLTR-1 proteins, have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on, for example, PLTR-1 expression or PLTR-1 activity, or have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on, for example, the expression or activity of a PLTR-1 substrate.

[1446] In one embodiment, the invention provides assays for screening candidate or test compounds which are substrates of a PLTR-1 protein or polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof. In another embodiment, the invention provides assays for screening candidate or test compounds which bind to or modulate the activity of a PLTR-1 protein or polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof. The test compounds of the present invention can be obtained using any of the numerous approaches in combinatorial library methods known in the art, including: biological libraries; spatially addressable parallel solid phase or solution phase libraries; synthetic library methods requiring deconvolution; the ‘one-bead one-compound’ library method; and synthetic library methods using affinity chromatography selection. The biological library approach is limited to peptide libraries, while the other four approaches are applicable to peptide, non-peptide oligomer or small molecule libraries of compounds (Lam, K. S. (1997) Anticancer Drug Des. 12:45).

[1447] Examples of methods for the synthesis of molecular libraries can be found in the art, for example, in: DeWitt et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:6909; Erb et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:11422; Zuckermann et al. (1994) J. Med. Chem. 37:2678; Cho et al. (1993) Science 261:1303; Carrell et al. (1994) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 33:2059; Carell et al. (1994) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 33:2061; and Gallop et al. (1994) J. Med. Chem. 37:1233.

[1448] Libraries of compounds may be presented in solution (e.g., Houghten (1992) Biotechniques 13:412-421), or on beads (Lam (1991) Nature 354:82-84), chips (Fodor (1993) Nature 364:555-556), bacteria (Ladner USP 5,223,409), spores (Ladner USP '409), plasmids (Cull et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:1865-1869) or on phage (Scott and Smith (1990) Science 249:386-390); (Devlin (1990) Science 249:404-406); (Cwirla et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:6378-6382); (Felici (1991) J. Mol. Biol. 222:301-310); (Ladner supra.).

[1449] In one embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay in which a cell which expresses a PLTR-1 protein or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate PLTR-1 activity is determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate PLTR-1 activity can be accomplished by monitoring, for example: (i) interaction of PLTR-1 with a PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid, ATP, or a non-PLTR-1 protein); (ii) transport of a PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule (e.g., an aminophospholipid such as phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylethanolamine) from one side of a cellular membrane to the other; (iii) the ability of PLTR-1 to be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated; (iv) adoption by PLTR-1 of an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation; (v) conversion of a PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., hydrolysis of ATP); (vi) interaction of PLTR-1 with a second non-PLTR-1 protein; (vii) modulation of substrate or target molecule location (e.g., modulation of phospholipid location within a cell and/or location with respect to a cellular membrane); (viii) maintenance of aminophospholipid gradients; (ix) modulation of blood coagulation; (x) modulation of intra- or intercellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); and/or (xi) modulation of cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, apoptosis, absorption, and/or secretion.

[1450] The ability of the test compound to modulate PLTR-1 binding to a substrate or to bind to PLTR-1 can also be determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate PLTR-1 binding to a substrate can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the PLTR-1 substrate with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the PLTR-1 substrate to PLTR-1 can be determined by detecting the labeled PLTR-1 substrate in a complex. Alternatively, PLTR-1 could be coupled with a radioisotope or enzymatic label to monitor the ability of a test compound to modulate PLTR-1 binding to a PLTR-1 substrate in a complex. Determining the ability of the test compound to bind PLTR-1 can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the compound with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the compound to PLTR-1 can be determined by detecting the labeled PLTR-1 compound in a complex. For example, compounds (e.g., PLTR-1 substrates) can be labeled with 125I, ³⁵S, ¹⁴C, or ³H, either directly or indirectly, and the radioisotope detected by direct counting of radioemmission or by scintillation counting. Alternatively, compounds can be enzymatically labeled with, for example, horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, or luciferase, and the enzymatic label detected by determination of conversion of an appropriate substrate to product.

[1451] It is also within the scope of this invention to determine the ability of a compound (e.g., a PLTR-1 substrate) to interact with PLTR-1 without the labeling of any of the interactants. For example, a microphysiometer can be used to detect the interaction of a compound with PLTR-1 without the labeling of either the compound or the PLTR-1. McConnell, H. M. et al. (1992) Science 257:1906-1912. As used herein, a “microphysiometer” (e.g., Cytosensor) is an analytical instrument that measures the rate at which a cell acidifies its environment using a light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS). Changes in this acidification rate can be used as an indicator of the interaction between a compound and PLTR-1.

[1452] In another embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay comprising contacting a cell expressing a PLTR-1 target molecule (e.g., a PLTR-1 substrate) with a test compound and determining the ability of the test compound to modulate (e.g., stimulate or inhibit) the activity of the PLTR-1 target molecule. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of a PLTR-1 target molecule can be accomplished, for example, by determining the ability of a PLTR-1 protein to bind to or interact with the PLTR-1 target molecule, by determining the cellular location of the target molecule, or by determining whether the target molecule (e.g., ATP) has been hydrolyzed.

[1453] Determining the ability of the PLTR-1 protein, or a biologically active fragment thereof, to bind to or interact with a PLTR-1 target molecule can be accomplished by one of the methods described above for determining direct binding. In a preferred embodiment, determining the ability of the PLTR-1 protein to bind to or interact with a PLTR-1 target molecule can be accomplished by determining the activity of the target molecule. For example, the activity of the target molecule can be determined by detecting the cellular location of target molecule, detecting catalytic/enzymatic activity of the target molecule upon an appropriate substrate, detecting induction of a metabolite of the target molecule (e.g., detecting the products of ATP hydrolysis) detecting the induction of a reporter gene (comprising a target-responsive regulatory element operatively linked to a nucleic acid encoding a detectable marker, e.g., luciferase), or detecting a target-regulated cellular response (i.e., cell growth or differentiation).

[1454] In yet another embodiment, an assay of the present invention is a cell-free assay in which a PLTR-1 protein or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to bind to the PLTR-1 protein or biologically active portion thereof is determined. Preferred biologically active portions of the PLTR-1 proteins to be used in assays of the present invention include fragments which participate in interactions with non-PLTR-1 molecules, e.g., fragments with high surface probability scores (see, for example, FIG. 27). Binding of the test compound to the PLTR-1 protein can be determined either directly or indirectly as described above. In a preferred embodiment, the assay includes contacting the PLTR-1 protein or biologically active portion thereof with a known compound which binds PLTR-1 to form an assay mixture, contacting the assay mixture with a test compound, and determining the ability of the test compound to interact with a PLTR-1 protein, wherein determining the ability of the test compound to interact with a PLTR-1 protein comprises determining the ability of the test compound to preferentially bind to PLTR-1 or biologically active portion thereof as compared to the known compound.

[1455] In another embodiment, the assay is a cell-free assay in which a PLTR-1 protein or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate (e.g., stimulate or inhibit) the activity of the PLTR-1 protein or biologically active portion thereof is determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of a PLTR-1 protein can be accomplished, for example, by determining the ability of the PLTR-1 protein to bind to a PLTR-1 target molecule by one of the methods described above for determining direct binding. Determining the ability of the PLTR-1 protein to bind to a PLTR-1 target molecule can also be accomplished using a technology such as real-time Biomolecular Interaction Analysis (BIA). Sjolander, S. and Urbaniczky, C. (1991) Anal. Chem. 63:2338-2345 and Szabo et al. (1995) Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol. 5:699-705. As used herein, “BIA” is a technology for studying biospecific interactions in real time, without labeling any of the interactants (e.g., BIAcore). Changes in the optical phenomenon of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) can be used as an indication of real-time reactions between biological molecules.

[1456] In an alternative embodiment, determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of a PLTR-1 protein can be accomplished by determining the ability of the PLTR-1 protein to further modulate the activity of a downstream effector of a PLTR-1 target molecule. For example, the activity of the effector molecule on an appropriate target can be determined or the binding of the effector to an appropriate target can be determined as previously described.

[1457] In yet another embodiment, the cell-free assay involves contacting a PLTR-1 protein or biologically active portion thereof with a known compound which binds the PLTR-1 protein to form an assay mixture, contacting the assay mixture with a test compound, and determining the ability of the test compound to interact with the PLTR-1 protein, wherein determining the ability of the test compound to interact with the PLTR-1 protein comprises determining the ability of the PLTR-1 protein to preferentially bind to or modulate the activity of a PLTR-1 target molecule.

[1458] The cell-free assays of the present invention are amenable to use of both soluble and/or membrane-bound forms of isolated proteins (e.g., PLTR-1 proteins or biologically active portions thereof). In the case of cell-free assays in which a membrane-bound form of an isolated protein is used it may be desirable to utilize a solubilizing agent such that the membrane-bound form of the isolated protein is maintained in solution. Examples of such solubilizing agents include non-ionic detergents such as n-octylglucoside, n-dodecylglucoside, n-dodecylmaltoside, octanoyl-N-methylglucamide, decanoyl-N-methylglucamide, Triton® X-100, Triton® X-1 14, Thesit®, Isotridecypoly(ethylene glycol ether)_(n), 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylamminio]-1-propane sulfonate (CHAPS), 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylamminio]-2-hydroxy-1-propane sulfonate (CHAPS O), or N-dodecyl=N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propane sulfonate.

[1459] In more than one embodiment of the above assay methods of the present invention, it may be desirable to immobilize either PLTR-1 or its target molecule to facilitate separation of complexed from uncomplexed forms of one or both of the proteins, as well as to accommodate automation of the assay. Binding of a test compound to a PLTR-1 protein, or interaction of a PLTR-1 protein with a substrate or target molecule in the presence and absence of a candidate compound, can be accomplished in any vessel suitable for containing the reactants. Examples of such vessels include microtiter plates, test tubes, and micro-centrifuge tubes. In one embodiment, a fusion protein can be provided which adds a domain that allows one or both of the proteins to be bound to a matrix. For example, glutathione-S-transferase/PLTR-1 fusion proteins or glutathione-S-transferase/target fusion proteins can be adsorbed onto glutathione sepharose beads (Sigma Chemical, St. Louis, Mo.) or glutathione derivatized micrometer plates, which are then combined with the test compound or the test compound and either the non-adsorbed target protein or PLTR-1 protein, and the mixture incubated under conditions conducive to complex formation (e.g., at physiological conditions for salt and pH). Following incubation, the beads or microtiter plate wells are washed to remove any unbound components, the matrix immobilized in the case of beads, complex determined either directly or indirectly, for example, as described above. Alternatively, the complexes can be dissociated from the matrix, and the level of PLTR-1 binding or activity determined using standard techniques.

[1460] Other techniques for immobilizing proteins on matrices can also be used in the screening assays of the invention. For example, either a PLTR-1 protein or a PLTR-1 substrate or target molecule can be immobilized utilizing conjugation of biotin and streptavidin. Biotinylated PLTR-1 protein, substrates, or target molecules can be prepared from biotin-NHS (N-hydroxy-succinimide) using techniques known in the art (e.g., biotinylation kit, Pierce Chemicals, Rockford, Ill.), and immobilized in the wells of streptavidin-coated 96 well plates (Pierce Chemical). Alternatively, antibodies reactive with PLTR-1 protein or target molecules but which do not interfere with binding of the PLTR-1 protein to its target molecule can be derivatized to the wells of the plate, and unbound target or PLTR-1 protein trapped in the wells by antibody conjugation. Methods for detecting such complexes, in addition to those described above for the GST-immobilized complexes, include immunodetection of complexes using antibodies reactive with the PLTR-1 protein or target molecule, as well as enzyme-linked assays which rely on detecting an enzymatic activity associated with the PLTR-1 protein or target molecule.

[1461] In another embodiment, modulators of PLTR-1 expression are identified in a method wherein a cell is contacted with a candidate compound and the expression of PLTR-1 mRNA or protein in the cell is determined. The level of expression of PLTR-1 mRNA or protein in the presence of the candidate compound is compared to the level of expression of PLTR-1 mRNA or protein in the absence of the candidate compound. The candidate compound can then be identified as a modulator of PLTR-1 expression based on this comparison. For example, when expression of PLTR-1 mRNA or protein is greater (statistically significantly greater) in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as a stimulator of PLTR-1 mRNA or protein expression. Alternatively, when expression of PLTR-1 mRNA or protein is less (statistically significantly less) in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as an inhibitor of PLTR-1 mRNA or protein expression. The level of PLTR-1 mRNA or protein expression in the cells can be determined by methods described herein for detecting PLTR-1 mRNA or protein.

[1462] In yet another aspect of the invention, the PLTR-1 proteins can be used as “bait proteins” in a two-hybrid assay or three-hybrid assay (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,317; Zervos et al. (1993) Cell 72:223-232; Madura et al. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268:12046-12054; Bartel et al. (1993) Biotechniques 14:920-924; Iwabuchi et al. (1993) Oncogene 8:1693-1696; and Brent WO94/10300) to identify other proteins which bind to or interact with PLTR-1 (“PLTR-1-binding proteins” or “PLTR-1-bp”) and are involved in PLTR-1 activity. Such PLTR-1-binding proteins are also likely to be involved in the propagation of signals by the PLTR-1 proteins or PLTR-1 targets as, for example, downstream elements of a PLTR-1-mediated signaling pathway. Alternatively, such PLTR-1-binding proteins may be PLTR-1 inhibitors.

[1463] The two-hybrid system is based on the modular nature of most transcription factors, which consist of separable DNA-binding and activation domains. Briefly, the assay utilizes two different DNA constructs. In one construct, the gene that codes for a PLTR-1 protein is fused to a gene encoding the DNA binding domain of a known transcription factor (e.g., GAL-4). In the other construct, a DNA sequence, from a library of DNA sequences, that encodes an unidentified protein (“prey” or “sample”) is fused to a gene that codes for the activation domain of the known transcription factor. If the “bait” and the “prey” proteins are able to interact, in vivo, forming a PLTR-1-dependent complex, the DNA-binding and activation domains of the transcription factor are brought into close proximity. This proximity allows transcription of a reporter gene (e.g., LacZ) which is operably linked to a transcriptional regulatory site responsive to the transcription factor. Expression of the reporter gene can be detected and cell colonies containing the functional transcription factor can be isolated and used to obtain the cloned gene which encodes the protein which interacts with the PLTR-1 protein.

[1464] In another aspect, the invention pertains to a combination of two or more of the assays described herein. For example, a modulating agent can be identified using a cell-based or a cell-free assay, and the ability of the agent to modulate the activity of a PLTR-1 protein can be confirmed in vivo, e.g., in an animal such as an animal model for cellular transformation and/or tumorigenesis.

[1465] This invention further pertains to novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays. Accordingly, it is within the scope of this invention to further use an agent identified as described herein in an appropriate animal model. For example, an agent identified as described herein (e.g., a PLTR-1 modulating agent, an antisense PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecule, a PLTR-1-specific antibody, or a PLTR-1 binding partner) can be used in an animal model to determine the efficacy, toxicity, or side effects of treatment with such an agent. Alternatively, an agent identified as described herein can be used in an animal model to determine the mechanism of action of such an agent. Furthermore, this invention pertains to uses of novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays for treatments as described herein.

[1466] B. Detection Assays

[1467] Portions or fragments of the cDNA sequences identified herein (and the corresponding complete gene sequences) can be used in numerous ways as polynucleotide reagents. For example, these sequences can be used to: (i) map their respective genes on a chromosome; and, thus, locate gene regions associated with genetic disease; (ii) identify an individual from a minute biological sample (tissue typing); and (iii) aid in forensic identification of a biological sample. These applications are described in the subsections below.

[1468] 1. Chromosome Mapping

[1469] Once the sequence (or a portion of the sequence) of a gene has been isolated, this sequence can be used to map the location of the gene on a chromosome. This process is called chromosome mapping. Accordingly, portions or fragments of the PLTR-1 nucleotide sequences, described herein, can be used to map the location of the PLTR-1 genes on a chromosome. The mapping of the PLTR-1 sequences to chromosomes is an important first step in correlating these sequences with genes associated with disease.

[1470] Briefly, PLTR-1 genes can be mapped to chromosomes by preparing PCR primers (preferably 15-25 bp in length) from the PLTR-1 nucleotide sequences. Computer analysis of the PLTR-1 sequences can be used to predict primers that do not span more than one exon in the genomic DNA, thus complicating the amplification process. These primers can then be used for PCR screening of somatic cell hybrids containing individual human chromosomes. Only those hybrids containing the human gene corresponding to the PLTR-1 sequences will yield an amplified fragment.

[1471] Somatic cell hybrids are prepared by fusing somatic cells from different mammals (e.g., human and mouse cells). As hybrids of human and mouse cells grow and divide, they gradually lose human chromosomes in random order, but retain the mouse chromosomes. By using media in which mouse cells cannot grow, because they lack a particular enzyme, but human cells can, the one human chromosome that contains the gene encoding the needed enzyme, will be retained. By using various media, panels of hybrid cell lines can be established. Each cell line in a panel contains either a single human chromosome or a small number of human chromosomes, and a full set of mouse chromosomes, allowing easy mapping of individual genes to specific human chromosomes (D'Eustachio P. et al. (1983) Science 220:919-924). Somatic cell hybrids containing only fragments of human chromosomes can also be produced by using human chromosomes with translocations and deletions.

[1472] PCR mapping of somatic cell hybrids is a rapid procedure for assigning a particular sequence to a particular chromosome. Three or more sequences can be assigned per day using a single thermal cycler. Using the PLTR-1 nucleotide sequences to design oligonucleotide primers, sublocalization can be achieved with panels of fragments from specific chromosomes. Other mapping strategies which can similarly be used to map a PLTR-1 sequence to its chromosome include in situ hybridization (described in Fan, Y. et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:6223-27), pre-screening with labeled flow-sorted chromosomes, and pre-selection by hybridization to chromosome-specific cDNA libraries.

[1473] Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of a DNA sequence to a metaphase chromosomal spread can further be used to provide a precise chromosomal location in one step. Chromosome spreads can be made using cells whose division has been blocked in metaphase by a chemical such as colcemid that disrupts the mitotic spindle. The chromosomes can be treated briefly with trypsin, and then stained with Giemsa. A pattern of light and dark bands develops on each chromosome, so that the chromosomes can be identified individually. The FISH technique can be used with a DNA sequence as short as 500 or 600 bases. However, clones larger than 1,000 bases have a higher likelihood of binding to a unique chromosomal location with sufficient signal intensity for simple detection. Preferably 1,000 bases, and more preferably 2,000 bases will suffice to get good results at a reasonable amount of time. For a review of this technique, see Verma et al., Human Chromosomes: A Manual of Basic Techniques (Pergamon Press, New York 1988).

[1474] Reagents for chromosome mapping can be used individually to mark a single chromosome or a single site on that chromosome, or panels of reagents can be used for marking multiple sites and/or multiple chromosomes. Reagents corresponding to noncoding regions of the genes actually are preferred for mapping purposes. Coding sequences are more likely to be conserved within gene families, thus increasing the chance of cross hybridizations during chromosomal mapping.

[1475] Once a sequence has been mapped to a precise chromosomal location, the physical position of the sequence on the chromosome can be correlated with genetic map data (such data are found, for example, in McKusick, V., Mendelian Inheritance in Man, available on-line through Johns Hopkins University Welch Medical Library). The relationship between a gene and a disease, mapped to the same chromosomal region, can then be identified through linkage analysis (co-inheritance of physically adjacent genes), described in, for example, Egeland, J. et al. (1987) Nature 325:783-787.

[1476] Moreover, differences in the DNA sequences between individuals affected and unaffected with a disease associated with the PLTR-1 gene, can be-determined. If a mutation is observed in some or all of the affected individuals but not in any unaffected individuals, then the mutation is likely to be the causative agent of the particular disease. Comparison of affected and unaffected individuals generally involves first looking for structural alterations in the chromosomes, such as deletions or translocations that are visible from chromosome spreads or detectable using PCR based on that DNA sequence. Ultimately, complete sequencing of genes from several individuals can be performed to confirm the presence of a mutation and to distinguish mutations from polymorphisms.

[1477] 2. Tissue Typing

[1478] The PLTR-1 sequences of the present invention can also be used to identify individuals from minute biological samples. The United States military, for example, is considering the use of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) for identification of its personnel. In this technique, an individual's genomic DNA is digested with one or more restriction enzymes, and probed on a Southern blot to yield unique bands for identification. This method does not suffer from the current limitations of “Dog Tags” which can be lost, switched, or stolen, making positive identification difficult. The sequences of the present invention are useful as additional DNA markers for RFLP (described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,057).

[1479] Furthermore, the sequences of the present invention can be used to provide an alternative technique which determines the actual base-by-base DNA sequence of selected portions of an individual's genome. Thus, the PLTR-1 nucleotide sequences described herein can be used to prepare two PCR primers from the 5′ and 3′ ends of the sequences. These primers can then be used to amplify an individual's DNA and subsequently sequence it.

[1480] Panels of corresponding DNA sequences from individuals, prepared in this manner, can provide unique individual identifications, as each individual will have a unique set of such DNA sequences due to allelic differences. The sequences of the present invention can be used to obtain such identification sequences from individuals and from tissue. The PLTR-1 nucleotide sequences of the invention uniquely represent portions of the human genome. Allelic variation occurs to some degree in the coding regions of these sequences, and to a greater degree in the noncoding regions. It is estimated that allelic variation between individual humans occurs with a frequency of about once per each 500 bases. Each of the sequences described herein can, to some degree, be used as a standard against which DNA from an individual can be compared for identification purposes. Because greater numbers of polymorphisms occur in the noncoding regions, fewer sequences are necessary to differentiate individuals. The noncoding sequences of SEQ ID NO: 19 can comfortably provide positive individual identification with a panel of perhaps 10 to 1,000 primers which each yield a noncoding amplified sequence of 100 bases. If predicted coding sequences, such as those in SEQ ID NO: 21 are used, a more appropriate number of primers for positive individual identification would be 500-2,000.

[1481] If a panel of reagents from PLTR-1 nucleotide sequences described herein is used to generate a unique identification database for an individual, those same reagents can later be used to identify tissue from that individual. Using the unique identification database, positive identification of the individual, living or dead, can be made from extremely small tissue samples.

[1482] 3. Use of Partial PLTR-1 Sequences in Forensic Biology

[1483] DNA-based identification techniques can also be used in forensic biology. Forensic biology is a scientific field employing genetic typing of biological evidence found at a crime scene as a means for positively identifying, for example, a perpetrator of a crime. To make such an identification, PCR technology can be used to amplify DNA sequences taken from very small biological samples such as tissues, e.g., hair or skin, or body fluids, e.g., blood, saliva, or semen found at a crime scene. The amplified sequence can then be compared to a standard, thereby allowing identification of the origin of the biological sample.

[1484] The sequences of the present invention can be used to provide polynucleotide reagents, e.g., PCR primers, targeted to specific loci in the human genome, which can enhance the reliability of DNA-based forensic identifications by, for example, providing another “identification marker” (i.e., another DNA sequence that is unique to a particular individual). As mentioned above, actual base sequence information can be used for identification as an accurate alternative to patterns formed by restriction enzyme generated fragments. Sequences targeted to noncoding regions of SEQ ID NO: 19 are particularly appropriate for this use as greater numbers of polymorphisms occur in the noncoding regions, making it easier to differentiate individuals using this technique. Examples of polynucleotide reagents include the PLTR-1 nucleotide sequences or portions thereof, e.g., fragments derived from the noncoding regions of SEQ ID NO: 19 having a length of at least 20 bases, preferably at least 30 bases.

[1485] The PLTR-1 nucleotide sequences described herein can further be used to provide polynucleotide reagents, e.g., labeled or labelable probes which can be used in, for example, an in situ hybridization technique, to identify a specific tissue, e.g., a tissue which expresses PLTR-1. This can be very useful in cases where a forensic pathologist is presented with a tissue of unknown origin. Panels of such PLTR-1 probes can be used to identify tissue by species and/or by organ type.

[1486] In a similar fashion, these reagents, e.g., PLTR-1 primers or probes can be used to screen tissue culture for contamination (i.e., screen for the presence of a mixture of different types of cells in a culture).

[1487] C. Predictive Medicine

[1488] The present invention also pertains to the field of predictive medicine in which diagnostic assays, prognostic assays, and monitoring clinical trials are used for prognostic (predictive) purposes to thereby treat an individual prophylactically. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention relates to diagnostic assays for determining PLTR-1 protein and/or nucleic acid expression as well as PLTR-1 activity, in the context of a biological sample (e.g., blood, serum, cells, or tissue) to thereby determine whether an individual is afflicted with a disease or disorder, or is at risk of developing a disorder, associated with aberrant or unwanted PLTR-1 expression or activity (e.g., a cardiovascular disorder). The invention also provides for prognostic (or predictive) assays for determining whether an individual is at risk of developing a disorder associated with PLTR-1 protein, nucleic acid expression, or activity. For example, mutations in a PLTR-1 gene can be assayed in a biological sample. Such assays can be used for prognostic or predictive purpose to thereby prophylactically treat an individual prior to the onset of a disorder characterized by or associated with PLTR-1 protein, nucleic acid expression or activity.

[1489] Another aspect of the invention pertains to monitoring the influence of agents (e.g., drugs, compounds) on the expression or activity of PLTR-1 in clinical trials.

[1490] These and other agents are described in further detail in the following sections.

[1491] 1. Diagnostic Assays

[1492] An exemplary method for detecting the presence or absence of PLTR-1 protein, polypeptide or nucleic acid in a biological sample involves obtaining a biological sample from a test subject and contacting the biological sample with a compound or an agent capable of detecting PLTR-1 protein, polypeptide or nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA, genomic DNA) that encodes PLTR-1 protein such that the presence of PLTR-1 protein or nucleic acid is detected in the biological sample. In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for detecting the presence of PLTR-1 activity in a biological sample by contacting the biological sample with an agent capable of detecting an indicator of PLTR-1 activity such that the presence of PLTR-1 activity is detected in the biological sample. A preferred agent for detecting PLTR-1 mRNA or genomic DNA is a labeled nucleic acid probe capable of hybridizing to PLTR-1 mRNA or genomic DNA. The nucleic acid probe can be, for example, a full-length PLTR-1 nucleic acid, such as the nucleic acid of SEQ ID NO: 19 or 21, or the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or a portion thereof, such as an oligonucleotide of at least 15, 30, 50, 100, 250 or 500 nucleotides in length and sufficient to specifically hybridize under stringent conditions to PLTR-1 mRNA or genomic DNA. Other suitable probes for use in the diagnostic assays of the invention are described herein.

[1493] A preferred agent for detecting PLTR-1 protein is an antibody capable of binding to PLTR-1 protein, preferably an antibody with a detectable label. Antibodies can be polyclonal, or more preferably, monoclonal. An intact antibody, or a fragment thereof (e.g., Fab or F(ab′)₂) can be used. The term “labeled”, with regard to the probe or antibody, is intended to encompass direct labeling of the probe or antibody by coupling (i.e., physically linking) a detectable substance to the probe or antibody, as well as indirect labeling of the probe or antibody by reactivity with another reagent that is directly labeled. Examples of indirect labeling include detection of a primary antibody using a fluorescently labeled secondary antibody and end-labeling of a DNA probe with biotin such that it can be detected with fluorescently labeled streptavidin. The term “biological sample” is intended to include tissues, cells and biological fluids isolated from a subject, as well as tissues, cells and fluids present within a subject. That is, the detection method of the invention can be used to detect PLTR-1 mRNA, protein, or genomic DNA in a biological sample in vitro as well as in vivo. For example, in vitro techniques for detection of PLTR-1 mRNA include Northern hybridizations and in situ hybridizations. In vitro techniques for detection of PLTR-1 protein include enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), Western blots, immunoprecipitations and immunofluorescence. In vitro techniques for detection of PLTR-1 genomic DNA include Southern hybridizations. Furthermore, in vivo techniques for detection of a PLTR-1 protein include introducing into a subject a labeled anti-PLTR-1 antibody. For example, the antibody can be labeled with a radioactive marker whose presence and location in a subject can be detected by standard imaging techniques.

[1494] The present invention also provides diagnostic assays for identifying the presence or absence of a genetic alteration characterized by at least one of (i) aberrant modification or mutation of a gene encoding a PLTR-1 protein; (ii) aberrant expression of a gene encoding a PLTR-1 protein; (iv) mis-regulation of the gene; and (iii) aberrant post-translational modification of a PLTR-1 protein, wherein a wild-type form of the gene encodes a protein with a PLTR-1 activity. “Misexpression or aberrant expression”, as used herein, refers to a non-wild type pattern of gene expression, at the RNA or protein level. It includes, but is not limited to, expression at non-wild type levels (e.g., over or under expression); a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the time or stage at which the gene is expressed (e.g., increased or decreased expression (as compared with wild type) at a predetermined developmental period or stage); a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of decreased expression (as compared with wild type) in a predetermined cell type or tissue type; a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the splicing size, amino acid sequence, post-transitional modification, or biological activity of the expressed polypeptide; a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the effect of an environmental stimulus or extracellular stimulus on expression of the gene (e.g., a pattern of increased or decreased expression (as compared with wild type) in the presence of an increase or decrease in the strength of the stimulus).

[1495] In one embodiment, the biological sample contains protein molecules from the test subject. Alternatively, the biological sample can contain mRNA molecules from the test subject or genomic DNA molecules from the test subject. A preferred biological sample is a serum sample isolated by conventional means from a subject.

[1496] In another embodiment, the methods further involve obtaining a control biological sample from a control subject, contacting the control sample with a compound or agent capable of detecting PLTR-1 protein, mRNA, or genomic DNA, such that the presence of PLTR-1 protein, mRNA or genomic DNA is detected in the biological sample, and comparing the presence of PLTR-1 protein, mRNA or genomic DNA in the control sample with the presence of PLTR-1 protein, mRNA or genomic DNA in the test sample.

[1497] The invention also encompasses kits for detecting the presence of PLTR-1 in a biological sample. For example, the kit can comprise a labeled compound or agent capable of detecting PLTR-1 protein or mRNA in a biological sample; means for determining the amount of PLTR-1 in the sample; and means for comparing the amount of PLTR-1 in the sample with a standard. The compound or agent can be packaged in a suitable container. The kit can further comprise instructions for using the kit to detect PLTR-1 protein or nucleic acid.

[1498] 2. Prognostic Assays

[1499] The diagnostic methods described herein can furthermore be utilized to identify subjects having or at risk of developing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted PLTR-1 expression or activity (e.g., a cardiovascular disorder). As used herein, the term “aberrant” includes a PLTR-1 expression or activity which deviates from the wild type PLTR-1 expression or activity. Aberrant expression or activity includes increased or decreased expression or activity, as well as expression or activity which does not follow the wild type developmental pattern of expression or the subcellular pattern of expression. For example, aberrant PLTR-1 expression or activity is intended to include the cases in which a mutation in the PLTR-1 gene causes the PLTR-1 gene to be under-expressed or over-expressed and situations in which such mutations result in a non-functional PLTR-1 protein or a protein which does not function in a wild-type fashion, e.g., a protein which does not interact with or transport a PLTR-1 substrate, or one which interacts with or transports a non-PLTR-1 substrate. As used herein, the term “unwanted” includes an unwanted phenomenon involved in a biological response such as deregulated cell proliferation. For example, the term unwanted includes a PLTR-1 expression or activity which is undesirable in a subject.

[1500] The assays described herein, such as the preceding diagnostic assays or the following assays, can be utilized to identify a subject having or at risk of developing a disorder associated with a misregulation in PLTR-1 protein activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a cardiovascular disorder or a cell growth, proliferation and/or differentiation disorder. Alternatively, the prognostic assays can be utilized to identify a subject having or at risk for developing a disorder associated with a misregulation in PLTR-1 protein activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a cardiovascular disorder or a cell growth, proliferation and/or differentiation disorder. Thus, the present invention provides a method for identifying a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted PLTR-1 expression or activity in which a test sample is obtained from a subject and PLTR-1 protein or nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA or genomic DNA) is detected, wherein the presence of PLTR-1 protein or nucleic acid is diagnostic for a subject having or at risk of developing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted PLTR-1 expression or activity. As used herein, a “test sample” refers to a biological sample obtained from a subject of interest. For example, a test sample can be a biological fluid (e.g., serum), cell sample, or tissue.

[1501] Furthermore, the prognostic assays described herein can be used to determine whether a subject can be administered an agent (e.g., an agonist, antagonist, peptidomimetic, protein, peptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or other drug candidate) to treat a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted PLTR-1 expression or activity (e.g., a cardiovascular disorder). For example, such methods can be used to determine whether a subject can be effectively treated with an agent for a cardiovascular disorder, a drug or toxin sensitivity disorder, or a cell proliferation and/or differentiation disorder. Thus, the present invention provides methods for determining whether a subject can be effectively treated with an agent for a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted PLTR-1 expression or activity in which a test sample is obtained and PLTR-1 protein or nucleic acid expression or activity is detected (e.g., wherein the abundance of PLTR-1 protein or nucleic acid expression or activity is diagnostic for a subject that can be administered the agent to treat a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted PLTR-1 expression or activity).

[1502] The methods of the invention can also be used to detect genetic alterations in a PLTR-1 gene, thereby determining if a subject with the altered gene is at risk for a disorder characterized by misregulation in PLTR-1 protein activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a cardiovascular disorder or a cell growth, proliferation and/or differentiation disorder. In preferred embodiments, the methods include detecting, in a sample of cells from the subject, the presence or absence of a genetic alteration characterized by at least one of an alteration affecting the integrity of a gene encoding a PLTR-1-protein, or the mis-expression of the PLTR-1 gene. For example, such genetic alterations can be detected by ascertaining the existence of at least one of 1) a deletion of one or more nucleotides from a PLTR-1 gene; 2) an addition of one or more nucleotides to a PLTR-1 gene; 3) a substitution of one or more nucleotides of a PLTR-1 gene, 4) a chromosomal rearrangement of a PLTR-1 gene; 5) an alteration in the level of a messenger RNA transcript of a PLTR-1 gene, 6) aberrant modification of a PLTR-1 gene, such as of the methylation pattern of the genomic DNA, 7) the presence of a non-wild type splicing pattern of a messenger RNA transcript of a PLTR-1 gene, 8) a non-wild type level of a PLTR-1-protein, 9) allelic loss of a PLTR-1 gene, and 10) inappropriate post-translational modification of a PLTR-1-protein. As described herein, there are a large number of assays known in the art which can be used for detecting alterations in a PLTR-1 gene. A preferred biological sample is a tissue or serum sample isolated by conventional means from a subject.

[1503] In certain embodiments, detection of the alteration involves the use of a probe/primer in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195 and 4,683,202), such as anchor PCR or RACE PCR, or, alternatively, in a ligation chain reaction (LCR) (see, e.g., Landegran et al. (1988) Science 241:1077-1080; and Nakazawa et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:360-364), the latter of which can be particularly useful for detecting point mutations in the PLTR-1-gene (see Abravaya et al. (1995) Nucleic Acids Res. 23:675-682). This method can include the steps of collecting a sample of cells from a subject, isolating nucleic acid (e.g., genomic, mRNA or both) from the cells of the sample, contacting the nucleic acid sample with one or more primers which specifically hybridize to a PLTR-1 gene under conditions such that hybridization and amplification of the PLTR-1-gene (if present) occurs, and detecting the presence or absence of an amplification product, or detecting the size of the amplification product and comparing the length to a control sample. It is anticipated that PCR and/or LCR may be desirable to use as a preliminary amplification step in conjunction with any of the techniques used for detecting mutations described herein.

[1504] Alternative amplification methods include: self sustained sequence replication (Guatelli, J. C. et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:1874-1878), transcriptional amplification system (Kwoh, D. Y. et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:1173-1177), Q-Beta Replicase (Lizardi, P. M. et al. (1988) Bio-Technology 6:1197), or any other nucleic acid amplification method, followed by the detection of the amplified molecules using techniques well known to those of skill in the art. These detection schemes are especially useful for the detection of nucleic acid molecules if such molecules are present in very low numbers.

[1505] In an alternative embodiment, mutations in a PLTR-1 gene from a sample cell can be identified by alterations in restriction enzyme cleavage patterns. For example, sample and control DNA is isolated, amplified (optionally), digested with one or more restriction endonucleases, and fragment length sizes are determined by gel electrophoresis and compared. Differences in fragment length sizes between sample and control DNA indicates mutations in the sample DNA. Moreover, the use of sequence specific ribozymes (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,531) can be used to score for the presence of specific mutations by development or loss of a ribozyme cleavage site.

[1506] In other embodiments, genetic mutations in PLTR-1 can be identified by hybridizing a sample and control nucleic acids, e.g., DNA or RNA, to high density arrays containing hundreds or thousands of oligonucleotides probes (Cronin, M. T. et al. (1996) Hum. Mutat. 7:244-255; Kozal, M. J. et al. (1996) Nat. Med. 2:753-759). For example, genetic mutations in PLTR-1 can be identified in two dimensional arrays containing light-generated DNA probes as described in Cronin et al. (1996) supra. Briefly, a first hybridization array of probes can be used to scan through long stretches of DNA in a sample and control to identify base changes between the sequences by making linear arrays of sequential overlapping probes. This step allows the identification of point mutations. This step is followed by a second hybridization array that allows the characterization of specific mutations by using smaller, specialized probe arrays complementary to all variants or mutations detected. Each mutation array is composed of parallel probe sets, one complementary to the wild-type gene and the other complementary to the mutant gene.

[1507] In yet another embodiment, any of a variety of sequencing reactions known in the art can be used to directly sequence the PLTR-1 gene and detect mutations by comparing the sequence of the sample PLTR-1 with the corresponding wild-type (control) sequence. Examples of sequencing reactions include those based on techniques developed by Maxam and Gilbert ((1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:560) or Sanger ((1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:5463). It is also contemplated that any of a variety of automated sequencing procedures can be utilized when performing the diagnostic assays (Naeve, C. W. (1995) Biotechniques 19:448), including sequencing by mass spectrometry (see, e.g., PCT International Publication No. WO 94/16101; Cohen et al. (1996) Adv. Chromatogr. 36:127-162; and Griffin et al. (1993) Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 38:147-159).

[1508] Other methods for detecting mutations in the PLTR-1 gene include methods in which protection from cleavage agents is used to detect mismatched bases in RNA/RNA or RNA/DNA heteroduplexes (Myers et al. (1985) Science 230:1242). In general, the art technique of “mismatch cleavage” starts by providing heteroduplexes formed by hybridizing (labeled) RNA or DNA containing the wild-type PLTR-1 sequence with potentially mutant RNA or DNA obtained from a tissue sample. The double-stranded duplexes are treated with an agent which cleaves single-stranded regions of the duplex such as which will exist due to basepair mismatches between the control and sample strands. For instance, RNA/DNA duplexes can be treated with RNase and DNA/DNA hybrids treated with S1 nuclease to enzymatically digesting the mismatched regions. In other embodiments, either DNA/DNA or RNA/DNA duplexes can be treated with hydroxylamine or osmium tetroxide and with piperidine in order to digest mismatched regions. After digestion of the mismatched regions, the resulting material is then separated by size on denaturing polyacrylamide gels to determine the site of mutation. See, for example, Cotton et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:4397; Saleeba et al. (1992) Methods Enzymol. 217:286-295. In a preferred embodiment, the control DNA or RNA can be labeled for detection.

[1509] In still another embodiment, the mismatch cleavage reaction employs one or more proteins that recognize mismatched base pairs in double-stranded DNA (so called “DNA mismatch repair” enzymes) in defined systems for detecting and mapping point mutations in PLTR-I cDNAs obtained from samples of cells. For example, the mutY enzyme of E. coli cleaves A at G/A mismatches and the thymidine DNA glycosylase from HeLa cells cleaves T at G/T mismatches (Hsu et al. (1994) Carcinogenesis 15:1657-1662). According to an exemplary embodiment, a probe based on a PLTR-1 sequence, e.g., a wild-type PLTR-1 sequence, is hybridized to a cDNA or other DNA product from a test cell(s). The duplex is treated with a DNA mismatch repair enzyme, and the cleavage products, if any, can be detected from electrophoresis protocols or the like. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,039.

[1510] In other embodiments, alterations in electrophoretic mobility will be used to identify mutations in PLTR-1 genes. For example, single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) may be used to detect differences in electrophoretic mobility between mutant and wild type nucleic acids (Orita et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:2766, see also Cotton (1993) Mutat. Res. 285:125-144; and Hayashi (1992) Genet. Anal. Tech. Appl. 9:73-79). Single-stranded DNA fragments of sample and control PLTR-1 nucleic acids will be denatured and allowed to renature. The secondary structure of single-stranded nucleic acids varies according to sequence, the resulting alteration in electrophoretic mobility enables the detection of even a single base change. The DNA fragments may be labeled or detected with labeled probes. The sensitivity of the assay may be enhanced by using RNA (rather than DNA), in which the secondary structure is more sensitive to a change in sequence. In a preferred embodiment, the subject method utilizes heteroduplex analysis to separate double stranded heteroduplex molecules on the basis of changes in electrophoretic mobility (Keen et al. (1991) Trends Genet. 7:5).

[1511] In yet another embodiment the movement of mutant or wild-type fragments in polyacrylamide gels containing a gradient of denaturant is assayed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) (Myers et al. (1985) Nature 313:495). When DGGE is used as the method of analysis, DNA will be modified to insure that it does not completely denature, for example by adding a GC clamp of approximately 40 bp of high-melting GC-rich DNA by PCR. In a further embodiment, a temperature gradient is used in place of a denaturing gradient to identify differences in the mobility of control and sample DNA (Rosenbaum and Reissner (1987) Biophys. Chem. 265:12753).

[1512] Examples of other techniques for detecting point mutations include, but are not limited to, selective oligonucleotide hybridization, selective amplification, or selective primer extension. For example, oligonucleotide primers may be prepared in which the known mutation is placed centrally and then hybridized to target DNA under conditions which permit hybridization only if a perfect match is found (Saiki et al. (1986) Nature 324:163); Saiki et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6230). Such allele specific oligonucleotides are hybridized to PCR amplified target DNA or a number of different mutations when the oligonucleotides are attached to the hybridizing membrane and hybridized with labeled target DNA.

[1513] Alternatively, allele specific amplification technology which depends on selective PCR amplification may be used in conjunction with the instant invention. Oligonucleotides used as primers for specific amplification may carry the mutation of interest in the center of the molecule (so that amplification depends on differential hybridization) (Gibbs et al. (1989) Nucleic Acids Res. 17:2437-2448) or at the extreme 3′ end of one primer where, under appropriate conditions, mismatch can prevent, or reduce polymerase extension (Prossner (1993) Tibtech 11:238). In addition it may be desirable to introduce a novel restriction site in the region of the mutation to create cleavage-based detection (Gasparini et al. (1992) Mol. Cell Probes 6:1). It is anticipated that in certain embodiments amplification may also be performed using Taq ligase for amplification (Barany (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:189). In such cases, ligation will occur only if there is a perfect match at the 3′ end of the 5′ sequence making it possible to detect the presence of a known mutation at a specific site by looking for the presence or absence of amplification.

[1514] The methods described herein may be performed, for example, by utilizing pre-packaged diagnostic kits comprising at least one probe nucleic acid or antibody reagent described herein, which may be conveniently used, e.g., in clinical settings to diagnose patients exhibiting symptoms or family history of a disease or illness involving a PLTR-1 gene.

[1515] Furthermore, any cell type or tissue in which PLTR-1 is expressed may be utilized in the prognostic assays described herein.

[1516] 3. Monitoring of Effects During Clinical Trials

[1517] Monitoring the influence of agents (e.g., drugs) on the expression or activity of a PLTR-1 protein (e.g., the modulation of gene expression, cellular signaling, PLTR-1 activity, phospholipid transporter activity, and/or cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, absorption, and/or secretion mechanisms) can be applied not only in basic drug screening, but also in clinical trials. For example, the effectiveness of an agent determined by a screening assay as described herein to increase PLTR-1 gene expression, protein levels, or upregulate PLTR-1 activity, can be monitored in clinical trials of subjects exhibiting decreased PLTR-1 gene expression, protein levels, or downregulated PLTR-1 activity. Alternatively, the effectiveness of an agent determined by a screening assay to decrease PLTR-1 gene expression, protein levels, or downregulate PLTR-1 activity, can be monitored in clinical trials of subjects exhibiting increased PLTR-1 gene expression, protein levels, or upregulated PLTR-1 activity. In such clinical trials, the expression or activity of a PLTR-1 gene, and preferably, other genes that have been implicated in, for example, a PLTR-1 -associated disorder can be used as a “read out” or markers of the phenotype of a particular cell.

[1518] For example, and not by way of limitation, genes, including PLTR-1, that are modulated in cells by treatment with an agent (e.g., compound, drug or small molecule) which modulates PLTR-1 activity (e.g., identified in a screening assay as described herein) can be identified. Thus, to study the effect of agents on PLTR-1-associated disorders (e.g., disorders characterized by deregulated gene expression, cellular signaling, PLTR-1 activity, phospholipid transporter activity, and/or cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, absorption, and/or secretion mechanisms), for example, in a clinical trial, cells can be isolated and RNA prepared and analyzed for the levels of expression of PLTR-1 and other genes implicated in the PLTR-1-associated disorder, respectively. The levels of gene expression (e.g., a gene expression pattern) can be quantified by northern blot analysis or RT-PCR, as described herein, or alternatively by measuring the amount of protein produced, by one of the methods as described herein, or by measuring the levels of activity of PLTR-1 or other genes. In this way, the gene expression pattern can serve as a marker, indicative of the physiological response of the cells to the agent. Accordingly, this response state may be determined before, and at various points during treatment of the individual with the agent.

[1519] In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method for monitoring the effectiveness of treatment of a subject with an agent (e.g., an agonist, antagonist, Is peptidomimetic, protein, peptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or other drug candidate identified by the screening assays described herein) including the steps of (i) obtaining a pre-administration sample from a subject prior to administration of the agent; (ii) detecting the level of expression of a PLTR-1 protein, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the preadministration sample; (iii) obtaining one or more post-administration samples from the subject; (iv) detecting the level of expression or activity of the PLTR-1 protein, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the post-administration samples; (v) comparing the level of expression or activity of the PLTR-1 protein, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the pre-administration sample with the PLTR-1 protein, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the post administration sample or samples; and (vi) altering the administration of the agent to the subject accordingly. For example, increased administration of the agent may be desirable to increase the expression or activity of PLTR-1 to higher levels than detected, i.e., to increase the effectiveness of the agent. Alternatively, decreased administration of the agent may be desirable to decrease expression or activity of PLTR-1 to lower levels than detected, i.e., to decrease the effectiveness of the agent. According to such an embodiment, PLTR-1 expression or activity may be used as an indicator of the effectiveness of an agent, even in the absence of an observable phenotypic response.

[1520] D. Methods of Treatment

[1521] The present invention provides for both prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treating a subject at risk of (or susceptible to) a disorder or having a PLTR-1-associated disorder, e.g., a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted PLTR-1 expression or activity (e.g., a cardiovascular disorder). As used herein, “treatment” of a subject includes the application or administration of a therapeutic agent to a subject, or application or administration of a therapeutic agent to a cell or tissue from a subject, who has a disease or disorder, has a symptom of a disease or disorder, or is at risk of (or susceptible to) a disease or disorder, with the purpose of curing, healing, alleviating, relieving, altering, remedying, ameliorating, improving, or affecting the disease or disorder, the symptom of the disease or disorder, or the risk of (or susceptibility to) the disease or disorder. As used herein, a “therapeutic agent” includes, but is not limited to, small molecules, peptides, polypeptides, antibodies, ribozymes, and antisense oligonucleotides.

[1522] With regards to both prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treatment, such treatments may be specifically tailored or modified, based on knowledge obtained from the field of pharmacogenomics. “Pharmacogenomics”, as used herein, refers to the application of genomics technologies such as gene sequencing, statistical genetics, and gene expression analysis to drugs in clinical development and on the market. More specifically, the term refers the study of how a patient's genes determine his or her response to a drug (e.g., a patient's “drug response phenotype”, or “drug response genotype”). Thus, another aspect of the invention provides methods for tailoring an individual's prophylactic or therapeutic treatment with either the PLTR-1 molecules of the present invention or PLTR-1 modulators according to that individual's drug response genotype. Pharmacogenomics allows a clinician or physician to target prophylactic or therapeutic treatments to patients who will most benefit from the treatment and to avoid treatment of patients who will experience toxic drug-related side effects.

[1523] 1. Prophylactic Methods

[1524] In one aspect, the invention provides a method for preventing in a subject, a disease or condition associated with an aberrant or unwanted PLTR-1 expression or activity, by administering to the subject a PLTR-1 or an agent which modulates PLTR-1 expression or at least one PLTR-1 activity. Subjects at risk for a disease which is caused or contributed to by aberrant or unwanted PLTR-1 expression or activity can be identified by, for example, any or a combination of diagnostic or prognostic assays as described herein. Administration of a prophylactic agent can occur prior to the manifestation of symptoms characteristic of the PLTR-1 aberrancy, such that a disease or disorder is prevented or, alternatively, delayed in its progression. Depending on the type of PLTR-1 aberrancy, for example, a PLTR-1, PLTR-1 agonist or PLTR-1 antagonist agent can be used for treating the subject. The appropriate agent can be determined based on screening assays described herein.

[1525] 2. Therapeutic Methods

[1526] Another aspect of the invention pertains to methods of modulating PLTR-1 expression or activity for therapeutic purposes. Accordingly, in an exemplary embodiment, the modulatory method of the invention involves contacting a cell capable of expressing PLTR-1 with an agent that modulates one or more of the activities of PLTR-1 protein activity associated with the cell, such that PLTR-1 activity in the cell is modulated. An agent that modulates PLTR-1 protein activity can be an agent as described herein, such as a nucleic acid or a protein, a naturally-occurring target molecule of a PLTR-1 protein (e.g., a PLTR-1 substrate), a PLTR-1 antibody, a PLTR-1 agonist or antagonist, a peptidomimetic of a PLTR-1 agonist or antagonist, or other small molecule. In one embodiment, the agent stimulates one or more PLTR-1 activities. Examples of such stimulatory agents include active PLTR-1 protein and a nucleic acid molecule encoding PLTR-1 that has been introduced into the cell. In another embodiment, the agent inhibits one or more PLTR-1 activities. Examples of such inhibitory agents include antisense PLTR-1 nucleic acid molecules, anti-PLTR-1 antibodies, and PLTR-1 inhibitors. These modulatory methods can be performed in vitro (e.g., by culturing the cell with the agent) or, alternatively, in vivo (e.g., by administering the agent to a subject). As such, the present invention provides methods of treating an individual afflicted with a disease or disorder characterized by aberrant or unwanted expression or activity of a PLTR-1 protein or nucleic acid molecule (e.g., a cardiovascular disorder). In one embodiment, the method involves administering an agent (e.g., an agent identified by a screening assay described herein), or combination of agents that modulates (e.g., upregulates or downregulates) PLTR-1 expression or activity. In another embodiment, the method involves administering a PLTR-1 protein or nucleic acid molecule as therapy to compensate for reduced, aberrant, or unwanted PLTR-1 expression or activity.

[1527] Stimulation of PLTR-1 activity is desirable in situations in which PLTR-1 is abnormally downregulated and/or in which increased PLTR-1 activity is likely to have a beneficial effect. For example, stimulation of PLTR-1 activity is desirable in situations in which a PLTR-1 is downregulated and/or in which increased PLTR-1 activity is likely to have a beneficial effect. Likewise, inhibition of PLTR-1 activity is desirable in situations in which PLTR-1 is abnormally upregulated and/or in which decreased PLTR-1 activity is likely to have a beneficial effect.

[1528] 3. Pharmacogenomics

[1529] The PLTR-1 molecules of the present invention, as well as agents, or modulators which have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on PLTR-1 activity (e.g., PLTR-1 gene expression) as identified by a screening assay described herein can be administered to individuals to treat (prophylactically or therapeutically) PLTR-1-associated disorders (e.g., disorders characterized by aberrant gene expression, PLTR-1 activity, phospholipid transporter activity, cellular signaling, and/or cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, absorption, and/or secretion) associated with aberrant or unwanted PLTR-1 activity. In conjunction with such treatment, pharmacogenomics (i.e., the study of the relationship between an individual's genotype and that individual's response to a foreign compound or drug) may be considered. Differences in metabolism of therapeutics can lead to severe toxicity or therapeutic failure by altering the relation between dose and blood concentration of the pharmacologically active drug. Thus, a physician or clinician may consider applying knowledge obtained in relevant pharmacogenomics studies in determining whether to administer a PLTR-1 molecule or PLTR-1 modulator as well as tailoring the dosage and/or therapeutic regimen of treatment with a PLTR-1 molecule or PLTR-1 modulator.

[1530] Pharmacogenomics deals with clinically significant hereditary variations in the response to drugs due to altered drug disposition and abnormal action in affected persons. See, for example, Eichelbaum, M. et al. (1996) Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol. 23(10-11):983-985 and Linder, M. W. et al. (1997) Clin. Chem. 43(2):254-266. In general, two types of pharmacogenetic conditions can be differentiated. Genetic conditions transmitted as a single factor altering the way drugs act on the body (altered drug action) or genetic conditions transmitted as single factors altering the way the body acts on drugs (altered drug metabolism). These pharmacogenetic conditions can occur either as rare genetic defects or as naturally-occurring polymorphisms. For example, glucose-6-phosphate phospholipid transporter deficiency (G6PD) is a common inherited enzymopathy in which the main clinical complication is haemolysis after ingestion of oxidant drugs (anti-malarials, sulfonamides, analgesics, nitrofurans) and consumption of fava beans.

[1531] One pharmacogenomics approach to identifying genes that predict drug response, known as “a genome-wide association”, relies primarily on a high-resolution map of the human genome consisting of already known gene-related markers (e.g., a “bi-allelic” gene marker map which consists of 60,000-100,000 polymorphic or variable sites on the human genome, each of which has two variants). Such a high-resolution genetic map can be compared to a map of the genome of each of a statistically significant number of patients taking part in a Phase II/III drug trial to identify markers associated with a particular observed drug response or side effect. Alternatively, such a high resolution map can be generated from a combination of some ten-million known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human genome. As used herein, a “SNP” is a common alteration that occurs in a single nucleotide base in a stretch of DNA. For example, a SNP may occur once per every 1000 bases of DNA. A SNP may be involved in a disease process, however, the vast majority may not be disease-associated. Given a genetic map based on the occurrence of such SNPs, individuals can be grouped into genetic categories depending on a particular pattern of SNPs in their individual genome. In such a manner, treatment regimens can be tailored to groups of genetically similar individuals, taking into account traits that may be common among such genetically similar individuals.

[1532] Alternatively, a method termed the “candidate gene approach” can be utilized to identify genes that predict drug response. According to this method, if a gene that encodes a drug's target is known (e.g., a PLTR-1 protein of the present invention), all common variants of that gene can be fairly easily identified in the population and it can be determined if having one version of the gene versus another is associated with a particular drug response.

[1533] As an illustrative embodiment, the activity of drug metabolizing enzymes is a major determinant of both the intensity and duration of drug action. The discovery of genetic polymorphisms of drug metabolizing enzymes (e.g., N-phospholipid transporter 2 (NAT 2) and cytochrome P450 enzymes CYP2D6 and CYP2C19) has provided an explanation as to why some patients do not obtain the expected drug effects or show exaggerated drug response and serious toxicity after taking the standard and safe dose of a drug. These polymorphisms are expressed in two phenotypes in the population, the extensive metabolizer (EM) and poor metabolizer (PM). The prevalence of PM is different among different populations. For example, the gene coding for CYP2D6 is highly polymorphic and several mutations have been identified in PM, which all lead to the absence of functional CYP2D6. Poor metabolizers of CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 quite frequently experience exaggerated drug response and side effects when they receive standard doses. If a metabolite is the active therapeutic moiety, PM show no therapeutic response, as demonstrated for the analgesic effect of codeine mediated by its CYP2D6-formed metabolite morphine. The other extreme are the so called ultra-rapid metabolizers who do not respond to standard doses. Recently, the molecular basis of ultra-rapid metabolism has been identified to be due to CYP2D6 gene amplification.

[1534] Alternatively, a method termed the “gene expression profiling”, can be utilized to identify genes that predict drug response. For example, the gene expression of an animal dosed with a drug (e.g., a PLTR-1 molecule or PLTR-1 modulator of the present invention) can give an indication whether gene pathways related to toxicity have been turned on.

[1535] Information generated from more than one of the above pharmacogenomics approaches can be used to determine appropriate dosage and treatment regimens for prophylactic or therapeutic treatment an individual. This knowledge, when applied to dosing or drug selection, can avoid adverse reactions or therapeutic failure and thus enhance therapeutic or prophylactic efficiency when treating a subject with a PLTR-1 molecule or PLTR-1 modulator, such as a modulator identified by one of the exemplary screening assays described herein.

[1536] 4. Use of PLTR-1 Molecules as Surrogate Markers

[1537] The PLTR-1 molecules of the invention are also useful as markers of disorders or disease states, as markers for precursors of disease states, as markers for predisposition of disease states, as markers of drug activity, or as markers of the pharmacogenomic profile of a subject. Using the methods described herein, the presence, absence and/or quantity of the PLTR-1 molecules of the invention may be detected, and may be correlated with one or more biological states in vivo. For example, the PLTR-1 molecules of the invention may serve as surrogate markers for one or more disorders or disease states or for conditions leading up to disease states.

[1538] As used herein, a “surrogate marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates with the absence or presence of a disease or disorder, or with the progression of a disease or disorder (e.g., with the presence or absence of cardiovascular disease or a tumor). The presence or quantity of such markers is independent of the causation of the disease. Therefore, these markers may serve to indicate whether a particular course of treatment is effective in lessening a disease state or disorder. Surrogate markers are of particular use when the presence or extent of a disease state or disorder is difficult to assess through standard methodologies (e.g., early stage tumors), or when an assessment of disease progression is desired before a potentially dangerous clinical endpoint is reached (e.g., an assessment of cardiovascular disease may be made using cholesterol levels as a surrogate marker, and an analysis of HIV infection may be made using HIV RNA levels as a surrogate marker, well in advance of the undesirable clinical outcomes of myocardial infarction or fully-developed AIDS). Examples of the use of surrogate markers in the art include: Koomen et al. (2000) J. Mass. Spectrom. 35:258-264; and James (1994) AIDS Treatment News Archive 209.

[1539] The PLTR-1 molecules of the invention are also useful as pharmacodynamic markers. As used herein, a “pharmacodynamic marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates specifically with drug effects. The presence or quantity of a pharmacodynamic marker is not related to the disease state or disorder for which the drug is being administered; therefore, the presence or quantity of the marker is indicative of the presence or activity of the drug in a subject. For example, a pharmacodynamic marker may be indicative of the concentration of the drug in a biological tissue, in that the marker is either expressed or transcribed or not expressed or transcribed in that tissue in relationship to the level of the drug. In this fashion, the distribution or uptake of the drug may be monitored by the pharmacodynamic marker. Similarly, the presence or quantity of the pharmacodynamic marker may be related to the presence or quantity of the metabolic product of a drug, such that the presence or quantity of the marker is indicative of the relative breakdown rate of the drug in vivo. Pharmacodynamic markers are of particular use in increasing the sensitivity of detection of drug effects, particularly when the drug is administered in low doses. Since even a small amount of a drug may be sufficient to activate multiple rounds of marker (e.g., a PLTR-1 marker) transcription or expression, the amplified marker may be in a quantity which is more readily detectable than the drug itself. Also, the marker may be more easily detected due to the nature of the marker itself, for example, using the methods described herein, anti-PLTR-1 antibodies may be employed in an immune-based detection system for a PLTR-1 protein marker, or PLTR-1-specific radiolabeled probes may be used to detect a PLTR-1 mRNA marker. Furthermore, the use of a pharmacodynamic marker may offer mechanism-based prediction of risk due to drug treatment beyond the range of possible direct observations. Examples of the use of pharmacodynamic markers in the art include: Matsuda et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,862; Hattis et al. (1991) Env. Health Perspect. 90:229-238; Schentag (1999) Am. J. Health-Syst. Pharm. 56 Suppl. 3:S21-S24; and Nicolau (1999) Am. J. Health-Syst. Pharm. 56 Suppl. 3:S16-S20.

[1540] The PLTR-1 molecules of the invention are also useful as pharmacogenomic markers. As used herein, a “pharmacogenomic marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates with a specific clinical drug response or susceptibility in a subject (see, e.g., McLeod et al. (1999) Eur. J. Cancer 35(12):1650-1652). The presence or quantity of the pharmacogenomic marker is related to the predicted response of the subject to a specific drug or class of drugs prior to administration of the drug. By assessing the presence or quantity of one or more pharmacogenomic markers in a subject, a drug therapy which is most appropriate for the subject, or which is predicted to have a greater degree of success, may be selected. For example, based on the presence or quantity of RNA, or protein (e.g., PLTR-1 protein or RNA) for specific tumor markers in a subject, a drug or course of treatment may be selected that is optimized for the treatment of the specific tumor likely to be present in the subject. Similarly, the presence or absence of a specific sequence mutation in PLTR-1 DNA may correlate PLTR-1 drug response. The use of pharmacogenomic markers therefore permits the application of the most appropriate treatment for each subject without having to administer the therapy.

[1541] E. Electronic Apparatus Readable Media and Arrays

[1542] Electronic apparatus readable media comprising PLTR-1 sequence information is also provided. As used herein, “PLTR-1 sequence information” refers to any nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence information particular to the PLTR-1 molecules of the present invention, including but not limited to full-length nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, partial nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, polymorphic sequences including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), epitope sequences, and the like. Moreover, information “related to” said PLTR-1 sequence information includes detection of the presence or absence of a sequence (e.g., detection of expression of a sequence, fragment, polymorphism, etc.), determination of the level of a sequence (e.g., detection of a level of expression, for example, a quantitative detection), detection of a reactivity to a sequence (e.g., detection of protein expression and/or levels, for example, using a sequence-specific antibody), and the like. As used herein, “electronic apparatus readable media” refers to any suitable medium for storing, holding, or containing data or information that can be read and accessed directly by an electronic apparatus. Such media can include, but are not limited to: magnetic storage media, such as floppy discs, hard disc storage medium, and magnetic tape; optical storage media such as compact discs; electronic storage media such as RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM and the like; and general hard disks and hybrids of these categories such as magnetic/optical storage media. The medium is adapted or configured for having recorded thereon PLTR-1 sequence information of the present invention.

[1543] As used herein, the term “electronic apparatus” is intended to include any suitable computing or processing apparatus or other device configured or adapted for storing data or information. Examples of electronic apparatus suitable for use with the present invention include stand-alone computing apparatuses; networks, including a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) Internet, Intranet, and Extranet; electronic appliances such as a personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular phone, pager and the like; and local and distributed processing systems.

[1544] As used herein, “recorded” refers to a process for storing or encoding information on the electronic apparatus readable medium. Those skilled in the art can readily adopt any of the presently known methods for recording information on known media to generate manufactures comprising the PLTR-1 sequence information. A variety of software programs and formats can be used to store the sequence information on the electronic apparatus readable medium. For example, the sequence information can be represented in a word processing text file, formatted in commercially-available software such as WordPerfect and Microsoft Word, represented in the form of an ASCII file, or stored in a database application, such as DB2, Sybase, Oracle, or the like, as well as in other forms. Any number of dataprocessor structuring formats (e.g., text file or database) may be employed in order to obtain or create a medium having recorded thereon the PLTR-1 sequence information.

[1545] By providing PLTR-1 sequence information in readable form, one can routinely access the sequence information for a variety of purposes. For example, one skilled in the art can use the sequence information in readable form to compare a target sequence or target structural motif with the sequence information stored within the data storage means. Search means are used to identify fragments or regions of the sequences of the invention which match a particular target sequence or target motif.

[1546] The present invention therefore provides a medium for holding instructions for performing a method for determining whether a subject has a PLTR-1 associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a cardiovascular disorder or a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or migration disorder, wherein the method comprises the steps of determining PLTR-1 sequence information associated with the subject and based on the PLTR-1 sequence information, determining whether the subject has a cardiovascular disorder or a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or migration disorder or a pre-disposition to a cardiovascular disorder or a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or migration disorder, and/or recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder, or pre-disease condition.

[1547] The present invention further provides in an electronic system and/or in a network, a method for determining whether a subject has a cardiovascular disorder or a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or migration disorder or a pre-disposition to a cardiovascular disorder or a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or migration disorder wherein the method comprises the steps of determining PLTR-1 sequence information associated with the subject, and based on the PLTR-1 sequence information, determining whether the subject has a cardiovascular disorder or a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or migration disorder or a pre-disposition to a cardiovascular disorder or a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or migration disorder, and/or recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition. The method may further comprise the step of receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject and/or acquiring from a network phenotypic information associated with the subject.

[1548] The present invention also provides in a network, a method for determining whether a subject has a cardiovascular disorder or a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or migration disorder or a pre-disposition to a cardiovascular disorder or a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or migration disorder associated with PLTR-1, said method comprising the steps of receiving PLTR-1 sequence information from the subject and/or information related thereto, receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject, acquiring information from the network corresponding to PLTR-1 and/or a cardiovascular disorder or a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or migration disorder, and based on one or more of the phenotypic information, the PLTR-1 information (e.g., sequence information and/or information related thereto), and the acquired information, determining whether the subject has a cardiovascular disorder or a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or migration disorder or a pre-disposition to a cardiovascular disorder or a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or migration disorder. The method may further comprise the step of recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[1549] The present invention also provides a business method for determining whether a subject has a cardiovascular disorder or a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or migration disorder or a pre-disposition to a cardiovascular disorder or a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or migration disorder, said method comprising the steps of receiving information related to PLTR-1 (e.g., sequence information and/or information related thereto), receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject, acquiring information from the network related to PLTR-1 and/or related to a cardiovascular disorder or a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or migration disorder, and based on one or more of the phenotypic information, the PLTR-1 information, and the acquired information, determining whether the subject has a cardiovascular disorder or a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or migration disorder or a pre-disposition to a cardiovascular disorder or a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or migration disorder. The method may further comprise the step of recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[1550] The invention also includes an array comprising a PLTR-1 sequence of the present invention. The array can be used to assay expression of one or more genes in the array. In one embodiment, the array can be used to assay gene expression in a tissue to ascertain tissue specificity of genes in the array. In this manner, up to about 7600 genes can be simultaneously assayed for expression, one of which can be PLTR-1. This allows a profile to be developed showing a battery of genes specifically expressed in one or more tissues.

[1551] In addition to such qualitative determination, the invention allows the quantitation of gene expression. Thus, not only tissue specificity, but also the level of expression of a battery of genes in the tissue is ascertainable. Thus, genes can be grouped on the basis of their tissue expression per se and level of expression in that tissue. This is useful, for example, in ascertaining the relationship of gene expression between or among tissues. Thus, one tissue can be perturbed and the effect on gene expression in a second tissue can be determined. In this context, the effect of one cell type on another cell type in response to a biological stimulus can be determined. Such a determination is useful, for example, to know the effect of cell-cell interaction at the level of gene expression. If an agent is administered therapeutically to treat one cell type but has an undesirable effect on another cell type, the invention provides an assay to determine the molecular basis of the undesirable effect and thus provides the opportunity to co-administer a counteracting agent or otherwise treat the undesired effect. Similarly, even within a single cell type, undesirable biological effects can be determined at the molecular level. Thus, the effects of an agent on expression of other than the target gene can be ascertained and counteracted.

[1552] In another embodiment, the array can be used to monitor the time course of expression of one or more genes in the array. This can occur in various biological contexts, as disclosed herein, for example development of a cardiovascular disorder or a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or migration disorder, progression of a cardiovascular disorder or a cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or migration disorder, and processes, such a cellular transformation associated with the cardiovascular disorder or cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or migration disorder.

[1553] The array is also useful for ascertaining the effect of the expression of a gene on the expression of other genes in the same cell or in different cells (e.g., ascertaining the effect of PLTR-1 expression on the expression of other genes). This provides, for example, for a selection of alternate molecular targets for therapeutic intervention if the ultimate or downstream target cannot be regulated.

[1554] The array is also useful for ascertaining differential expression patterns of one or more genes in normal and abnormal cells. This provides a battery of genes (e.g., including PLTR-1) that could serve as a molecular target for diagnosis or therapeutic intervention.

[1555] This invention is further illustrated by the following examples which should not be construed as limiting. The contents of all references, patents and published patent applications cited throughout this application, as well as the Figures and the Sequence Listing, are incorporated herein by reference.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Identification and Characterization of Human PLTR-1 cDNA

[1556] In this example, the identification and characterization of the gene encoding human PLTR-1 (clone 49938) is described.

[1557] Isolation of the Human PLTR-1 cDNA

[1558] The invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of genes encoding novel members of the phospholipid transporter family. The entire sequence of human clone Fbh49938 was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “PLTR-1”.

[1559] The nucleotide sequence encoding the human PLTR-1 is shown in FIGS. 25A-D and is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 19. The protein encoded by this nucleic acid comprises about 1190 amino acids and has the amino acid sequence shown in FIGS. 25A-D and set forth as SEQ ID NO: 20. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 19 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 21. Clone Fbh49938, comprising the coding region of human PLTR-1, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on __, and assigned Accession No. ______.

[1560] Analysis of the Human PLTR-1 Molecules

[1561] The amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 was analyzed for the presence of sequence motifs specific for P-type ATPases (as defined in Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497 and Fagan, M. J. and Saier, M. H. (1994) J. Mol. Evol. 38:57). These analyses resulted in the identification of a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif in the amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 at residues 164-172 of SEQ ID NO: 20. These analyses also resulted in the identification of a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif in the amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 at residues 389-398 of SEQ ID NO: 20. These analyses further resulted in the identification of a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif in the amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 at residues 812-822 of SEQ ID NO: 20.

[1562] The amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 was also analyzed for the presence of phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues (as defined in Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497). These analyses resulted in the identification of phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues in the amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 at about residues 164, 165, 168, 390, 812, 821, and 822 of SEQ ID NO: 20 (FIGS. 26A-B).

[1563] The amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 was also analyzed for the presence of large extramembrane domains. An N-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 at residues 95-275 of SEQ ID NO: 20. A C-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 at residues 345-879 of SEQ ID NO: 20.

[1564] The amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 was further analyzed using the program PSORT (available online; see Nakai, K. and Kanehisa, M. (1992) Genomics 14:897-911) to predict the localization of the proteins within the cell. This program assesses the presence of different targeting and localization amino acid sequences within the query sequence. The results of the analyses show that human PLTR-1 is most likely localized to the endoplasmic reticulum or to vesicles of the secretory system.

[1565] Analysis of the amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 was performed using MEMSAT. This analysis resulted in the identification of 10 possible transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 at about residues 55-71, 78-94, 276-298, 320-344, 880-897, 904-924, 954-977, 993-1011, 1022-1038, and 1066-1084 of SEQ ID NO: 20 (see FIGS. 26A-B and 27).

[1566] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 were further performed against the Prosite database. These searches resulted in the identification of an “E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site” at about residues 498-504 of SEQ ID NO: 20 (see FIGS. 26A-B). These searches also resulted in the identification in the amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 of a potential N-glycosylation site (at about amino acid residues 579-582) and a number of potential cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation sites (at about residues 265-268, 367-370, 542-545, and 1171-1174), protein kinase C phosphorylation sites (at about residues 36-38, 259-261, 391-393, 514-516, 687-689, 723-725, 739-741, 1098-1100, 1124-1126, 1143-1145, 1158-1160, and 1168-1170), casein kinase II phosphorylation sites (at about residues 153-156, 267-270, 370-373, 378-381, 413-416, 452-455, 493-496, 519-522, 573-576, 580-583, 624-627, 631-634, 646-649, 705-708, 732-735, 744-747, 832-835, 899-902, 980-983, 1132-1135, and 1164-1167), tyrosine phosphorylation sites (at about residues 17-23, 482-489, and 601-608), and N-myristoylation sites (at about residues 288-293, 497-502, 524-529, 655-660, 728-733, 828-833, 961-966, 984-989, 1010-1015, 1055-1060, and 1123-1128) in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20.

[1567] A search of the amino acid sequence of human PLTR-1 was also performed against the ProDom database (available online through the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France; see Corpet, F. et al. (2000) Nucleic Acids Res. 28:267-269). This search resulted in the identification of homology between the PLTR-1 protein and phospholipid transporting ATPases (ProDom Accession Numbers PD004932, PD004982, PD030421, PD004657, PD304524, and PD1 16286).

[1568] Tissue Distribution of PLTR-1 mRNA Using in situ Analysis

[1569] This example describes the tissue distribution of human PLTR-1 mRNA, as may be determined using in situ hybridization analysis. For in situ analysis, various tissues, e.g., tissues obtained from brain or vessels, are first frozen on dry ice. Ten-micrometer-thick sections of the tissues are postfixed with 4% formaldehyde in DEPC-treated 1× phosphate-buffered saline at room temperature for 10 minutes before being rinsed twice in DEPC 1× phosphate-buffered saline and once in 0.1 M triethanolamine-HCl (pH 8.0). Following incubation in 0.25% acetic anhydride-0.1 M triethanolamine-HCl for 10 minutes, sections are rinsed in DEPC 2× SSC (1× SSC is 0.15 M NaCl plus 0.015 M sodium citrate). Tissue is then dehydrated through a series of ethanol washes, incubated in 100% chloroform for 5 minutes, and then rinsed in 100% ethanol for 1 minute and 95% ethanol for 1 minute and allowed to air dry.

[1570] Hybridizations are performed with ³⁵S-radiolabeled (5×10⁷ cpm/ml) cRNA probes. Probes are incubated in the presence of a solution containing 600 mM NaCl, 10 mM Tris (pH 7.5), 1 mM EDTA, 0.01% sheared salmon sperm DNA, 0.01% yeast tRNA, 0.05% yeast total RNA type X1, 1× Denhardt's solution, 50% formamide, 10% dextran sulfate, 100 mM dithiothreitol, 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and 0.1% sodium thiosulfate for 18 hours at 55° C.

[1571] After hybridization, slides are washed with 2× SSC. Sections are then sequentially incubated at 37° C. in TNE (a solution containing 10 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.6), 500 mM NaCl, and 1 mM EDTA), for 10 minutes, in TNE with 10μg of RNase A per ml for 30 minutes, and finally in TNE for 10 minutes. Slides are then rinsed with 2× SSC at room temperature, washed with 2× SSC at 50° C. for 1 hour, washed with 0.2× SSC at 55° C. for 1 hour, and 0.2× SSC at 60° C. for 1 hour. Sections are then dehydrated rapidly through serial ethanol-0.3 M sodium acetate concentrations before being air dried and exposed to Kodak Biomax MR scientific imaging film for 24 hours and subsequently dipped in NB-2 photoemulsion and exposed at 4° C. for 7 days before being developed and counter stained.

Example 2 Expression of Recombinant PLTR-1 Protein in Bacterial Cells

[1572] In this example, human PLTR-1 is expressed as a recombinant glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion polypeptide in E. coli and the fusion polypeptide is isolated and characterized. Specifically, human PLTR-1 is fused to GST and this fusion polypeptide is expressed in E. coli, e.g., strain PEB199. Expression of the GST-PLTR-1 fusion protein in PEB199 is induced with IPTG. The recombinant fusion polypeptide is purified from crude bacterial lysates of the induced PEB199 strain by affinity chromatography on glutathione beads. Using polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis of the polypeptide purified from the bacterial lysates, the molecular weight of the resultant fusion polypeptide is determined.

Example 3 Expression of Recombinant PLTR-1 Protein in COS Cells

[1573] To express the PLTR-1 gene in COS cells, the pcDNA/Amp vector by Invitrogen Corporation (San Diego, Calif. ) is used. This vector contains an SV40 origin of replication, an ampicillin resistance gene, an E. coli replication origin, a CMV promoter followed by a polylinker region, and an SV40 intron and polyadenylation site. A DNA fragment encoding the entire PLTR-1 protein and an HA tag (Wilson et al. (1984) Cell 37:767) or a FLAG tag fused in-frame to its 3′ end of the fragment is cloned into the polylinker region of the vector, thereby placing the expression of the recombinant protein under the control of the CMV promoter.

[1574] To construct the plasmid, the PLTR-1 DNA sequence is amplified by PCR using two primers. The 5′ primer contains the restriction site of interest followed by approximately twenty nucleotides of the PLTR-1 coding sequence starting from the initiation codon; the 3′ end sequence contains complementary sequences to the other restriction site of interest, a translation stop codon, the HA tag or FLAG tag and the last 20 nucleotides of the PLTR-1 coding sequence. The PCR amplified fragment and the pCDNA/Amp vector are digested with the appropriate restriction enzymes and the vector is dephosphorylated using the CIAP enzyme (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.). Preferably the two restriction sites chosen are different so that the PLTR-1 gene is inserted in the correct orientation. The ligation mixture is transformed into E. coli cells (strains HB 101, DH5□, SURE, available from Stratagene Cloning Systems, La Jolla, Calif. , can be used), the transformed culture is plated on ampicillin media plates, and resistant colonies are selected. Plasmid DNA is isolated from transformants and examined by restriction analysis for the presence of the correct fragment.

[1575] COS cells are subsequently transfected with the PLTR-1-pcDNA/Amp plasmid DNA using the calcium phosphate or calcium chloride co-precipitation methods, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, lipofection, or electroporation. Other suitable methods for transfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook, J. et al. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd) ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989. The expression of the PLTR-1 polypeptide is detected by radiolabeling (³⁵S-methionine or ³⁵S-cysteine available from NEN, Boston, Mass., can be used) and immunoprecipitation (Harlow, E. and Lane, D. Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1988) using an HA specific monoclonal antibody. Briefly, the cells are labeled for 8 hours with 35S-methionine (or ³⁵S-cysteine). The culture media are then collected and the cells are lysed using detergents (RIPA buffer, 150 mM NaCl, 1% NP-40, 0.1% SDS, 0.5% DOC, 50 mM Tris, pH 7.5). Both the cell lysate and the culture media are precipitated with an HA specific monoclonal antibody. Precipitated polypeptides are then analyzed by SDS-PAGE.

[1576] Alternatively, DNA containing the PLTR-1 coding sequence is cloned directly into the polylinker of the pCDNA/Amp vector using the appropriate restriction sites. The resulting plasmid is transfected into COS cells in the manner described above, and the expression of the PLTR-1 polypeptide is detected by radiolabeling and immunoprecipitation using a PLTR-1 specific monoclonal antibody.

Example 4: Analysis of Human PLTR-1 Expression

[1577] This example describes the expression of human PLTR-1 mRNA in various human vessels, as determined using the TaqMan™ procedure.

[1578] The Taqman™ procedure is a quantitative, real-time PCR-based approach to detecting mRNA. The RT-PCR reaction exploits the 5′ nuclease activity of AmpliTaq Gold™ DNA Polymerase to cleave a TaqMan™ probe during PCR. Briefly, cDNA was generated from the samples of interest and served as the starting material for PCR amplification. In addition to the 5′ and 3′ gene-specific primers, a gene-specific oligonucleotide probe (complementary to the region being amplified) was included in the reaction (i.e., the Taqman™ probe). The TaqMan™ probe included an oligonucleotide with a fluorescent reporter dye covalently linked to the 5′ end of the probe (such as FAM (6-carboxyfluorescein), TET (6-carboxy-4,7,2′,7′-tetrachlorofluorescein), JOE (6-carboxy-4,5-dichloro-2,7-dimethoxyfluorescein), or VIC) and a quencher dye (TAMRA (6-carboxy-N,N,N,′,N′-tetramethylrhodamine) at the 3′ end of the probe.

[1579] During the PCR reaction, cleavage of the probe separated the reporter dye and the quencher dye, resulting in increased fluorescence of the reporter. Accumulation of PCR products was detected directly by monitoring the increase in fluorescence of the reporter dye. When the probe was intact, the proximity of the reporter dye to the quencher dye resulted in suppression of the reporter fluorescence. During PCR, if the target of interest was present, the probe specifically annealed between the forward and reverse primer sites. The 5′-3′ nucleolytic activity of the AmpliTaq™ Gold DNA Polymerase cleaved the probe between the reporter and the quencher only if the probe hybridized to the target. The probe fragments were then displaced from the target, and polymerization of the strand continued. The 3′ end of the probe was blocked to prevent extension of the probe during PCR. This process occurred in every cycle and did not interfere with the exponential accumulation of product. RNA was prepared using the trizol method and treated with DNase to remove contaminating genomic DNA. cDNA was synthesized using standard techniques. Mock eDNA synthesis in the absence of reverse transcriptase resulted in samples with no detectable PCR amplification of the control GAPDH or β-actin gene confirming efficient removal of genomic DNA contamination.

[1580] The expression of human PLTR-1 was examined in various human vessels using Taqman analysis. The results, set forth below in Table I, indicate that human PLTR-1 is highly expressed in aortic smooth muscle cells (SMCs), coronary smooth muscle cells (SMCs), normal artery, interior mammary artery, diseased iliac artery, diseased tibial artery, diseased aorta, and normal saphenous vein. TABLE I β 2 Tissue Type Mean Mean ∂∂ Ct Expression 1. Human umbilicial vein endo- 23.27 19.37 3.9 67.2184 thelial cells (HUVECs) - Static 2. HUVECs - Laminar shear 23.23 19.41 3.82 70.8052 stress (LSS) 3. Aortic smooth muscle 24.77 19.75 5.01 30.9268 cells (SMCs) 4. Coronary SMCs 25.84 20.27 5.57 21.0505 5. Human adipose tissue 30.41 18.8 11.61 0.3199 6. Normal human carotid 24.55 18.56 5.99 15.7337 artery 7. Normal human artery 26.4 19.64 6.75 9.2585 8. Normal human artery 28.46 19.44 9.02 1.9262 9. Normal human artery 34.9 22.47 12.43 0.1818 10. Internal mammary artery 29.98 23.05 6.93 8.1725 11. Internal mammary artery 27.82 23.09 4.72 37.8123 12. Internal mammary artery 29.67 22.57 7.11 7.2641 13. Internal mammary artery 27.91 22.26 5.64 19.9841 14. Internal mammary artery 26.76 21.31 5.45 22.8763 15. Internal mammary artery 27.21 21.15 6.07 14.9366 16. Internal mammary artery 33.2 24.45 8.76 2.3146 17. Diseased human iliac artery 26.38 20.27 6.11 14.5282 18. Diseased human tibial artery 23.11 18.15 4.96 32.0174 19. Diseased human aorta 27 20.84 6.16 14.0333 20. Diseased aorta 28.11 22.31 5.81 17.8244 21. Diseased aorta 27.75 21.95 5.8 17.9484 22. Diseased aorta 28.28 21.52 6.75 9.2585 23. Normal human saphenous vein 28.83 21.2 7.63 5.0658 24. Normal human saphenous vein 23.88 17.48 6.39 11.9239 25. Normal human saphenous vein 22.54 16.92 5.62 20.3335 26. Normal human vein 28.08 19.19 8.89 2.1079 27. Normal human saphenous vein 28.11 20.05 8.07 3.7212 28. Normal human vein 26.58 19.2 7.38 6.0243 29. Normal human vein 30.28 21.31 8.97 1.9942

[1581] Taqman analysis was farther used to examine the expression of human PLTR-1 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs), and human microvascular endothelial cells (HMVECs) treated with mevastatin for varying amounts of time and at varying amounts. The results are set forth below in Table II. Mevastatin is a cholesterol-lowering drug that functions by inhibition of HMG-CoA Reductase. As shown below, human PLTR-1 is upregulated by mevastatin treatment, PLTR-1 activity may be useful in screening assays for therapeutic modulators (e.g., positive modulators). TABLE II Cells/Treatment Mean β 2 Mean ∂∂ Ct Expression HUVEC Vehicle 25.32 19.65 5.67 19.709 HUVEC Mev 24.11 18.98 5.13 28.6564 HAEC Vehicle 25.06 19.34 5.72 18.9062 HAEC MEV 26.02 20.98 5.03 30.6069 HMVEC/Vehicle/24 hr 26.36 18.12 8.24 3.2962 HMVEC/Mev/24 hr/1X 25.82 18.11 7.71 4.7925 HMVEC/MEV/24 HR/2.5X 25.25 18.03 7.22 6.6843 HMVEC/MEV/48 HR/1X 26.16 18.61 7.56 5.2992 HMVEC/MEV/48 HR/2.5X 25.19 18.28 6.91 8.3154 HUVEC/Vehicle/24 hr 25.2 17.56 7.63 5.0308 HUVEC/Mev/24 hr/1X 24.07 18.12 5.95 16.176 HUVEC/MEV/24 HR/2.5X 24.91 18.88 6.04 15.1977 HUVEC/MEV/48 HR/1X 26.69 20.66 6.03 15.3566 HUVEC/MEV/48 HR/2.5X 30.02 22.24 7.78 4.5655

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[1582] Cellular membranes serve to differentiate the contents of a cell from the surrounding environment, and may also serve as effective barriers against the unregulated influx of hazardous or unwanted compounds, and the unregulated efflux of desirable compounds. Membranes are by nature impervious to the unfacilitated diffusion of hydrophilic compounds such as proteins, water molecules, and ions due to their structure: a bilayer of lipid molecules in which the polar head groups face outwards (towards the exterior and interior of the cell) and the nonpolar tails face inwards (at the center of bilayer, forming a hydrophobic core). Membranes enable a cell to maintain a relatively higher intra-cellular concentration of desired compounds and a relatively lower intra-cellular concentration of undesired compounds than are contained within the surrounding environment.

[1583] Membranes also present a structural difficulty for cells, in that most desired compounds cannot readily enter the cell, nor can most waste products readily exit the cell through this lipid bilayer. The import and export of such compounds is facilitated by proteins which are embedded (singly or in complexes) in the cellular membrane. There are several general classes of membrane transport proteins: channels/pores, permeases, and transporters. The former are integral membrane proteins which form a regulated passage through a membrane. This regulation, or “gating” is generally specific to the molecules to be transported by the pore or channel, rendering these transmembrane constructs selectively permeable to a specific class of substrates. For example, a calcium channel is constructed such that only ions having a like charge and size to that of calcium may pass through. Channel and pore proteins tend to have discrete hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains, such that the hydrophobic face of the protein may associate with the interior of the membrane while the hydrophilic face lines the interior of the channel, thus providing a sheltered hydrophilic environment through which the selected hydrophilic molecule may pass. This pore/channel-mediated system of facilitated diffusion is limited to ions and other very small molecules, due to the fact that pores or channels sufficiently large to permit the passage of whole proteins by facilitated diffusion would be unable to prevent the simultaneous passage of smaller hydrophilic molecules.

[1584] Transport of larger molecules takes place by the action of “permeases” and “transporters” , two other classes of membrane-localized proteins which serve to move charged molecules from one side of a cellular membrane to the other. Unlike channel molecules, which permit diffusion-limited solute movement of a particular solute, these proteins require an energetic input, either in the form of a diffusion gradient (permeases) or through coupling to hydrolysis of an energy providing molecule (e.g., ATP or GTP) (transporters). The permeases (integral membrane proteins often having between 6-14 membrane-spanning α-helices) enable the facilitated diffusion of molecules such as glucose or other sugars into the cell when the concentration of these molecules on one side of the membrane is greater than that on the other. Permeases do not form open channels through the membrane, but rather bind to the target molecule at the surface of the membrane and then undergo a conformational shift such that the target molecule is released on the opposite side of the membrane.

[1585] Transporters, in contrast, permit the movement of target molecules across membranes against the existing concentration gradient (active transport), a situation in which facilitated diffusion cannot occur. There are two general mechanisms used by cells for this type of membrane transport: symport/antiport, and energy-coupled transport, such as that mediated by the ABC transporters. Symport and antiport systems couple the movement of two different molecules across the membrane (via molecules having two separate binding sites for the two different molecules); in symport, both molecules are transported in the same direction, while in antiport, one molecule is imported while the other is exported. This is possible energetically because one of the two molecules moves in accordance with a concentration gradient, and this energetically favorable event is permitted only upon concomitant movement of a desired compound against the prevailing concentration gradient.

[1586] Single molecules may also be transported across the membrane against the concentration gradient in an energy-driven process, such as that utilized by the ABC transporters. In this ABC transporter system, the transport protein located in the membrane has an ATP-binding cassette; upon binding of the target molecule, the ATP is converted to ADP and inorganic phosphate (P₁), and the resulting release of energy is used to drive the movement of the target molecule to the opposite face of the membrane, facilitated by the transporter.

[1587] Transport molecules are specific for a particular target solute or class of solutes, and are also present in one or more specific membranes. Transport molecules localized to the plasma membrane permit an exchange of solutes with the surrounding environment, while transport molecules localized to intra-cellular membranes (e.g., membranes of the mitochondrion, peroxisome, lysosome, endoplasmic reticulum, nucleus, or vacuole) permit import and export of molecules from organelle to organelle or to the cytoplasm. For example, in the case of the mitochondrion, transporters in the inner and outer mitochondrial membranes permit the import of sugar molecules, calcium ions, and water (among other molecules) into the organelle and the export of newly synthesized ATP to the cytosol.

[1588] Membrane transport molecules (e.g., channels/pores, permeases, and transporters) play important roles in the ability of the cell to regulate homeostasis, to grow and divide, and to communicate with other cells, e.g., to secrete and receive signaling molecules, such as hormones, reactive oxygen species, ions, neurotransmitters, and cytokines. A wide variety of human diseases and disorders are associated with defects in transporter or other membrane transport molecules, including certain types of liver disorders (e.g., due to defects in the transport of long-chain fatty acids (Al Odaib et al. (1998) New Eng. J. Med. 339: 1752-1757)), hyperlysinemia (due to a transport defect of lysine into mitochondria (Oyanagi et al. (1986) Inherit. Metab. Dis. 9:313-316), and cataract (Wintour (1997) Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol. 24(1):1-9).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[1589] The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel human transporter family members, referred to herein as “transporter family members” or “TFM,” e.g., “TFM-2” and “TFM-3,” nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules. The TFM-2 and TFM-3 nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules of the present invention are useful as modulating agents in regulating a variety of cellular processes, e.g., cellular growth, migration, or proliferation. Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding TFM-2 and TFM-3 polypeptides or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments suitable as primers or hybridization probes for the detection of TFM-2 and TFM-3-encoding nucleic acids.

[1590] In one embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that includes the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32. In another embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that encodes a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31. In another embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that includes the nucleotide sequence contained in the plasmid deposited with ATCC® as Accession Number ______ and/or ______.

[1591] In still other embodiments, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules including nucleotide sequences that are substantially identical (e.g., 66.6%, 66.7%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98%, or 99% identical) to the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32. The invention fuirther features isolated nucleic acid molecules including at least 589, 590, 600, 650, 700, 750, 1000, 1250, 1500, 1750, or 1855 contiguous nucleotides of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32. In another embodiment, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence that is substantially identical (e.g., 52%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98%, or 99% identical) to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31. The present invention also features nucleic acid molecules which encode allelic variants of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31. In addition to isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding full-length polypeptides, the present invention also features nucleic acid molecules which encode fragments, for example, biologically active or antigenic fragments, of the full-length polypeptides of the present invention (e.g., fragments including at least 157, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400 or 404 contiguous amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31). In still other embodiments, the invention features nucleic acid molecules that are complementary to, antisense to, or hybridize under stringent conditions to the isolated nucleic acid molecules described herein.

[1592] In another aspect, the invention provides vectors including the isolated nucleic acid molecules described herein (e.g., TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-encoding nucleic acid molecules). Such vectors can optionally include nucleotide sequences encoding heterologous polypeptides. Also featured are host cells including such vectors (e.g., host cells including vectors suitable for producing TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides).

[1593] In another aspect, the invention features isolated TFM-2 and TFM-3 polypeptides and/or biologically active or antigenic fragments thereof. Exemplary embodiments feature a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31, a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence at least 52%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%90, 95%, 98%, or 99% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31, a polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid molecule including a nucleotide sequence at least 66.6%, 66.7%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98%, or 99% identical to the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32. Also featured are fragments of the full-length polypeptides described herein (e.g., fragments including at least 157, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400 or 404 contiguous amino acid residues of the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31) as well as allelic variants of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31.

[1594] The TFM-2 and TFM-3 polypeptides and/or biologically active or antigenic fragments thereof, are useful, for example, as reagents or targets in assays applicable to treatment and/or diagnosis of TFM-2 and TFM-3 mediated or related disorders. In one embodiment, a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or fragment thereof, has a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity. In another embodiment, a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or fragment thereof, includes at least one of the following domains: a transmembrane domain, a sugar transporter domain, and/or a monocarboxylate transporter domain, and optionally, has a TFM-2 and/or a TFM-3 activity. In a related aspect, the invention features antibodies (e.g., antibodies which specifically bind to any one of the polypeptides described herein) as well as fusion polypeptides including all or a fragment of a polypeptide described herein.

[1595] The present invention further features methods for detecting TFM-2 and TFM-3 polypeptides and/or TFM-2 and TFM-3 nucleic acid molecules, such methods featuring, for example, a probe, primer or antibody described herein. Also featured are kits e.g., kits for the detection of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides and/or TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid molecules. In a related aspect, the invention features methods for identifying compounds which bind to and/or modulate the activity of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid molecule described herein. Further featured are methods for modulating a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity.

[1596] Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[1597] The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel molecules, referred to herein as “transporter family members” or “TFM,” e.g., “TFM-2” and “TFM-3,” nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules, which are novel members of the transporter family. These novel molecules are capable of, for example, transporting lactate, pyruvate, branched chain oxoacids, ketone bodies, ions, proteins, sugars, and small molecules across biological membranes both within a cell and between the cell and the environment and, thus, play a role in or function in a variety of cellular processes, e.g., proliferation, growth, differentiation, migration, immune responses, hormonal responses, and inter- or intra-cellular communication.

[1598] As used herein, the term “transporter” includes a molecule which is involved in the movement of a biochemical molecule from one side of a lipid bilayer to the other, for example, against a pre-existing concentration gradient. Transporters are usually involved in the movement of biochemical compounds which would normally not be able to cross a membrane (e.g., a protein; an ion; a monocarboxylate; a sugar; or other small molecule, such as ATP; signaling molecules; vitamins; and cofactors). Transporter molecules are involved in the growth, development, and differentiation of cells, in the regulation of cellular homeostasis, in the metabolism and catabolism of biochemical molecules necessary for energy production or storage, in intra- or inter-cellular signaling, in metabolism or catabolism of metabolically important biomolecules, and in the removal of potentially harmful compounds from the interior of the cell. Examples of transporters include monocarboxylate transporters, sugar transporters, GSH transporters, ATP transporters, and fatty acid transporters. As transporters, the TFM-2 and TFM-3 molecules of the present invention provide novel diagnostic targets and therapeutic agents to control transporter-associated disorders.

[1599] As used herein, a “transporter-associated disorder” includes a disorder, disease or condition which is caused or characterized by a misregulation (e.g., downregulation or upregulation) of a transporter-mediated activity. Transporter-associated disorders can detrimentally affect cellular functions such as cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration, cellular regulation of homeostasis, inter- or intra-cellular communication; tissue function, such as cardiac function or musculoskeletal function; systemic responses in an organism, such as nervous system responses, hormonal responses (e.g., insulin response), or immune responses; and protection of cells from toxic compounds (e.g., carcinogens, toxins, mutagens, and toxic byproducts of metabolic activity (e.g., reactive oxygen species)). Examples of transporter-associated disorders include CNS disorders such as cognitive and neurodegenerative disorders, examples of which include, but are not limited to, Alzheimer's disease, dementias related to Alzheimer's disease (such as Pick's disease), Parkinson's and other Lewy diffuse body diseases, senile dementia, Huntington's disease, Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive supranuclear palsy, epilepsy, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease; autonomic function disorders such as hypertension and sleep disorders, and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, korsakoff's psychosis, mania, anxiety disorders, or phobic disorders; learning or memory disorders, e.g., amnesia or age-related memory loss, attention deficit disorder, dysthymic disorder, major depressive disorder, mania, obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychoactive substance use disorders, anxiety, phobias, panic disorder, as well as bipolar affective disorder, e.g., severe bipolar affective (mood) disorder (BP-1), and bipolar affective neurological disorders, e.g., migraine and obesity. Further CNS-related disorders include, for example, those listed in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the most current version of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[1600] Further examples of transporter-associated disorders include cardiac-related disorders. Cardiovascular system disorders in which the TFM-2 and TFM-3 molecules of the invention may be directly or indirectly involved include arteriosclerosis, ischemia reperfusion injury, restenosis, arterial inflammation, vascular wall remodeling, ventricular remodeling, rapid ventricular pacing, coronary microembolism, tachycardia, bradycardia, pressure overload, aortic bending, coronary artery ligation, vascular heart disease, atrial fibrilation, Jervell syndrome, Lange-Nielsen syndrome, long-QT syndrome, congestive heart failure, sinus node dysfunction, angina, heart failure, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, dilated cardiomyopathy, idiopathic cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, coronary artery spasm, and arrhythmia. TFM-2 and TFM-3-mediated or related disorders also include disorders of the musculoskeletal system such as paralysis and muscle weakness, e.g., ataxia, myotonia, and myokymia.

[1601] Transporter-associated disorders also include cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration disorders. Cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration disorders include those disorders that affect cell proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration processes. As used herein, a “cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration process” is a process by which a cell increases in number, size or content, by which a cell develops a specialized set of characteristics which differ from that of other cells, or by which a cell moves closer to or further from a particular location or stimulus. The TFM-2 and TFM-3 molecules of the present invention are involved in signal transduction mechanisms, which are known to be involved in cellular growth, differentiation, and migration processes. Thus, the TFM-2 and TFM-3 molecules may modulate cellular growth, differentiation, or migration, and may play a role in disorders characterized by aberrantly regulated growth, differentiation, or migration. Such disorders include cancer, e.g., carcinoma, sarcoma, or leukemia; tumor angiogenesis and metastasis; skeletal dysplasia; hepatic disorders; and hematopoietic and/or myeloproliferative disorders.

[1602] Transporter-associated disorders also include hormonal disorders, such as conditions or diseases in which the production and/or regulation of hormones in an organism is aberrant. Examples of such disorders and diseases include type I and type II diabetes mellitus, pituitary disorders (e.g., growth disorders), thyroid disorders (e.g., hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism), and reproductive or fertility disorders (e.g., disorders which affect the organs of the reproductive system, e.g., the prostate gland, the uterus, or the vagina; disorders which involve an imbalance in the levels of a reproductive hormone in a subject; disorders affecting the ability of a subject to reproduce; and disorders affecting secondary sex characteristic development, e.g., adrenal hyperplasia).

[1603] Transporter-associated disorders also include immune disorders, such as autoimmune disorders or immune deficiency disorders, e.g., congenital X-linked infantile hypogammaglobulinemia, transient hypogammaglobulinemia, common variable immunodeficiency, selective IgA deficiency, chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, or severe combined immunodeficiency.

[1604] Transporter-associated disorders also include disorders associated with sugar homeostasis, such as obesity, anorexia, hypoglycemia, glycogen storage disease (Von Gierke disease), type I glycogenosis, seasonal affective disorder, and cluster B personality disorders.

[1605] Transporter-associated disorders also include disorders affecting tissues in which TFM-2 and TFM-3 protein is expressed.

[1606] As used herein, a “transporter-mediated activity” includes an activity of a transporter which involves the facilitated movement of one or more molecules, e.g., biological molecules, from one side of a biological membrane to the other. Transporter-mediated activities include the import or export across internal or external cellular membranes of biochemical molecules necessary for energy production or storage; intra- or inter-cellular signaling; metabolism or catabolism of metabolically important biomolecules; and removal of potentially harmful compounds from the cell.

[1607] The term “family” when referring to the polypeptide and nucleic acid molecules of the invention is intended to mean two or more polypeptides or nucleic acid molecules having a common structural domain or motif and having sufficient amino acid or nucleotide sequence homology as defined herein. Such family members can be naturally or non-naturally occurring and can be from either the same or different species. For example, a family can contain a first polypeptide of human origin, as well as other, distinct polypeptides of human origin or alternatively, can contain homologues of non-human origin, e.g., mouse or monkey polypeptides. Members of a family may also have common functional characteristics.

[1608] For example, the family of TFM-2 and TFM-3 polypeptides comprise at least one “transmembrane domain” and preferably eight, nine, or ten transmembrane domains. As used herein, the term “transmembrane domain” includes an amino acid sequence of about 15-45 amino acid residues in length which spans the plasma membrane. More preferably, a transmembrane domain includes about at least 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, or 45 amino acid residues and spans the plasma membrane. Transmembrane domains are rich in hydrophobic residues, and typically have an alpha-helical structure. In a preferred embodiment, at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or more of the amino acids of a transmembrane domain are hydrophobic, e.g., leucines, isoleucines, alanines, valines, phenylalanines, prolines or methionines. Transmembrane domains are described in, for example, Zagotta W. N. et al, (1996) Annual Rev. Neurosci. 19: 235-263, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. A MEMSAT analysis and a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis also resulted in the identification of ten transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human TFM-2 (SEQ ID NO: 28) at about residues 22-42, 49-69, 76-98, 105-128, 167-186, 207-223, 236-253, 261-285, 296-318, and 327-349 as set forth in FIGS. 29 and 31. A MEMSAT analysis and a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis resulted in the identification of nine transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human TFM-3 (SEQ ID NO: 31) at about residues 7-23, 34-57, 66-82, 150-168, 188-206, 213-237, 255-279, 288-308, and 321-337 as set forth in FIGS. 33 and 35.

[1609] Accordingly, TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides having at least 50-60% homology, preferably about 60-70%, more preferably about 70-80%, or about 80-90% homology with a transmembrane domain of human TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 are within the scope of the invention.

[1610] In one embodiment, a TFM molecule of the present invention, e.g., TFM-2, is identified based on the presence within the molecule of at least one “monocarboxylate transporter domain.” As used herein, the term “monocarboxylate transporter domain” includes a protein domain having at least about 250-500 amino acid residues, a bit score of at least 20 when compared against a monocarboxylate transporter domain Hidden Markov Model, and a monocarboxylate transporter mediated activity. Preferably, a monocarboxylate transporter domain includes a protein domain having an amino acid sequence of about 300-400, 300-350, or more preferably, about 330 amino acid residues, a bit score of at least 35, and a monocarboxylate transporter mediated activity. To identify the presence of a monocarboxylate transporter domain in a TFM-2 protein, and make the determination that a protein of interest has a particular profile, the amino acid sequence of the protein may be searched against a database of known protein domains (e.g., the PFAM HMM database). A PFAM monocarboxylate transporter domain has been assigned the PFAM Accession PF01587. A search was performed against the PFAM HMM database resulting in the identification of a monocarboxylate transporter domain in the amino acid sequence of human TFM-2 (SEQ ID NO: 28) at about residues 1-332 of SEQ ID NO: 28. The results of the search are set forth in FIGS. 30A-C.

[1611] As used herein, a “monocarboxylate transporter mediated activity” includes the ability to mediate the transport of a variety of monocarboxylates (e.g., lactate, pyruvate, branched chain oxoacids, and/or ketone bodies) across a biological membrane (e.g., a red blood cell membrane, a heart cell membrane, a brain cell membrane, a skeletal muscle cell membrane, a liver cell membrane, a kidney cell membrane, and/or a tumor cell membrane. Accordingly, identifying the presence of a “monocarboxylate transporter domain” can include isolating a fragment of a TFM-2 molecule (e.g., a TFM-2 polypeptide) and assaying for the ability of the fragment to exhibit one of the aforementioned monocarboxylate transporter mediated activities.

[1612] In another embodiment, members of the TFM family of proteins, e.g., TFM-3, include at least one “sugar transporter domain” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, the term “sugar transporter domain” includes a protein domain having at least about 250-500 amino acid residues and a sugar transporter mediated activity. Preferably, a sugar transporter domain includes a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of about 300-400, 300-350, or more preferably, about 353 amino acid residues, and a sugar transporter mediated activity. To identify the presence of a sugar transporter domain in a TFM-3 protein, and make the determination that a protein of interest has a particular profile, the amino acid sequence of the protein may be searched against a database of known protein domains (e.g., the PFAM HMM database). A PFAM sugar transporter domain has been assigned the PFAM Accession PF00083. A search was performed against the PFAM HMM database resulting in the identification of a sugar transporter domain in the amino acid sequence of human TFM-3 (SEQ ID NO: 31) at about residues 1-353 of SEQ ID NO: 31. The results of the search are set forth in FIGS. 34A-B.

[1613] As used herein, a “sugar transporter mediated activity” includes the ability to bind a monosaccharide, such as D-glucose, D-fructose, and/or D-galactose; the ability to transport a monosaccharide such as D-glucose, D-fructose, and/or D-galactose, across a cell membrane (e.g., a liver cell membrane, fat cell membrane, muscle cell membrane, and/or blood cell membrane, such as an erythrocyte membrane); and the ability to modulate sugar homeostasis in a cell. Accordingly, identifying the presence of a “sugar transporter domain” can include isolating a fragment of a TFM-3 molecule (e.g., a TFM-3 polypeptide) and assaying for the ability of the fragment to exhibit one of the aforementioned sugar transporter mediated activities.

[1614] A description of the Pfam database can be found in Sonhammer et al. (1997) Proteins 28:405-420 and a detailed description of HMMs can be found, for example, in Gribskov et al.(1990) Meth. Enzymol. 183:146-159; Gribskov et al.(1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:4355-4358; Krogh et al.(1994) J. Mol. Biol. 235:1501-1531; and Stultz et al.(1993) Protein Sci. 2:305-314, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[1615] In a preferred embodiment, the TFM-2 and TFM-3 molecules of the invention include at least one, preferably two, even more preferably eight, nine or ten transmembrane domain(s), and/or at least one monocarboxylate transporter domain, and/or at least one sugar transporter domain.

[1616] Isolated polypeptides of the present invention, preferably TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides, have an amino acid sequence sufficiently identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31 or are encoded by a nucleotide sequence sufficiently identical to SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32. As used herein, the term “sufficiently identical” refers to a first amino acid or nucleotide sequence which contains a sufficient or minimum number of identical or equivalent (e.g., an amino acid residue which has a similar side chain) amino acid residues or nucleotides to a second amino acid or nucleotide sequence such that the first and second amino acid or nucleotide sequences share common structural domains or motifs and/or a common functional activity. For example, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share common structural domains having at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homology or identity across the amino acid sequences of the domains and contain at least one and preferably two structural domains or motifs, are defined herein as sufficiently identical. Furthermore, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homology or identity and share a common functional activity are defined herein as sufficiently identical.

[1617] In a preferred embodiment, a TFM-2 and/or a TFM-3 polypeptide includes at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain, and/or a monocarboxylate transporter domain, and/or a sugar transporter domain, and has an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homologous or identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31, or the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______. In yet another preferred embodiment, a TFM-2 and/or a TFM-3 polypeptide includes at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain, and/or a monocarboxylate transporter domain, and/or a sugar transporter domain, and is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule having a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32. In another preferred embodiment, a TFM-2 and/or a TFM-3 polypeptide includes at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain, and/or a monocarboxylate transporter domain, and/or a sugar transporter domain, and has a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity.

[1618] As used interchangeably herein, a “TFM-2 activity,” “TFM-3 activity,” “biological activity of TFM-2,” “biological activity of TFM-3,” “functional activity of TFM-2,” or “functional activity of TFM-3” refers to an activity exerted by a TFM-2 and/or a TFM-3 protein, polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule on a TFM-2 and/or a TFM-3 responsive cell or tissue, or on a TFM-2 and/or a TFM-3 protein substrate, as determined in vivo, or in vitro, according to standard techniques. In one embodiment, a TFM-2 and/or a TFM-3 activity is a direct activity, such as an association with a TFM-2 and/or a TFM-3-target molecule. As used herein, a “target molecule” or “binding partner” is a molecule with which a TFM-2 and/or a TFM-3 protein binds or interacts in nature, such that TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-mediated function is achieved. A TFM-2 and/or a TFM-3 target molecule can be a non-TFM-2 and/or a non-TFM-3 molecule or a TFM-2 and/or a TFM-3 protein or polypeptide of the present invention (e.g., a molecule to be transported, e.g., a monocarboxylate and/or a monosaccharide). In an exemplary embodiment, a TFM-2 and/or a TFM-3 target molecule is a TFM-2 and/or a TFM-3 ligand (e.g., a proton, an energy molecule, a metabolite, a monocarboxylate, a monosaccharide or an ion). Alternatively, a TFM-2 and/or a TFM-3 activity is an indirect activity, such as a cellular signaling activity mediated by interaction of the TFM-2 and/or a TFM-3 protein with a TFM-2 and/or a TFM-3 ligand. The biological activities of TFM-2 and TFM-3 are described herein. For example, the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 proteins of the present invention can have one or more of the following activities: 1) modulate the import and export of molecules, e.g., hormones, ions, cytokines, neurotransmitters, monocarboxylates, monosaccharides, and metabolites, from cells, 2) modulate intra- or inter-cellular signaling, 3) modulate removal of potentially harmful compounds from the cell, or facilitate the compartmentalization of these molecules into a sequestered intra-cellular space (e.g., the peroxisome), and 4) modulate transport of biological molecules across membranes, e.g., the plasma membrane, or the membrane of the mitochondrion, the peroxisome, the lysosome, the endoplasmic reticulum, the nucleus, or the vacuole.

[1619] The nucleotide sequence of the isolated human TFM-2 and TFM-3 cDNA and the predicted amino acid sequence of the human TFM-2 and TFM-3 polypeptides are shown in FIGS. 128A-B and 32A-B and in SEQ ID NOs: 27, 28 and 30, 31, respectively. Plasmids containing the nucleotide sequence encoding either human TFM-2 or human TFM-3 were deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______ and assigned Accession Numbers ______ and ______. These deposits will be maintained under the terms of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Pat. Procedure. These deposit were made merely as a convenience for those of skill in the art and are not admissions that a deposit is required under 35 U.S.C. §112.

[1620] The human TFM-2 gene, which is approximately 3524 nucleotides in length, encodes a polypeptide which is approximately 392 amino acid residues in length. The human TFM-3 gene, which is approximately 1855 nucleotides in length, encodes a polypeptide which is approximately 405 amino acid residues in length.

[1621] Various aspects of the invention are described in further detail in the following subsections:

[1622] I. Isolated Nucleic Acid Molecules

[1623] One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated nucleic acid molecules that encode TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments sufficient for use as hybridization probes to identify TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-encoding nucleic acid molecules (e.g., TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA) and fragments for use as PCR primers for the amplification or mutation of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid molecules. As used herein, the term “nucleic acid molecule” is intended to include DNA molecules (e.g., cDNA or genomic DNA) and RNA molecules (e.g., mRNA) and analogs of the DNA or RNA generated using nucleotide analogs. The nucleic acid molecule can be single-stranded or double-stranded, but preferably is double-stranded DNA.

[1624] The term “isolated nucleic acid molecule” includes nucleic acid molecules which are separated from other nucleic acid molecules which are present in the natural source of the nucleic acid. For example, with regards to genomic DNA, the term “isolated” includes nucleic acid molecules which are separated from the chromosome with which the genomic DNA is naturally associated. Preferably, an “isolated” nucleic acid is free of sequences which naturally flank the nucleic acid (i.e., sequences located at the 5′ and 3′ ends of the nucleic acid) in the genomic DNA of the organism from which the nucleic acid is derived. For example, in various embodiments, the isolated TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid molecule can contain less than about 5 kb, 4kb, 3kb, 2kb, 1 kb, 0.5 kb or 0.1 kb of nucleotide sequences which naturally flank the nucleic acid molecule in genomic DNA of the cell from which the nucleic acid is derived. Moreover, an “isolated” nucleic acid molecule, such as a cDNA molecule, can be substantially free of other cellular material, or culture medium when produced by recombinant techniques, or substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized.

[1625] A nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, e.g., a nucleic acid molecule having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______, or a portion thereof, can be isolated using standard molecular biology techniques and the sequence information provided herein. Using all or a portion of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______, as a hybridization probe, TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid molecules can be isolated using standard hybridization and cloning techniques (e.g., as described in Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989).

[1626] Moreover, a nucleic acid molecule encompassing all or a portion of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______ can be isolated by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using synthetic oligonucleotide primers designed based upon the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______.

[1627] A nucleic acid of the invention can be amplified using cDNA, mRNA or alternatively, genomic DNA, as a template and appropriate oligonucleotide primers according to standard PCR amplification techniques. The nucleic acid so amplified can be cloned into an appropriate vector and characterized by DNA sequence analysis. Furthermore, oligonucleotides corresponding to TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleotide sequences can be prepared by standard synthetic techniques, e.g., using an automated DNA synthesizer.

[1628] In one embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 27. The sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27 corresponds to the human TFM-2 cDNA. This cDNA comprises sequences encoding the human TFM-2 polypeptide (i.e., “the coding region”, from nucleotides 615-1794) as well as 5′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1-614) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1795-3524). Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 27 (e.g., nucleotides 615-1794, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 29). Accordingly, in another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 29 and nucleotides 1-614 and 1795-3524 of SEQ ID NO: 27. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 27 or SEQ ID NO: 29.

[1629] In another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 30. The sequence of SEQ ID NO: 30 corresponds to the human TFM-3 cDNA. This cDNA comprises sequences encoding the human TFM-3 polypeptide (i.e., “the coding region”, from nucleotides 384-1602) as well as 5′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1-383) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1603-1855). Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 30 (e.g., nucleotides 384-1602, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 32). Accordingly, in another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 32 and nucleotides 1-383 and 1603-1855 of SEQ ID NO: 30. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 30 or SEQ ID NO: 32.

[1630] In still another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises a nucleic acid molecule which is a complement of the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______, or a portion of any of these nucleotide sequences. A nucleic acid molecule which is complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______, is one which is sufficiently complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______, such that it can hybridize to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______, thereby forming a stable duplex.

[1631] In still another preferred embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32 (e.g., to the entire length of the nucleotide sequence), or to the nucleotide sequence (e.g., the entire length of the nucleotide sequence) of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or, or a portion of any of these nucleotide sequences. In one embodiment, a nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least (or no greater than) 50-100, 100-250, 250-500, 500-750, 750-1000, 1000-1250, 1250-1500, 1500-1750, 1750-2000, 2000-2250, 2250-2500, 2500-2750, 2750-3000, 3000-3250, 3250-3500 or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule of SEQ ID NO: 27 or 29, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. In another embodiment, a nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least (or no greater than) 50-100, 100-250, 250-500, 500-750, 750-1000, 1000-1250, 1250-1500, 1500-1750, 1750-1850 or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule of SEQ ID NO: 30 or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______.

[1632] Moreover, the nucleic acid molecule of the invention can comprise only a portion of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______, for example, a fragment which can be used as a probe or primer or a fragment encoding a portion of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, e.g., a biologically active portion of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide. The nucleotide sequence determined from the cloning of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene allows for the generation of probes and primers designed for use in identifying and/or cloning other TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 family members, as well as TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 homologues from other species. The probe/primer typically comprises substantially purified oligonucleotide. The probe/primer (e.g., oligonucleotide) typically comprises a region of nucleotide sequence that hybridizes under stringent conditions to at least about 12 or 15, preferably about 20 or 25, more preferably about 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, or 100 or more consecutive nucleotides of a sense sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______, of an anti-sense sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______, or of a naturally occurring allelic variant or mutant of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______.

[1633] Exemplary probes or primers are at least 12, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75 or more nucleotides in length and/or comprise consecutive nucleotides of an isolated nucleic acid molecule described herein. Probes based on the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleotide sequences can be used to detect (e.g., specifically detect) transcripts or genomic sequences encoding the same or homologous polypeptides. In preferred embodiments, the probe further comprises a label group attached thereto, e.g., the label group can be a radioisotope, a fluorescent compound, an enzyme, or an enzyme co-factor. In another embodiment a set of primers is provided, e.g., primers suitable for use in a PCR, which can be used to amplify a selected region of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 sequence, e.g., a domain, region, site or other sequence described herein. The primers should be at least 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 or more nucleotides in length. Such probes can be used as a part of a diagnostic test kit for identifying cells or tissue which misexpress a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, such as by measuring a level of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-encoding nucleic acid in a sample of cells from a subject e.g., detecting TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA levels or determining whether a genomic TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene has been mutated or deleted.

[1634] A nucleic acid fragment encoding a “biologically active portion of a TFM-2 polypeptide” and/or a “biologically active portion of a TFM-3 polypeptide” can be prepared by isolating a portion of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______, which encodes a polypeptide having a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 biological activity (the biological activities of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides are described herein), expressing the encoded portion of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide (e.g., by recombinant expression in vitro) and assessing the activity of the encoded portion of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide. In an exemplary embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule is at least 50-100, 100-250, 250-500, 500-750, 750-1000, 1000-1250, 1250-1500, 1500-1750, 1750-2000, 2000-2250, 2250-2500, 2500-2750, 2750-3000, 3000-3250, 3250-3500 or more nucleotides in length and encodes a polypeptide having a TFM-2 activity (as described herein). In another exemplary embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule is at least 50-100, 100-250, 250-500, 500-750, 750-1000, 1000-1250, 1250-1500, 1500-1750, 1750-1850 or more nucleotides in length and encodes a polypeptide having a TFM-3 activity (as described herein).

[1635] The invention further encompasses nucleic acid molecules that differ from the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______. Such differences can be due to due to degeneracy of the genetic code, thus resulting in a nucleic acid which encodes the same TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides as those encoded by the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______. In another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention has a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence which differs by at least 1, but no greater than 5, 10, 20, 50 or 100 amino acid residues from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31, or the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule encodes the amino acid sequence of human TFM-2 and TFM-3. If an alignment is needed for this comparison, the sequences should be aligned for maximum homology.

[1636] Nucleic acid variants can be naturally occurring, such as allelic variants (same locus), homologues (different locus), and orthologues (different organism) or can be non naturally occurring. Non-naturally occurring variants can be made by mutagenesis techniques, including those applied to polynucleotides, cells, or organisms. The variants can contain nucleotide substitutions, deletions, inversions and insertions. Variation can occur in either or both the coding and non-coding regions. The variations can produce both conservative and non-conservative amino acid substitutions (as compared in the encoded product).

[1637] Allelic variants result, for example, from DNA sequence polymorphisms within a population (e.g., the human population) that lead to changes in the amino acid sequences of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides. Such genetic polymorphism in the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 genes may exist among individuals within a population due to natural allelic variation. As used herein, the terms “gene” and “recombinant gene” refer to nucleic acid molecules which include an open reading frame encoding a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, preferably a mammalian TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, and can further include non-coding regulatory sequences, and introns.

[1638] Accordingly, in one embodiment, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode a naturally occurring allelic variant of a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______, wherein the nucleic acid molecule hybridizes to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, for example, under stringent hybridization conditions.

[1639] Allelic variants of human TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 include both functional and non-functional TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides. Functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the human TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide that have a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity, e.g., maintain the ability to bind a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 ligand or substrate and/or modulate the import and export of molecules from cells or across membranes, e.g., monocarboxylates and/or monosaccharides. Functional allelic variants will typically contain only conservative substitution of one or more amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31, or substitution, deletion or insertion of non-critical residues in non-critical regions of the polypeptide.

[1640] Non-functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the human TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide that do not have a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity, e.g., they do not have the ability to transport molecules into and out of cells or across membranes. Non-functional allelic variants will typically contain a non-conservative substitution, a deletion, or insertion or premature truncation of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31, or a substitution, insertion or deletion in critical residues or critical regions.

[1641] The present invention further provides non-human orthologues of the human TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide. Orthologues of human TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides are polypeptides that are isolated from non-human organisms and possess the same TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity, e.g., ligand binding and/or modulation of import and export of molecules from cells or across membranes, e.g., monocarboxylates and/or monosaccharides, as the human TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide. Orthologues of the human TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide can readily be identified as comprising an amino acid sequence that is substantially identical to SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31.

[1642] Moreover, nucleic acid molecules encoding other TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 family members and, thus, which have a nucleotide sequence which differs from the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 sequences of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______ are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, another TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 cDNA can be identified based on the nucleotide sequence of human TFM-2 and/or TFM-3. Moreover, nucleic acid molecules encoding TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides from different species, and which, thus, have a nucleotide sequence which differs from the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 sequences of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______ are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, a mouse TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 cDNA can be identified based on the nucleotide sequence of a human TFM-2 and/or TFM-3.

[1643] Nucleic acid molecules corresponding to natural allelic variants and homologues of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 cDNAs of the invention can be isolated based on their homology to the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acids disclosed herein using the cDNAs disclosed herein, or a portion thereof, as a hybridization probe according to standard hybridization techniques under stringent hybridization conditions. Nucleic acid molecules corresponding to natural allelic variants and homologues of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 cDNAs of the invention can further be isolated by mapping to the same chromosome or locus as the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene.

[1644] Orthologues, homologues and allelic variants can be identified using methods known in the art (e.g., by hybridization to an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, for example, under stringent hybridization conditions). In one embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention is at least 15, 20, 25, 30 or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. In other embodiment, the nucleic acid is at least 100-150, 150-200, 200-250, 250-300, 300-350, 350-400, 400-450, 450-500, 500-550, 550-600, 600-650, 650-700, 700-750, 750-800, 800-850, 850-900, 900-950, 950-1000, 1000-1050, 1050-1100, 1100-1150, 1150-1200, 1200-1250, 1250-1300, 1300-1350, 1350-1400, 1400-1450, 1450-1500, 1500-1550, 1550-1600, 1600-1650, 1650-1700, 1700-1750, 1750-1800, 1800-1850, 1850-1900, 1900-1950, 1950-2000, 2000-2500, 2500-3000, 3000-3500 or more nucleotides in length. In other embodiment, the nucleic acid is at least 100-150, 150-200, 200-250, 250-300, 300-350, 350-400, 400-450, 450-500, 500-550, 550-600, 600-650, 650-700, 700-750, 750-800, 800-850, 850-900, 900-950, 950-1000, 1000-1050, 1050-1100, 1100-1150, 1150-1200, 1200-1250, 1250-1300, 1300-1350, 1350-1400, 1400-1450, 1450-1500, 1500-1550, 1550-1600, 1600-1650, 1650-1700, 1700-1750, 1750-1800, 1800-1850 or more nucleotides in length.

[1645] As used herein, the term “hybridizes under stringent conditions” is intended to describe conditions for hybridization and washing under which nucleotide sequences that are significantly identical or homologous to each other remain hybridized to each other. Preferably, the conditions are such that sequences at least about 70%, more preferably at least about 80%, even more preferably at least about 85% or 90% identical to each other remain hybridized to each other. Such stringent conditions are known to those skilled in the art and can be found in Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Ausubel et al., eds., John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1995), sections 2, 4 and 6. Additional stringent conditions can be found in Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Sambrook et al., Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989), chapters 7, 9 and 11. A preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 4× sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC), at about 65-70° C. (or hybridization in 4× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 42-50° C.) followed by one or more washes in 1× SSC, at about 65-70° C. A preferred, non-limiting example of highly stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 1× SSC, at about 65-70° C. (or hybridization in 1× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 42-50° C.) followed by one or more washes in 0.3X SSC, at about 65-70° C. A preferred, non-limiting example of reduced stringency hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 4× SSC, at about 50-60° C. (or alternatively hybridization in 6× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 40-45° C.) followed by one or more washes in 2× SSC, at about 50-60° C. Ranges intermediate to the above-recited values, e.g., at 65-70° C. or at 42-50° C. are also intended to be encompassed by the present invention. SSPE (1× SSPE is 0.15M NaCl, 10 mM NaH₂PO₄, and 1.25 mM EDTA, pH 7.4) can be substituted for SSC (1× SSC is 0.15M NaCl and 15 mM sodium citrate) in the hybridization and wash buffers; washes are performed for 15 minutes each after hybridization is complete. The hybridization temperature for hybrids anticipated to be less than 50 base pairs in length should be 5-10° C. less than the melting temperature (T_(m)) of the hybrid, where T_(m) is determined according to the following equations. For hybrids less than 18 base pairs in length, T_(m)(° C.)=2(# of A+T bases)+4(# of G+C bases). For hybrids between 18 and 49 base pairs in length, T_(m)(° C.)=81.5+16.6(log₁₀[Na⁺])+0.41(%G+C)−(600/N), where N is the number of bases in the hybrid, and [Na⁺] is the concentration of sodium ions in the hybridization buffer ([Na⁺] for 1× SSC=0.165 M). It will also be recognized by the skilled practitioner that additional reagents may be added to hybridization and/or wash buffers to decrease non-specific hybridization of nucleic acid molecules to membranes, for example, nitrocellulose or nylon membranes, including but not limited to blocking agents (e.g., BSA or salmon or herring sperm carrier DNA), detergents (e.g., SDS), chelating agents (e.g., EDTA), Ficoll, PVP and the like. When using nylon membranes, in particular, an additional preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions is hybridization in 0.25-0.5M NaH₂PO₄, 7% SDS at about 65° C, followed by one or more washes at 0.02M NaH₂PO₄, 1% SDS at 65° C., see e.g., Church and Gilbert (1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:1991-1995, (or alternatively 0.2× SSC, 1% SDS).

[1646] Preferably, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32 and corresponds to a naturally-occurring nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, a “naturally-occurring” nucleic acid molecule refers to an RNA or DNA molecule having a nucleotide sequence that occurs in nature (e.g., encodes a natural polypeptide).

[1647] In addition to naturally-occurring allelic variants of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 sequences that may exist in the population, the skilled artisan will further appreciate that changes can be introduced by mutation into the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, thereby leading to changes in the amino acid sequence of the encoded TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides, without altering the functional ability of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides. For example, nucleotide substitutions leading to amino acid substitutions at “non-essential” amino acid residues can be made in the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. A “non-essential” amino acid residue is a residue that can be altered from the wild-type sequence of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 (e.g., the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31) without altering the biological activity, whereas an “essential” amino acid residue is required for biological activity. For example, amino acid residues that are conserved among the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides of the present invention, e.g., those present in a transmembrane domain, and/or a monocarboxylate domain, and/or a sugar transporter domain are predicted to be particularly unamenable to alteration. Furthermore, additional amino acid residues that are conserved between the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides of the present invention and other members of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 family are not likely to be amenable to alteration.

[1648] Accordingly, another aspect of the invention pertains to nucleic acid molecules encoding TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides that contain changes in amino acid residues that are not essential for activity. Such TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides differ in amino acid sequence from SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31, yet retain biological activity. In one embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide, wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31 (e.g., to the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31).

[1649] An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide identical to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31, can be created by introducing one or more nucleotide substitutions, additions or deletions into the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______, such that one or more amino acid substitutions, additions or deletions are introduced into the encoded polypeptide. Mutations can be introduced into SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______ by standard techniques, such as site-directed mutagenesis and PCR-mediated mutagenesis. Preferably, conservative amino acid substitutions are made at one or more predicted non-essential amino acid residues. A “conservative amino acid substitution” is one in which the amino acid residue is replaced with an amino acid residue having a similar side chain. Families of amino acid residues having similar side chains have been defined in the art. These families include amino acids with basic side chains (e.g., lysine, arginine, histidine), acidic side chains (e.g., aspartic acid, glutamic acid), uncharged polar side chains (e.g., glycine, asparagine, glutamine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, cysteine, tryptophan), nonpolar side chains (e.g., alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, proline, phenylalanine, methionine), beta-branched side chains (e.g., threonine, valine, isoleucine) and aromatic side chains (e.g., tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, histidine). Thus, a predicted nonessential amino acid residue in a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide is preferably replaced with another amino acid residue from the same side chain family. Alternatively, in another embodiment, mutations can be introduced randomly along all or part of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 coding sequence, such as by saturation mutagenesis, and the resultant mutants can be screened for TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 biological activity to identify mutants that retain activity. Following mutagenesis of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______, the encoded polypeptide can be expressed recombinantly and the activity of the polypeptide can be determined.

[1650] In a preferred embodiment, a mutant TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide can be assayed for the ability to 1) modulate the import and export of molecules, e.g., hormones, ions, cytokines, neurotransmitters, monocarboxylates monosaccharides, and metabolites, from cells, 2) modulate intra- or inter-cellular signaling, 3) modulate removal of potentially harmful compounds from the cell, or facilitate the compartmentalization of these molecules into a sequestered intra-cellular space (e.g., the peroxisome), and 4) modulate transport of biological molecules across membranes, e.g., the plasma membrane, or the membrane of the mitochondrion, the peroxisome, the lysosome, the endoplasmic reticulum, the nucleus, or the vacuole.

[1651] In addition to the nucleic acid molecules encoding TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides described above, another aspect of the invention pertains to isolated nucleic acid molecules which are antisense thereto. In an exemplary embodiment, the invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule which is antisense to a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid molecule (e.g., is antisense to the coding strand of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid molecule). An “antisense” nucleic acid comprises a nucleotide sequence which is complementary to a “sense” nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide, e.g., complementary to the coding strand of a double-stranded cDNA molecule or complementary to an mRNA sequence. Accordingly, an antisense nucleic acid can hydrogen bond to a sense nucleic acid. The antisense nucleic acid can be complementary to an entire TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 coding strand, or to only a portion thereof. In one embodiment, an antisense nucleic acid molecule is antisense to a “coding region” of the coding strand of a nucleotide sequence encoding TFM-2 and/or TFM-3. The term “coding region” refers to the region of the nucleotide sequence comprising codons which are translated into amino acid residues (e.g., the coding region of human TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 corresponds to SEQ ID NO: 29 or 32). In another embodiment, the antisense nucleic acid molecule is antisense to a “noncoding region” of the coding strand of a nucleotide sequence encoding TFM-2 and/or TFM-3. The term “noncoding region” refers to 5′ and 3′ sequences which flank the coding region that are not translated into amino acids (i.e., also referred to as 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions).

[1652] Given the coding strand sequences encoding TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 disclosed herein (e.g., SEQ ID NO: 29 or 32), antisense nucleic acids of the invention can be designed according to the rules of Watson and Crick base pairing. The antisense nucleic acid molecule can be complementary to the entire coding region of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA, but more preferably is an oligonucleotide which is antisense to only a portion of the coding or noncoding region of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA. For example, the antisense oligonucleotide can be complementary to the region surrounding the translation start site of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA (e.g., between the −10 and +10 regions of the start site of a gene nucleotide sequence). An antisense oligonucleotide can be, for example, about 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 or 50 nucleotides in length. An antisense nucleic acid of the invention can be constructed using chemical synthesis and enzymatic ligation reactions using procedures known in the art. For example, an antisense nucleic acid (e.g., an antisense oligonucleotide) can be chemically synthesized using naturally occurring nucleotides or variously modified nucleotides designed to increase the biological stability of the molecules or to increase the physical stability of the duplex formed between the antisense and sense nucleic acids, e.g., phosphorothioate derivatives and acridine substituted nucleotides can be used. Examples of modified nucleotides which can be used to generate the antisense nucleic acid include 5-fluorouracil, 5-bromouracil, 5-chlorouracil, 5-iodouracil, hypoxanthine, xantine, 4-acetylcytosine, 5-(carboxyhydroxylmethyl) uracil, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyl-2-thiouridine, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyluracil, dihydrouracil, beta-D-galactosylqueosine, inosine, N6-isopentenyladenine, 1-methylguanine, 1-methylinosine, 2,2-dimethylguanine, 2-methyladenine, 2-methylguanine, 3-methylcytosine, 5-methylcytosine, N6-adenine, 7-methylguanine, 5-methylaminomethyluracil, 5-methoxyaminomethyl-2-thiouracil, beta-D-mannosylqueosine, 5′-methoxycarboxymethyluracil, 5-methoxyuracil, 2-methylthio-N6-isopentenyladenine, isopentenyladenine, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), wybutoxosine, pseudouracil, queosine, 2-thiocytosine, 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 2-thiouracil, 4-thiouracil, 5-methyluracil, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid methylester, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 3-(3-amino-3-N-2-carboxypropyl) uracil, (acp3)w, and 2,6-diaminopurine. Alternatively, the antisense nucleic acid can be produced biologically using an expression vector into which a nucleic acid has been subcloned in an antisense orientation (i.e., RNA transcribed from the inserted nucleic acid will be of an antisense orientation to a target nucleic acid of interest, described further in the following subsection).

[1653] The antisense nucleic acid molecules of the invention are typically administered to a subject or generated in situ such that they hybridize with or bind to cellular mRNA and/or genomic DNA encoding a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide to thereby inhibit expression of the polypeptide, e.g., by inhibiting transcription and/or translation. The hybridization can be by conventional nucleotide complementarity to form a stable duplex, or, for example, in the case of an antisense nucleic acid molecule which binds to DNA duplexes, through specific interactions in the major groove of the double helix. An example of a route of administration of antisense nucleic acid molecules of the invention include direct injection at a tissue site. Alternatively, antisense nucleic acid molecules can be modified to target selected cells and then administered systemically. For example, for systemic administration, antisense molecules can be modified such that they specifically bind to receptors or antigens expressed on a selected cell surface, e.g., by linking the antisense nucleic acid molecules to peptides or antibodies which bind to cell surface receptors or antigens. The antisense nucleic acid molecules can also be delivered to cells using the vectors described herein. To achieve sufficient intra-cellular concentrations of the antisense molecules, vector constructs in which the antisense nucleic acid molecule is placed under the control of a strong pol II or pol III promoter are preferred.

[1654] In yet another embodiment, the antisense nucleic acid molecule of the invention is an α-anomenc nucleic acid molecule. An α-anomeric nucleic acid molecule forms specific double-stranded hybrids with complementary RNA in which, contrary to the usual β-units, the strands run parallel to each other (Gaultier et al. (1987) Nucleic Acids. Res. 15:6625-6641). The antisense nucleic acid molecule can also comprise a 2′-o-methylribonucleotide (Inoue et al (1987) Nucleic Acids Res. 15:6131-6148) or a chimeric RNA-DNA analogue (Inoue et al. (1987) FEBS Lett. 215:327-330).

[1655] In still another embodiment, an antisense nucleic acid of the invention is a ribozyme. Ribozymes are catalytic RNA molecules with ribonuclease activity which are capable of cleaving a single-stranded nucleic acid, such as an mRNA, to which they have a complementary region. Thus, ribozymes (e.g., hammerhead ribozymes (described in Haseloff and Gerlach (1988) Nature 334:585-591)) can be used to catalytically cleave TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA transcripts to thereby inhibit translation of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA. A ribozyme having specificity for a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-encoding nucleic acid can be designed based upon the nucleotide sequence of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 cDNA disclosed herein (i.e., SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______). For example, a derivative of a Tetrahymena L-19 WVS RNA can be constructed in which the nucleotide sequence of the active site is complementary to the nucleotide sequence to be cleaved in a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-encoding mRNA. See, e.g., Cech et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,071; and Cech et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,742. Alternatively, TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA can be used to select a catalytic RNA having a specific ribonuclease activity from a pool of RNA molecules. See, e.g., Bartel, D. and Szostak, J. W. (1993) Science 261:1411-1418.

[1656] Alternatively, TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene expression can be inhibited by targeting nucleotide sequences complementary to the regulatory region of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 (e.g., the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 promoter and/or enhancers) to form triple helical structures that prevent transcription of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene in target cells. See generally, Helene, C. (1991) Anticancer Drug Des. 6(6):569-84; Helene, C. et al. (1992) Ann. N.Y Acad. Sci. 660:27-36; and Maher, L. J. (1992) Bioassays 14(12):807-15.

[1657] In yet another embodiment, the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid molecules of the present invention can be modified at the base moiety, sugar moiety or phosphate backbone to improve, e.g., the stability, hybridization, or solubility of the molecule. For example, the deoxyribose phosphate backbone of the nucleic acid molecules can be modified to generate peptide nucleic acids (see Hyrup B. et al. (1996) Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry 4 (1): 5-23). As used herein, the terms “peptide nucleic acids” or “PNAs” refer to nucleic acid mimics, e.g., DNA mimics, in which the deoxyribose phosphate backbone is replaced by a pseudopeptide backbone and only the four natural nucleobases are retained. The neutral backbone of PNAs has been shown to allow for specific hybridization to DNA and RNA under conditions of low ionic strength. The synthesis of PNA oligomers can be performed using standard solid phase peptide synthesis protocols as described in Hyrup B. et al. (1996) supra; Perry-O'Keefe et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 93: 14670-675.

[1658] PNAs of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid molecules can be used in therapeutic and diagnostic applications. For example, PNAs can be used as antisense or antigene agents for sequence-specific modulation of gene expression by, for example, inducing transcription or translation arrest or inhibiting replication. PNAs of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid molecules can also be used in the analysis of single base pair mutations in a gene, (e.g., by PNA-directed PCR clamping); as ‘artificial restriction enzymes’ when used in combination with other enzymes, (e.g., S1 nucleases (Hyrup B. (1996) supra)); or as probes or primers for DNA sequencing or hybridization (Hyrup B. et al. (1996) supra; Perry-O'Keefe supra).

[1659] In another embodiment, PNAs of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 can be modified, (e.g., to enhance their stability or cellular uptake), by attaching lipophilic or other helper groups to PNA, by the formation of PNA-DNA chimeras, or by the use of liposomes or other techniques of drug delivery known in the art. For example, PNA-DNA chimeras of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid molecules can be generated which may combine the advantageous properties of PNA and DNA. Such chimeras allow DNA recognition enzymes, (e.g., RNase H and DNA polymerases), to interact with the DNA portion while the PNA portion would provide high binding affinity and specificity. PNA-DNA chimeras can be linked using linkers of appropriate lengths selected in terms of base stacking, number of bonds between the nucleobases, and orientation (Hyrup B. (1996) supra). The synthesis of PNA-DNA chimeras can be performed as described in Hyrup B. (1996) supra and Finn P. J. et al. (1996) Nucleic Acids Res. 24 (17): 3357-63. For example, a DNA chain can be synthesized on a solid support using standard phosphoramidite coupling chemistry and modified nucleoside analogs, e.g., 5′-(4-methoxytrityl) amino-5′-deoxy-thymidine phosphoramidite, can be used as a between the PNA and the 5′ end of DNA (Mag, M. et al. (1989) Nucleic Acid Res. 17: 5973-88). PNA monomers are then coupled in a stepwise manner to produce a chimeric molecule with a 5′ PNA segment and a 3′ DNA segment (Finn P. J. et al. (1996) supra). Alternatively, chimeric molecules can be synthesized with a 5′ DNA segment and a 3′ PNA segment (Peterser, K. H. et al. (1975) Bioorganic Med. Chem. Lett. 5: 1119-11124).

[1660] In other embodiments, the oligonucleotide may include other appended groups such as peptides (e.g., for targeting host cell receptors in vivo), or agents facilitating transport across the cell membrane (see, e.g., Letsinger et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6553-6556; Lemaitre et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:648-652; PCT Publication No. W088/09810) or the blood-brain barrier (see, e.g., PCT Publication No. W089/10134). In addition, oligonucleotides can be modified with hybridization-triggered cleavage agents (See, e.g., Krol et al. (1988) Bio-Techniques 6:958-976) or intercalating agents. (See, e.g., Zon (1988) Pharm. Res. 5:539-549). To this end, the oligonucleotide may be conjugated to another molecule, (e.g., a peptide, hybridization triggered cross-linking agent, transport agent, or hybridization-triggered cleavage agent).

[1661] Alternatively, the expression characteristics of an endogenous TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene within a cell line or microorganism may be modified by inserting a heterologous DNA regulatory element into the genome of a stable cell line or cloned microorganism such that the inserted regulatory element is operatively linked with the endogenous TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene. For example, an endogenous TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene which is normally “transcriptionally silent”, i.e., a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene which is normally not expressed, or is expressed only at very low levels in a cell line or microorganism, may be activated by inserting a regulatory element which is capable of promoting the expression of a normally expressed gene product in that cell line or microorganism. Alternatively, a transcriptionally silent, endogenous TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene may be activated by insertion of a promiscuous regulatory element that works across cell types.

[1662] A heterologous regulatory element may be inserted into a stable cell line or cloned microorganism, such that it is operatively linked with an endogenous TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene, using techniques, such as targeted homologous recombination, which are well known to those of skill in the art, and described, e.g., in Chappel, U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,071; PCT publication No. WO 91/06667, published May 16, 1991.

[1663] II. Isolated TFM-2 and TFM-3 Polypeptides and Anti-TFM-2 and Anti-TFM-3 Antibodies

[1664] One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 or recombinant polypeptides and polypeptides, and biologically active portions thereof, as well as polypeptide fragments suitable for use as immunogens to raise anti-TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 antibodies. In one embodiment, native TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides can be isolated from cells or tissue sources by an appropriate purification scheme using standard protein purification techniques. In another embodiment, TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides are produced by recombinant DNA techniques. Alternative to recombinant expression, a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or polypeptide can be synthesized chemically using standard peptide synthesis techniques.

[1665] An “isolated” or “purified” polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is substantially free of cellular material or other contaminating proteins from the cell or tissue source from which the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide is derived, or substantially free from chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized. The language “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide in which the polypeptide is separated from cellular components of the cells from which it is isolated or recombinantly produced. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide having less than about 30% (by dry weight) of non-TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide (also referred to herein as a “contaminating protein”), more preferably less than about 20% of non-TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, still more preferably less than about 10% of non-TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, and most preferably less than about 5% non-TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide. When the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is recombinantly produced, it is also preferably substantially free of culture medium, i.e., culture medium represents less than about 20%, more preferably less than about 10%, and most preferably less than about 5% of the volume of the protein preparation.

[1666] The language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide in which the polypeptide is separated from chemical precursors or other chemicals which are involved in the synthesis of the polypeptide. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide having less than about 30% (by dry weight) of chemical precursors or non-TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 chemicals, more preferably less than about 20% chemical precursors or non-TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 chemicals, still more preferably less than about 10% chemical precursors or non-TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 chemicals, and most preferably less than about 5% chemical precursors or non-TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 chemicals.

[1667] As used herein, a “biologically active portion” of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide includes a fragment of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide which participates in an interaction between a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 molecule and a non-TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 molecule. Biologically active portions of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide include peptides comprising amino acid sequences sufficiently identical to or derived from the amino acid sequence of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, e.g., the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO-28 or 31, which include less amino acids than the full length TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides, and exhibit at least one activity of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide. Typically, biologically active portions comprise a domain or motif with at least one activity of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, e.g., modulating transport mechanisms. A biologically active portion of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide can be a polypeptide which is, for example, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375 or more amino acids in length. Biologically active portions of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide can be used as targets for developing agents which modulate a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mediated activity, e.g., modulating transport of biological molecules across membranes.

[1668] In one embodiment, a biologically active portion of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide comprises at least one transmembrane domain. It is to be understood that a preferred biologically active portion of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide of the present invention comprises at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain, and/or a monocarboxylate domain, and/or a sugar transporter domain. Moreover, other biologically active portions, in which other regions of the polypeptide are deleted, can be prepared by recombinant techniques and evaluated for one or more of the functional activities of a native TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide.

[1669] Another aspect of the invention features fragments of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31, for example, for use as immunogens. In one embodiment, a fragment comprises at least 5 amino acids (e.g., contiguous or consecutive amino acids) of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______. In another embodiment, a fragment comprises at least 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 or more amino acids (e.g., contiguous or consecutive amino acids) of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______.

[1670] In a preferred embodiment, a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide has an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31. In other embodiments, the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide is substantially identical to SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31, and retains the functional activity of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31, yet differs in amino acid sequence due to natural allelic variation or mutagenesis, as described in detail in subsection I above. In another embodiment, the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide is a polypeptide which comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31.

[1671] In another embodiment, the invention features a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or a complement thereof. This invention further features a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or a complement thereof.

[1672] To determine the percent identity of two amino acid sequences or of two nucleic acid sequences, the sequences are aligned for optimal comparison purposes (e.g., gaps can be introduced in one or both of a first and a second amino acid or nucleic acid sequence for optimal alignment and non-identical sequences can be disregarded for comparison purposes). In a preferred embodiment, the length of a reference sequence aligned for comparison purposes is at least 30%, preferably at least 40%, more preferably at least 50%, even more preferably at least 60%, and even more preferably at least 70%, 80%, or 90% of the length of the reference sequence (e.g., when aligning a second sequence to the TFM-2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28 having 392 amino acid residues, at least 117, preferably at least 156, more preferably at least 196, more preferably at least 235, even more preferably at least 274, and even more preferably at least 313 or 352 or more amino acid residues are aligned; when aligning a second sequence to the TFM-3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 31 having 405 amino acid residues, at least 121, preferably at least 162, more preferably at least 202, more preferably at least 243, even more preferably at least 283, and even more preferably at least 324 or 364 or more amino acid residues are aligned). The amino acid residues or nucleotides at corresponding amino acid positions or nucleotide positions are then compared. When a position in the first sequence is occupied by the same amino acid residue or nucleotide as the corresponding position in the second sequence, then the molecules are identical at that position (as used herein amino acid or nucleic acid “identity” is equivalent to amino acid or nucleic acid “homology”). The percent identity between the two sequences is a function of the number of identical positions shared by the sequences, taking into account the number of gaps, and the length of each gap, which need to be introduced for optimal alignment of the two sequences.

[1673] The comparison of sequences and determination of percent identity between two sequences can be accomplished using a mathematical algorithm. In a preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid sequences is determined using the Needleman and Wunsch (J. Mol. Biol. (48):444-453 (1970)) algorithm which has been incorporated into the GAP program in the GCG software package (available at http://www.gcg.com), using either a Blosum 62 matrix or a PAM250 matrix, and a gap weight of 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, or 4 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. In yet another preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two nucleotide sequences is determined using the GAP program in the GCG software package (available at http://www.gcg.com), using a NWSgapdna.CMP matrix and a gap weight of 40, 50, 60, 70, or 80 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. A preferred, non-limiting example of parameters to be used in conjunction with the GAP program include a Blosum 62 scoring matrix with a gap penalty of 12, a gap extend penalty of 4, and a frameshift gap penalty of 5.

[1674] In another embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid or nucleotide sequences is determined using the algorithm of E. Meyers and W. Miller (Comput. Appl. Biosci., 4:11-17 (1988)) which has been incorporated into the ALIGN program (version 2.0 or version 2.0U), using a PAM120 weight residue table, a gap length penalty of 12 and a gap penalty of 4.

[1675] The nucleic acid and polypeptide sequences of the present invention can further be used as a “query sequence” to perform a search against public databases to, for example, identify other family members or related sequences. Such searches can be performed using the NBLAST and XBLAST programs (version 2.0) of Altschul, et al. (1990) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-10. BLAST nucleotide searches can be performed with the NBLAST program, score=100, wordlength=12 to obtain nucleotide sequences homologous to TFM-2 and TFM-3 nucleic acid molecules of the invention. BLAST protein searches can be performed with the XBLAST program, score=100, wordlength=3, and a Blosum62 matrix to obtain amino acid sequences homologous to TFM-2 and TFM-3 polypeptide molecules of the invention. To obtain gapped alignments for comparison purposes, Gapped BLAST can be utilized as described in Altschul et al., (1997) Nucleic Acids Res. 25(17):3389-3402. When utilizing BLAST and Gapped BLAST programs, the default parameters of the respective programs (e.g., XBLAST and NBLAST) can be used. See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

[1676] The invention also provides TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 chimeric or fusion proteins. As used herein, a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 “chimeric protein” or “fusion protein” comprises a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide operatively linked to a non-TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide. A “TFM-2 polypeptide” and a “TFM-3 polypeptide” refers to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to TFM-2 and TFM-3, respectively, whereas a “non-TFM-2 polypeptide” and a “non-TFM-3 polypeptide” refers to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to a polypeptide which is not substantially homologous to the TFM-2 and TFM-3 polypeptides, respectively, e.g., a polypeptide which is different from the TFM-2 and TFM-3 polypeptide and which is derived from the same or a different organism. Within a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 fusion protein the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide can correspond to all or a portion of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide. In a preferred embodiment, a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 fusion protein comprises at least one biologically active portion of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide. In another preferred embodiment, a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 fusion protein comprises at least two biologically active portions of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide. Within the fusion protein, the term “operatively linked” is intended to indicate that the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide and the non-TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide are fused in-frame to each other. The non-TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide can be fused to the N-terminus or C-terminus of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide.

[1677] For example, in one embodiment, the fusion protein is a GST-TFM-2 and/or GST-TFM-3 fusion protein in which the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 sequences are fused to the C-terminus of the GST sequences. Such fusion proteins can facilitate the purification of recombinant TFM-2 and/or TFM-3.

[1678] In another embodiment, the fusion protein is a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide l0 containing a heterologous signal sequence at its N-terminus. In certain host cells (e.g., mammalian host cells), expression and/or secretion of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 can be increased through the use of a heterologous signal sequence.

[1679] The TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 fusion proteins of the invention can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions and administered to a subject in vivo. The TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 fusion proteins can be used to affect the bioavailability of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 substrate. Use of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 fusion proteins may be useful therapeutically for the treatment of disorders caused by, for example, (i) aberrant modification or mutation of a gene encoding a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide; (ii) mis-regulation of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene; and (iii) aberrant post-translational modification of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide.

[1680] Moreover, the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-fusion proteins of the invention can be used as immunogens to produce anti-TFM-2 and/or anti-TFM-3 antibodies in a subject, to purify TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 ligands and in screening assays to identify molecules which inhibit the interaction of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 with a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 substrate.

[1681] Preferably, a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 chimeric or fusion protein of the invention is produced by standard recombinant DNA techniques. For example, DNA fragments coding for the different polypeptide sequences are ligated together in-frame in accordance with conventional techniques, for example by employing blunt-ended or stagger-ended termini for ligation, restriction enzyme digestion to provide for appropriate termini, filling-in of cohesive ends as appropriate, alkaline phosphatase treatment to avoid undesirable joining, and enzymatic ligation. In another embodiment, the fusion gene can be synthesized by conventional techniques including automated DNA synthesizers. Alternatively, PCR amplification of gene fragments can be carried out using anchor primers which give rise to complementary overhangs between two consecutive gene fragments which can subsequently be annealed and reamplified to generate a chimeric gene sequence (see, for example, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, eds. Ausubel et al John Wiley & Sons: 1992). Moreover, many expression vectors are commercially available that already encode a fusion moiety (e.g., a GST polypeptide). A TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-encoding nucleic acid can be cloned into such an expression vector such that the fusion moiety is linked in-frame to the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide.

[1682] The present invention also pertains to variants of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides which function as either TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 agonists (mimetics) or as TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 antagonists. Variants of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides can be generated by mutagenesis, e.g., discrete point mutation or truncation of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide. An agonist of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides can retain substantially the same, or a subset, of the biological activities of the naturally occurring form of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide. An antagonist of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide can inhibit one or more of the activities of the naturally occurring form of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide by, for example, competitively modulating a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-mediated activity of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide. Thus, specific biological effects can be elicited by treatment with a variant of limited function. In one embodiment, treatment of a subject with a variant having a subset of the biological activities of the naturally occurring form of the polypeptide has fewer side effects in a subject relative to treatment with the naturally occurring form of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide.

[1683] In one embodiment, variants of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide which function as either TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 agonists (mimetics) or as TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 antagonists can be identified by screening combinatorial libraries of mutants, e.g., truncation mutants, of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide for TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide agonist or antagonist activity. In one embodiment, a variegated library of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 variants is generated by combinatorial mutagenesis at the nucleic acid level and is encoded by a variegated gene library. A variegated library of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 variants can be produced by, for example, enzymatically ligating a mixture of synthetic oligonucleotides into gene sequences such that a degenerate set of potential TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 sequences is expressible as individual polypeptides, or alternatively, as a set of larger fusion proteins (e.g., for phage display) containing the set of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 sequences therein. There are a variety of methods which can be used to produce libraries of potential TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 variants from a degenerate oligonucleotide sequence. Chemical synthesis of a degenerate gene sequence can be performed in an automatic DNA synthesizer, and the synthetic gene then ligated into an appropriate expression vector. Use of a degenerate set of genes allows for the provision, in one mixture, of all of the sequences encoding the desired set of potential TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 sequences. Methods for synthesizing degenerate oligonucleotides are known in the art (see, e.g., Narang, S. A. (1983) Tetrahedron 39:3; Itakura et al. (1984) Annu. Rev. Biochem. 53:323; Itakura et al. (1984) Science 198:1056; Ike et al. (1983) Nucleic Acid Res. 11:477.

[1684] In addition, libraries of fragments of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide coding sequence can be used to generate a variegated population of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 fragments for screening and subsequent selection of variants of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide. In one embodiment, a library of coding sequence fragments can be generated by treating a double stranded PCR fragment of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 coding sequence with a nuclease under conditions wherein nicking occurs only about once per molecule, denaturing the double stranded DNA, renaturing the DNA to form double stranded DNA which can include sense/antisense pairs from different nicked products, removing single stranded portions from reformed duplexes by treatment with S1 nuclease, and ligating the resulting fragment library into an expression vector. By this method, an expression library can be derived which encodes N-terminal, C-terminal and internal fragments of various sizes of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide.

[1685] Several techniques are known in the art for screening gene products of combinatorial libraries made by point mutations or truncation, and for screening cDNA libraries for gene products having a selected property. Such techniques are adaptable for rapid screening of the gene libraries generated by the combinatorial mutagenesis of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides. The most widely used techniques, which are amenable to high through-put analysis, for screening large gene libraries typically include cloning the gene library into replicable expression vectors, transforming appropriate cells with the resulting library of vectors, and expressing the combinatorial genes under conditions in which detection of a desired activity facilitates isolation of the vector encoding the gene whose product was detected. Recursive ensemble mutagenesis (REM), a new technique which enhances the frequency of functional mutants in the libraries, can be used in combination with the screening assays to identify TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 variants (Arkin and Youvan (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:7811-7815; Delagrave et al. (1993) Protein Engineering 6(3):327-331).

[1686] In one embodiment, cell based assays can be exploited to analyze a variegated TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 library. For example, a library of expression vectors can be transfected into a cell line, e.g., an endothelial cell line, which ordinarily responds to TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 in a particular TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 substrate-dependent manner. The transfected cells are then contacted with TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 and the effect of expression of the mutant on signaling by the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 substrate can be detected, e.g., by monitoring intra-cellular calcium, IP3, or diacylglycerol concentration, phosphorylation profile of intra-cellular proteins, or the activity of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-regulated transcription factor. Plasmid DNA can then be recovered from the cells which score for inhibition, or alternatively, potentiation of signaling by the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 substrate, and the individual clones further characterized.

[1687] An isolated TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, or a portion or fragment thereof, can be used as an immunogen to generate antibodies that bind TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 using standard techniques for polyclonal and monoclonal antibody preparation. A full-length TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide can be used or, alternatively, the invention provides antigenic peptide fragments of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 for use as immunogens. The antigenic peptide of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 comprises at least 8 amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 28 or 31 and encompasses an epitope of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 such that an antibody raised against the peptide forms a specific immune complex with TFM-2 and/or TFM-3. Preferably, the antigenic peptide comprises at least 10 amino acid residues, more preferably at least 15 amino acid residues, even more preferably at least 20 amino acid residues, and most preferably at least 30 amino acid residues.

[1688] Preferred epitopes encompassed by the antigenic peptide are regions of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 that are located on the surface of the polypeptide, e.g., hydrophilic regions, as well as regions with high antigenicity (see, for example, FIGS. 29 and 33).

[1689] A TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 immunogen typically is used to prepare antibodies by immunizing a suitable subject, (e.g., rabbit, goat, mouse or other mammal) with the immunogen. An appropriate immunogenic preparation can contain, for example, recombinantly expressed TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or a chemically synthesized TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide. The preparation can further include an adjuvant, such as Freund's complete or incomplete adjuvant, or similar immunostimulatory agent. Immunization of a suitable subject with an immunogenic TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 preparation induces a polyclonal anti-TFM-2 and/or anti-TFM-3 antibody response.

[1690] Accordingly, another aspect of the invention pertains to anti-TFM-2 and/or anti-TFM-3 antibodies. The term “antibody” as used herein refers to immunoglobulin molecules and immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules, i.e., molecules that contain an antigen binding site which specifically binds (immunoreacts with) an antigen, such as TFM-2 and/or TFM-3. Examples of immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules include F(ab) and F(ab′)₂ fragments which can be generated by treating the antibody with an enzyme such as pepsin. The invention provides polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies that bind TFM-2 and/or TFM-3. The term “monoclonal antibody” or “monoclonal antibody composition” , as used herein, refers to a population of antibody molecules that contain only one species of an antigen binding site capable of immunoreacting with a particular epitope of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3. A monoclonal antibody composition thus typically displays a single binding affinity for a particular TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide with which it immunoreacts.

[1691] Polyclonal anti-TFM-2 and/or anti-TFM-3 antibodies can be prepared as described above by immunizing a suitable subject with a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 immunogen. The anti-TFM-2 and/or anti-TFM-3 antibody titer in the immunized subject can be monitored over time by standard techniques, such as with an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using immobilized TFM-2 and/or TFM-3. If desired, the antibody molecules directed against TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 can be isolated from the mammal (e.g., from the blood) and further purified by well known techniques, such as protein A chromatography to obtain the IgG fraction. At an appropriate time after immunization, e.g., when the anti-TFM-2 and/or anti-TFM-3 antibody titers are highest, antibody-producing cells can be obtained from the subject and used to prepare monoclonal antibodies by standard techniques, such as the hybridoma technique originally described by Kohler and Milstein (1975) Nature 256:495-497) (see also, Brown et al (1981) J. Immunol. 127:539-46; Brown et al. (1980) J. Biol. Chem .255:4980-83; Yeh et al. (1976) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 76:2927-31; and Yeh et al. (1982) Int. J. Cancer 29:269-75), the more recent human B cell hybridoma technique (Kozbor et al. (1983) Immunol Today 4:72), the EBV-hybridoma technique (Cole et al. (1985), Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, Inc., pp. 77-96) or trioma techniques. The technology for producing monoclonal antibody hybridomas is well known (see generally R. H. Kenneth, in Monoclonal Antibodies: A New Dimension In Biological Analyses, Plenum Publishing Corp., New York, N.Y. (1980); E. A. Lemer (1981) Yale J. Biol. Med., 54:387-402; M. L. Gefter et al. (1977) Somatic Cell Genet. 3:231-36). Briefly, an immortal cell line (typically a myeloma) is fused to lymphocytes (typically splenocytes) from a mammal immunized with a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 immunogen as described above, and the culture supernatants of the resulting hybridoma cells are screened to identify a hybridoma producing a monoclonal antibody that binds TFM-2 and/or TFM-3.

[1692] Any of the many well known protocols used for fusing lymphocytes and immortalized cell lines can be applied for the purpose of generating an anti-TFM-2 and/or anti-TFM-3 monoclonal antibody (see, e.g., G. Galfre et al. (1977) Nature 266:55052; Gefter et al. Somatic Cell Genet., cited supra; Lemer, Yale J. Biol. Med., cited supra; Kenneth, Monoclonal Antibodies, cited supra). Moreover, the ordinarily skilled worker will appreciate that there are many variations of such methods which also would be useful. Typically, the immortal cell line (e.g., a myeloma cell line) is derived from the same mammalian species as the lymphocytes. For example, murine hybridomas can be made by fusing lymphocytes from a mouse immunized with an immunogenic preparation of the present invention with an immortalized mouse cell line. Preferred immortal cell lines are mouse myeloma cell lines that are sensitive to culture medium containing hypoxanthine, aminopterin and thymidine (“HAT medium”). Any of a number of mycloma cell lines can be used as a fusion partner according to standard techniques, e.g., the P3-NS1/1-Ag4-1, P3-×63-Ag8.653 or Sp2/O-Ag14 myeloma lines. These myeloma lines are available from ATCC. Typically, HAT-sensitive mouse myeloma cells are fused to mouse splenocytes using polyethylene glycol (“PEG”). Hybridoma cells resulting from the fusion are then selected using HAT medium, which kills unfused and unproductively fused mycloma cells (unfused splenocytes die after several days because they are not transformed). Hybridoma cells producing a monoclonal antibody of the invention are detected by screening the hybridoma culture supernatants for antibodies that bind TFM-2 and/or TFM-3, e.g., using a standard ELISA assay.

[1693] Alternative to preparing monoclonal antibody-secreting hybridomas, a monoclonal anti-TFM-2 and/or anti-TFM-3 antibody can be identified and isolated by screening a recombinant combinatorial immunoglobulin library (e.g., an antibody phage display library) with TFM-2 and TFM-3 to thereby isolate immunoglobulin library members that bind TFM-2 and TFM-3. Kits for generating and screening phage display libraries are commercially available (e.g., the Pharmacia Recombinant Phage Antibody System, Catalog No. 27-9400-01; and the Stratagene SurfZAP™ Phage Display Kit, Catalog No. 240612). Additionally, examples of methods and reagents particularly amenable for use in generating and screening antibody display library can be found in, for example, Ladner et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409; Kang et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/18619; Dower et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 91/17271; Winter et al. PCT International Publication WO 92/20791; Markland et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/15679; Breitling et al. PCT International Publication WO 93/01288; McCafferty et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/01047; Garrard et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/09690; Ladner et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 90/02809; Fuchs et al. (1991) Bio/Technology 9:1369-1372; Hay et al. (1992) Hum. Antibod. Hybridomas 3:81-85; Huse et al. (1989) Science 246:1275-1281; Griffiths et al. (1993) EMBO J 12:725-734; Hawkins et al. (1992) J. Mol. Biol. 226:889-896; Clackson et al. (1991) Nature 352:624-628; Gram et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:3576-3580; Garrard et al. (1991) Bio/Technology 9:1373-1377; Hoogenboom et al. (1991) Nuc. Acid Res. 19:4133-4137; Barbas et al. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:7978-7982; and McCafferty et al. Nature (1990) 348:552-554.

[1694] Additionally, recombinant anti-TFM-2 and/or anti-TFM-3 antibodies, such as chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies, comprising both human and non-human portions, which can be made using standard recombinant DNA techniques, are within the scope of the invention. Such chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies can be produced by recombinant DNA techniques known in the art, for example using methods described in Robinson et al. International Application No. PCT/US86/02269; Akira, et al. European Pat. Application 184,187; Taniguchi, M., European Pat. Application 171,496; Morrison et al. European Pat. Application 173,494; Neuberger et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 86/01533; Cabilly et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,567; Cabilly et al. European Pat. Application 125,023; Better et al. (1988) Science 240:1041-1043; Liu et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:3439-3443; Liu et al. (1987) J. Immunol. 139:3521-3526; Sun et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:214-218; Nishimura et al. (1987) Canc. Res. 47:999-1005; Wood et al. (1985) Nature 314:446-449; and Shaw et al. (1988) J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 80:1553-1559); Morrison, S. L. (1985) Science 229:1202-1207; Oi et al. (1986) BioTechniques 4:214; Winter U.S. Pat. 5,225,539; Jones et al. (1986) Nature 321:552-525; Verhoeyen et al. (1988) Science 239:1534; and Beidler et al. (1988) J. Immunol. 141:4053-4060.

[1695] An anti-TFM-2 and/or anti-TFM-3 antibody (e.g., monoclonal antibody) can be used to isolate TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 by standard techniques, such as affinity chromatography or immunoprecipitation. An anti-TFM-2 and/or anti-TFM-3 antibody can facilitate the purification of natural TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 from cells and of recombinantly produced TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expressed in host cells. Moreover, an anti-TFM-2 and/or anti-TFM-3 antibody can be used to detect TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides (e.g., in a cellular lysate or cell supernatant) in order to evaluate the abundance and pattern of expression of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide. Anti-TFM-2 and/or anti-TFM-3 antibodies can be used diagnostically to monitor polypeptide levels in tissue as part of a clinical testing procedure, e.g., to, for example, determine the efficacy of a given treatment regimen. Detection can be facilitated by coupling (i.e., physically linking) the antibody to a detectable substance. Examples of detectable substances include various enzymes, prosthetic groups, fluorescent materials, luminescent materials, bioluminescent materials, and radioactive materials. Examples of suitable enzymes include horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, β-galactosidase, or acetylcholinesterase; examples of suitable prosthetic group complexes include streptavidinibiotin and avidin/biotin; examples of suitable fluorescent materials include umbelliferone, fluorescein, fluorescein isothiocyanate, rhodamine, dichlorotriazinylamine fluorescein, dansyl chloride or phycoerythrin; an example of a luminescent material includes luminol; examples of bioluminescent materials include luciferase, luciferin, and aequorin, and examples of suitable radioactive material include ¹²⁵I, ¹³¹I, 35S or ³H.

[1696] III. Recombinant Expression Vectors and Host Cells

[1697] Another aspect of the invention pertains to vectors, for example recombinant expression vectors, containing a nucleic acid containing a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid molecule or vectors containing a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide (or a portion thereof). As used herein, the term “vector” refers to a nucleic acid molecule capable of transporting another nucleic acid to which it has been linked. One type of vector is a “plasmid”, which refers to a circular double stranded DNA loop into which additional DNA segments can be ligated. Another type of vector is a viral vector, wherein additional DNA segments can be ligated into the viral genome. Certain vectors are capable of autonomous replication in a host cell into which they are introduced (e.g., bacterial vectors having a bacterial origin of replication and episomal mammalian vectors). Other vectors (e.g., non-episomal mammalian vectors) are integrated into the genome of a host cell upon introduction into the host cell, and thereby are replicated along with the host genome. Moreover, certain vectors are capable of directing the expression of genes to which they are operatively linked. Such vectors are referred to herein as “expression vectors”. In general, expression vectors of utility in recombinant DNA techniques are often in the form of plasmids. In the present specification, “plasmid” and “vector” can be used interchangeably as the plasmid is the most commonly used form of vector. However, the invention is intended to include such other forms of expression vectors, such as viral vectors (e.g., replication defective retroviruses, adenoviruses and adeno-associated viruses), which serve equivalent functions.

[1698] The recombinant expression vectors of the invention comprise a nucleic acid of the invention in a form suitable for expression of the nucleic acid in a host cell, which means that the recombinant expression vectors include one or more regulatory sequences, selected on the basis of the host cells to be used for expression, which is operatively linked to the nucleic acid sequence to be expressed. Within a recombinant expression vector, “operably linked” is intended to mean that the nucleotide sequence of interest is linked to the regulatory sequence(s) in a manner which allows for expression of the nucleotide sequence (e.g., in an in vitro transcription/translation system or in a host cell when the vector is introduced into the host cell). The term “regulatory sequence” is intended to include promoters, enhancers and other expression control elements (e.g., polyadenylation signals). Such regulatory sequences are described, for example, in Goeddel; Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990). Regulatory sequences include those which direct constitutive expression of a nucleotide sequence in many types of host cells and those which direct expression of the nucleotide sequence only in certain host cells (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory sequences). It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the design of the expression vector can depend on such factors as the choice of the host cell to be transformed, the level of expression of polypeptide desired, and the like. The expression vectors of the invention can be introduced into host cells to thereby produce proteins or peptides, including fusion proteins or peptides, encoded by nucleic acids as described herein (e.g., TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides, mutant forms of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides, fusion proteins, and the like).

[1699] Accordingly, an exemplary embodiment provides a method for producing a polypeptide, preferably a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, by culturing in a suitable medium a host cell of the invention (e.g., a mammalian host cell such as a non-human mammalian cell) containing a recombinant expression vector, such that the polypeptide is produced.

[1700] The recombinant expression vectors of the invention can be designed for expression of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides in prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells. For example, TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides can be expressed in bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells (using baculovirus expression vectors) yeast cells or mammalian cells. Suitable host cells are discussed further in Goeddel, Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990). Alternatively, the recombinant expression vector can be transcribed and translated in vitro, for example using T7 promoter regulatory sequences and T7 polymerase.

[1701] Expression of proteins in prokaryotes is most often carried out in E. coli with vectors containing constitutive or inducible promoters directing the expression of either fusion or non-fusion proteins. Fusion vectors add a number of amino acids to a protein encoded therein, usually to the amino terminus of the recombinant protein. Such fusion vectors typically serve three purposes: 1) to increase expression of recombinant protein; 2) to increase the solubility of the recombinant protein; and 3) to aid in the purification of the recombinant protein by acting as a ligand in affinity purification. Often, in fusion expression vectors, a proteolytic cleavage site is introduced at the junction of the fusion moiety and the recombinant protein to enable separation of the recombinant protein from the fusion moiety subsequent to purification of the fusion protein. Such enzymes, and their cognate recognition sequences, include Factor Xa, thrombin and enterokinase. Typical fusion expression vectors include pGEX (Pharmacia Biotech Inc; Smith, D. B. and Johnson, K. S. (1988) Gene 67:31-40), pMAL (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.) and pRIT5 (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.) which fuse glutathione S-transferase (GST), maltose E binding protein, or protein A, respectively, to the target recombinant protein.

[1702] Purified fusion proteins can be utilized in TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity assays, (e.g., direct assays or competitive assays described in detail below), or to generate antibodies specific for TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides, for example. In a preferred embodiment, a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 fusion protein expressed in a retroviral expression vector of the present invention can be utilized to infect bone marrow cells which are subsequently transplanted into irradiated recipients. The pathology of the subject recipient is then examined after sufficient time has passed (e.g., six (6) weeks).

[1703] Examples of suitable inducible non-fusion E. coli expression vectors include pTrc (Amann et al., (1988) Gene 69:301-315) and pET 11d (Studier et al., Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990) 60-89). Target gene expression from the pTrc vector relies on host RNA polymerase transcription from a hybrid trp-lac fusion promoter. Target gene expression from the pET 11d vector relies on transcription from a T7 gn10-lac fusion promoter mediated by a coexpressed viral RNA polymerase (T7 gnl). This viral polymerase is supplied by host strains BL21 (DE3) or HMS 174(DE3) from a resident prophage harboring a T7 gnl gene under the transcriptional control of the lacUV 5 promoter.

[1704] One strategy to maximize recombinant protein expression in E. coli is to express the protein in a host bacteria with an impaired capacity to proteolytically cleave the recombinant protein (Gottesman, S., Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990) 119-128). Another strategy is to alter the nucleic acid sequence of the nucleic acid to be inserted into an expression vector so that the individual codons for each amino acid are those preferentially utilized in E. coli (Wada et al., (1992) Nucleic Acids Res. 20:2111-2118). Such alteration of nucleic acid sequences of the invention can be carried out by standard DNA synthesis techniques.

[1705] In another embodiment, the TFM-2 and TFM-3 expression vector is a yeast expression vector. Examples of vectors for expression in yeast S. cerevisiae include pYepSec1 (Baldari, et al., (1987) EBMO J. 6:229-234), pMFa (Kurjan and Herskowitz, (1982) Cell 30:933-943), pJRY88 (Schultz et al., (1987) Gene 54:113-123), pYES2 (Invitrogen Corporation, San Diego, Calif. ), and picZ (Invitrogen Corporation, San Diego, Calif.).

[1706] Alternatively, TFM-2 and TFM-3 polypeptides can be expressed in insect cells using baculovirus expression vectors. Baculovirus vectors available for expression of proteins in cultured insect cells (e.g., Sf 9 cells) include the pAc series (Smith et al. (1983) Mol. Cell Biol. 3:2156-2165) and the pVL series (Lucklow and Summers (1989) Virology 170:31-39).

[1707] In yet another embodiment, a nucleic acid of the invention is expressed in mammalian cells using a mammalian expression vector. Examples of mammalian expression vectors include pCDM8 (Seed, B. (1987) Nature 329:840) and pMT2PC (Kaufinan et al. (1987) EMBO J. 6:187-195). When used in mammalian cells, the expression vector's control functions are often provided by viral regulatory elements. For example, commonly used promoters are derived from polyoma, Adenovirus 2, cytomegalovirus and Simian Virus 40. For other suitable expression systems for both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells see chapters 16 and 17 of Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989.

[1708] In another embodiment, the recombinant mammalian expression vector is capable of directing expression of the nucleic acid preferentially in a particular cell type (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory elements are used to express the nucleic acid). Tissue-specific regulatory elements are known in the art. Non-limiting examples of suitable tissue-specific promoters include the albumin promoter (liver-specific; Pinkert et al. (1987) Genes Dev. 1:268-277), lymphoid-specific promoters (Calame and Eaton (1988) Adv. Immunol. 43:235-275), in particular promoters of T cell receptors (Winoto and Baltimore (1989) EMBO J. 8:729-733) and immunoglobulins (Banedji et al. (1983) Cell 33:729-740; Queen and Baltimore (1983) Cell 33:741-748), neuron-specific promoters (e.g., the neurofilament promoter; Byrne and Ruddle (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:5473-5477), pancreas-specific promoters (Edlund et al. (1985) Science 230:912-916), and mammary gland-specific promoters (e.g., milk whey promoter; U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,316 and European Application Publication No. 264,166). Developmentally-regulated promoters are also encompassed, for example the murine hox promoters (Kessel and Gruss (1990) Science 249:374-379) and the α-fetoprotein promoter (Campes and Tilghman (1989) Genes Dev. 3:537-546).

[1709] The invention further provides a recombinant expression vector comprising a DNA molecule of the invention cloned into the expression vector in an antisense orientation. That is, the DNA molecule is operatively linked to a regulatory sequence in a manner which allows for expression (by transcription of the DNA molecule) of an RNA molecule which is antisense to TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA. Regulatory sequences operatively linked to a nucleic acid cloned in the antisense orientation can be chosen which direct the continuous expression of the antisense RNA molecule in a variety of cell types, for instance viral promoters and/or enhancers, or regulatory sequences can be chosen which direct constitutive, tissue specific or cell type specific expression of antisense RNA. The antisense expression vector can be in the form of a recombinant plasmid, phagemid or attenuated virus in which antisense nucleic acids are produced under the control of a high efficiency regulatory region, the activity of which can be determined by the cell type into which the vector is introduced. For a discussion of the regulation of gene expression using antisense genes see Weintraub, H. et al., Antisense RNA as a molecular tool for genetic analysis, Reviews—Trends in Genetics, Vol. 1(1) 1986.

[1710] Another aspect of the invention pertains to host cells into which a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid molecule of the invention is introduced, e.g., a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid molecule within a vector (e.g., a recombinant expression vector) or a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid molecule containing sequences which allow it to homologously recombine into a specific site of the host cell's genome. The terms “host cell” and “recombinant host cell” are used interchangeably herein. It is understood that such terms refer not only to the particular subject cell but to the progeny or potential progeny of such a cell. Because certain modifications may occur in succeeding generations due to either mutation or environmental influences, such progeny may not, in fact, be identical to the parent cell, but are still included within the scope of the term as used herein.

[1711] A host cell can be any prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell. For example, a TFM-2 and TFM-3 polypeptide can be expressed in bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells, yeast or mammalian cells (such as Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) or COS cells). Other suitable host cells are known to those skilled in the art.

[1712] Vector DNA can be introduced into prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells via conventional transformation or transfection techniques. As used herein, the terms “transformation” and “transfection” are intended to refer to a variety of art-recognized techniques for introducing foreign nucleic acid (e.g., DNA) into a host cell, including calcium phosphate or calcium chloride co-precipitation, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, lipofection, or electroporation. Suitable methods for transforming or transfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook, et al. (Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), and other laboratory manuals.

[1713] For stable transfection of mammalian cells, it is known that, depending upon the expression vector and transfection technique used, only a small fraction of cells may integrate the foreign DNA into their genome. In order to identify and select these integrants, a gene that encodes a selectable marker (e.g., resistance to antibiotics) is generally introduced into the host cells along with the gene of interest. Preferred selectable markers include those which confer resistance to drugs, such as G418, hygromycin and methotrexate. Nucleic acid encoding a selectable marker can be introduced into a host cell on the same vector as that encoding a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or can be introduced on a separate vector. Cells stably transfected with the introduced nucleic acid can be identified by drug selection (e.g., cells that have incorporated the selectable marker gene will survive, while the other cells die).

[1714] A host cell of the invention, such as a prokaryotic or eukaryotic host cell in culture, can be used to produce (i.e., express) a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide. Accordingly, the invention further provides methods for producing a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide using the host cells of the invention. In one embodiment, the method comprises culturing the host cell of the invention (into which a recombinant expression vector encoding a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide has been introduced) in a suitable medium such that a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide is produced. In another embodiment, the method further comprises isolating a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide from the medium or the host cell.

[1715] The host cells of the invention can also be used to produce non-human transgenic animals. For example, in one embodiment, a host cell of the invention is a fertilized oocyte or an embryonic stem cell into which TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-coding sequences have been introduced. Such host cells can then be used to create non-human transgenic animals in which exogenous TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 sequences have been introduced into their genome or homologous recombinant animals in which endogenous TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 sequences have been altered. Such animals are useful for studying the function and/or activity of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 and for identifying and/or evaluating modulators of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity. As used herein, a “transgenic animal” is a non-human animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a rodent such as a rat or mouse, in which one or more of the cells of the animal includes a transgene. Other examples of transgenic animals include non-human primates, sheep, dogs, cows, goats, chickens, amphibians, and the like. A transgene is exogenous DNA which is integrated into the genome of a cell from which a transgenic animal develops and which remains in the genome of the mature animal, thereby directing the expression of an encoded gene product in one or more cell types or tissues of the transgenic animal. As used herein, a “homologous recombinant animal” is a non-human animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a mouse, in which an endogenous TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene has been altered by homologous recombination between the endogenous gene and an exogenous DNA molecule introduced into a cell of the animal, e.g., an embryonic cell of the animal, prior to development of the animal.

[1716] A transgenic animal of the invention can be created by introducing a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-encoding nucleic acid into the male pronuclei of a fertilized oocyte, e.g., by microinjection, retroviral infection, and allowing the oocyte to develop in a pseudopregnant female foster animal. The TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27 or SEQ ID NO: 30 can be introduced as a transgene into the genome of a non-human animal. Alternatively, a nonhuman homologue of a human TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene, such as a mouse or rat TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene, can be used as a transgene. Alternatively, a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene homologue, such as another TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 family member, can be isolated based on hybridization to the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 cDNA sequences of SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______ (described further in subsection I above) and used as a transgene. Intronic sequences and polyadenylation signals can also be included in the transgene to increase the efficiency of expression of the transgene. A tissue-specific regulatory sequence(s) can be operably linked to a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 transgene to direct expression of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide to particular cells. Methods for generating transgenic animals via embryo manipulation and microinjection, particularly animals such as mice, have become conventional in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,736,866 and 4,870,009, both by Leder et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,191 by Wagner et al. and in Hogan, B., Manipulating the Mouse Embryo, (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1986). Similar methods are used for production of other transgenic animals. A transgenic founder animal can be identified based upon the presence of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 transgene in its genome and/or expression of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA in tissues or cells of the animals. A transgenic founder animal can then be used to breed additional animals carrying the transgene. Moreover, transgenic animals carrying a transgene encoding a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide can further be bred to other transgenic animals carrying other transgenes.

[1717] To create a homologous recombinant animal, a vector is prepared which contains at least a portion of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene into which a deletion, addition or substitution has been introduced to thereby alter, e.g., functionally disrupt, the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene. The TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene can be a human gene (e.g., the cDNA of SEQ ID NO: 29 or 32), but more preferably, is a non-human homologue of a human TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene (e.g., a cDNA isolated by stringent hybridization with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27 or 30). For example, a mouse TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene can be used to construct a homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule, e.g., a vector, suitable for altering an endogenous TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene in the mouse genome. In a preferred embodiment, the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule is designed such that, upon homologous recombination, the endogenous TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene is functionally disrupted (i.e., no longer encodes a functional protein; also referred to as a “knock out” vector). Alternatively, the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule can be designed such that, upon homologous recombination, the endogenous TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene is mutated or otherwise altered but still encodes functional polypeptide (e.g., the upstream regulatory region can be altered to thereby alter the expression of the endogenous TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide). In the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule, the altered portion of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene is flanked at its 5′ and 3′ ends by additional nucleic acid sequence of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene to allow for homologous recombination to occur between the exogenous TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene carried by the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule and an endogenous TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene in a cell, e.g., an embryonic stem cell. The additional flanking TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid sequence is of sufficient length for successful homologous recombination with the endogenous gene. Typically, several kilobases of flanking DNA (both at the 5′ and 3′ ends) are included in the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule (see, e.g., Thomas, K. R. and Capecchi, M. R. (1987) Cell 51:503 for a description of homologous recombination vectors). The homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule is introduced into a cell, e.g., an embryonic stem cell line (e.g., by electroporation) and cells in which the introduced TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene has homologously recombined with the endogenous TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene are selected (see e.g., Li, E. et al. (1992) Cell 69:915). The selected cells can then injected into a blastocyst of an animal (e.g., a mouse) to form aggregation chimeras (see e.g., Bradley, A. in Teratocarcinomas and Embryonic Stem Cells: A Practical Approach, E. J. Robertson, ed. (IRL, Oxford, 1987) pp. 113-152). A chimeric embryo can then be implanted into a suitable pseudopregnant female foster animal and the embryo brought to term. Progeny harboring the homologously recombined DNA in their germ cells can be used to breed animals in which all cells of the animal contain the homologously recombined DNA by germline transmission of the transgene. Methods for constructing homologous recombination nucleic acid molecules, e.g., vectors, or homologous recombinant animals are described further in Bradley, A. (1991) Current Opinion in Biotechnology 2:823-829 and in PCT International Publication Nos.: WO 90/11354 by Le Mouellec et al.; WO 91/01140 by Smithies et al.; WO 92/0968 by Zijlstra et al.; and WO 93/04169 by Bems et al.

[1718] In another embodiment, transgenic non-human animals can be produced which contain selected systems which allow for regulated expression of the transgene. One example of such a system is the cre/loxP recombinase system of bacteriophage P1. For a description of the cre/loxP recombinase system, see, e.g., Lakso et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:6232-6236. Another example of a recombinase system is the FLP recombinase system of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (O'Gorman et al. (1991) Science 251:1351-1355. If a cre/loxP recombinase system is used to regulate expression of the transgene, animals containing transgenes encoding both the Cre recombinase and a selected protein are required. Such animals can be provided through the construction of “double” transgenic animals, e.g., by mating two transgenic animals, one containing a transgene encoding a selected protein and the other containing a transgene encoding a recombinase.

[1719] Clones of the non-human transgenic animals described herein can also be produced according to the methods described in Wilmut, I. et al. (1997) Nature 385:810-813 and PCT International Publication Nos. WO 97/07668 and WO 97/07669. In brief, a cell, e.g., a somatic cell, from the transgenic animal can be isolated and induced to exit the growth cycle and enter G_(O) phase. The quiescent cell can then be fused, e.g., through the use of electrical pulses, to an enucleated oocyte from an animal of the same species from which the quiescent cell is isolated. The reconstructed oocyte is then cultured such that it develops to morula or blastocyte and then transferred to pseudopregnant female foster animal. The offspring borne of this female foster animal will be a clone of the animal from which the cell, e.g., the somatic cell, is isolated.

[1720] IV. Pharmaceutical Compositions

[1721] The TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid molecules, fragments of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides, and anti-TFM-2 and/or anti-TFM-3 antibodies (also referred to herein as “active compounds”) of the invention can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions suitable for administration. Such compositions typically comprise the nucleic acid molecule, polypeptide, or antibody and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. As used herein the language “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” is intended to include any and all solvents, dispersion media, coatings, antibacterial and antifungal agents, isotonic and absorption delaying agents, and the like, compatible with pharmaceutical administration. The use of such media and agents for pharmaceutically active substances is well known in the art. Except insofar as any conventional media or agent is incompatible with the active compound, use thereof in the compositions is contemplated. Supplementary active compounds can also be incorporated into the compositions.

[1722] A pharmaceutical composition of the invention is formulated to be compatible with its intended route of administration. Examples of routes of administration include parenteral, e.g., intravenous, intradermal, subcutaneous, oral (e.g., inhalation), transdermal (topical), transmucosal, and rectal administration. Solutions or suspensions used for parenteral, intradermal, or subcutaneous application can include the following components: a sterile diluent such as water for injection, saline solution, fixed oils, polyethylene glycols, glycerine, propylene glycol or other synthetic solvents; antibacterial agents such as benzyl alcohol or methyl parabens; antioxidants such as ascorbic acid or sodium bisulfite; chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; buffers such as acetates, citrates or phosphates and agents for the adjustment of tonicity such as sodium chloride or dextrose. pH can be adjusted with acids or bases, such as hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide. The parenteral preparation can be enclosed in ampoules, disposable syringes or multiple dose vials made of glass or plastic.

[1723] Pharmaceutical compositions suitable for injectable use include sterile aqueous solutions (where water soluble) or dispersions and sterile powders for the extemporaneous preparation of sterile injectable solutions or dispersion. For intravenous administration, suitable carriers include physiological saline, bacteriostatic water, Cremophor EL™ (BASF, Parsippany, N.J.) or phosphate buffered saline (PBS). In all cases, the composition must be sterile and should be fluid to the extent that easy syringeability exists. It must be stable under the conditions of manufacture and storage and must be preserved against the contaminating action of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. The carrier can be a solvent or dispersion medium containing, for example, water, ethanol, polyol (for example, glycerol, propylene glycol, and liquid polyetheylene glycol, and the like), and suitable mixtures thereof. The proper fluidity can be maintained, for example, by the use of a coating such as lecithin, by the maintenance of the required particle size in the case of dispersion and by the use of surfactants. Prevention of the action of microorganisms can be achieved by various antibacterial and antifungal agents, for example, parabens, chlorobutanol, phenol, ascorbic acid, thimerosal, and the like. In many cases, it will be preferable to include isotonic agents, for example, sugars, polyalcohols such as manitol, sorbitol, sodium chloride in the composition. Prolonged absorption of the injectable compositions can be brought about by including in the composition an agent which delays absorption, for example, aluminum monostearate and gelatin.

[1724] Sterile injectable solutions can be prepared by incorporating the active compound (e.g., a fragment of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or an anti-TFM-2 and/or anti-TFM-3 antibody) in the required amount in an appropriate solvent with one or a combination of ingredients enumerated above, as required, followed by filtered sterilization. Generally, dispersions are prepared by incorporating the active compound into a sterile vehicle which contains a basic dispersion medium and the required other ingredients from those enumerated above. In the case of sterile powders for the preparation of sterile injectable solutions, the preferred methods of preparation are vacuum drying and freeze-drying which yields a powder of the active ingredient plus any additional desired ingredient from a previously sterile-filtered solution thereof.

[1725] Oral compositions generally include an inert diluent or an edible carrier. They can be enclosed in gelatin capsules or compressed into tablets. For the purpose of oral therapeutic administration, the active compound can be incorporated with excipients and used in the form of tablets, troches, or capsules. Oral compositions can also be prepared using a fluid carrier for use as a mouthwash, wherein the compound in the fluid carrier is applied orally and swished and expectorated or swallowed. Pharmaceutically compatible binding agents, and/or adjuvant materials can be included as part of the composition. The tablets, pills, capsules, troches and the like can contain any of the following ingredients, or compounds of a similar nature: a binder such as microcrystalline cellulose, gum tragacanth or gelatin; an excipient such as starch or lactose, a disintegrating agent such as alginic acid, Primogel, or corn starch; a lubricant such as magnesium stearate or Sterotes; a glidant such as colloidal silicon dioxide; a sweetening agent such as sucrose or saccharin; or a flavoring agent such as peppermint, methyl salicylate, or orange flavoring.

[1726] For administration by inhalation, the compounds are delivered in the form of an aerosol spray from pressured container or dispenser which contains a suitable propellant, e.g., a gas such as carbon dioxide, or a nebulizer.

[1727] Systemic administration can also be by transmucosal or transdermal means. For transmucosal or transdermal administration, penetrants appropriate to the barrier to be permeated are used in the formulation. Such penetrants are generally known in the art, and include, for example, for transmucosal administration, detergents, bile salts, and fusidic acid derivatives. Transmucosal administration can be accomplished through the use of nasal sprays or suppositories. For transdermal administration, the active compounds are formulated into ointments, salves, gels, or creams as generally known in the art.

[1728] The compounds can also be prepared in the form of suppositories (e.g., with conventional suppository bases such as cocoa butter and other glycerides) or retention enemas for rectal delivery.

[1729] In one embodiment, the active compounds are prepared with carriers that will protect the compound against rapid elimination from the body, such as a controlled release formulation, including implants and microencapsulated delivery systems. Biodegradable, biocompatible polymers can be used, such as ethylene vinyl acetate, polyanhydrides, polyglycolic acid, collagen, polyorthoesters, and polylactic acid. Methods for preparation of such formulations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The materials can also be obtained commercially from Alza Corporation and Nova Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Liposomal suspensions (including liposomes targeted to infected cells with monoclonal antibodies to viral antigens) can also be used as pharmaceutically acceptable carriers. These can be prepared according to methods known to those skilled in the art, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,811.

[1730] It is especially advantageous to formulate oral or parenteral compositions in dosage unit form for ease of administration and uniformity of dosage. Dosage unit form as used herein refers to physically discrete units suited as unitary dosages for the subject to be treated; each unit containing a predetermined quantity of active compound calculated to produce the desired therapeutic effect in association with the required pharmaceutical carrier. The specification for the dosage unit forms of the invention are dictated by and directly dependent on the unique characteristics of the active compound and the particular therapeutic effect to be achieved, and the limitations inherent in the art of compounding such an active compound for the treatment of individuals.

[1731] Toxicity and therapeutic efficacy of such compounds can be determined by standard pharmaceutical procedures in cell cultures or experimental animals, e.g., for determining the LD50 (the dose lethal to 50% of the population) and the ED50 (the dose therapeutically effective in 50% of the population). The dose ratio between toxic and therapeutic effects is the therapeutic index and it can be expressed as the ratio LD50/ED50. Compounds which exhibit large therapeutic indices are preferred. While compounds that exhibit toxic side effects may be used, care should be taken to design a delivery system that targets such compounds to the site of affected tissue in order to minimize potential damage to uninfected cells and, thereby, reduce side effects.

[1732] The data obtained from the cell culture assays and animal studies can be used in formulating a range of dosage for use in humans. The dosage of such compounds lies preferably within a range of circulating concentrations that include the ED50 with little or no toxicity. The dosage may vary within this range depending upon the dosage form employed and the route of administration utilized. For any compound used in the method of the invention, the therapeutically effective dose can be estimated initially from cell culture assays. A dose may be formulated in animal models to achieve a circulating plasma concentration range that includes the IC50 (i.e., the concentration of the test compound which achieves a half-maximal inhibition of symptoms) as determined in cell culture. Such information can be used to more accurately determine useful doses in humans. Levels in plasma may be measured, for example, by high performance liquid chromatography.

[1733] As defined herein, a therapeutically effective amount of polypeptide (i.e., an effective dosage) ranges from about 0.001 to 30 mg/kg body weight, preferably about 0.01 to 25 mg/kg body weight, more preferably about 0.1 to 20 mg/kg body weight, and even more preferably about 1 to 10 mg/kg, 2 to 9 mg/kg, 3 to 8 mg/kg, 4 to 7 mg/kg, or 5 to 6 mg/kg body weight. The skilled artisan will appreciate that certain factors may influence the dosage required to effectively treat a subject, including but not limited to the severity of the disease or disorder, previous treatments, the general health and/or age of the subject, and other diseases present. Moreover, treatment of a subject with a therapeutically effective amount of a polypeptide or antibody can include a single treatment or, preferably, can include a series of treatments.

[1734] In a preferred example, a subject is treated with antibody or polypeptide in the range of between about 0.1 to 20 mg/kg body weight, one time per week for between about 1 to 10 weeks, preferably between 2 to 8 weeks, more preferably between about 3 to 7 weeks, and even more preferably for about 4, 5, or 6 weeks. It will also be appreciated that the effective dosage of antibody or polypeptide used for treatment may increase or decrease over the course of a particular treatment. Changes in dosage may result and become apparent from the results of diagnostic assays as described herein.

[1735] The present invention encompasses agents which modulate expression or activity. An agent may, for example, be a small molecule. For example, such small molecules include, but are not limited to, peptides, peptidomimetics, amino acids, amino acid analogs, polynucleotides, polynucleotide analogs, nucleotides, nucleotide analogs, organic or inorganic compounds (i.e.,. including heteroorganic and organometallic compounds) having a molecular weight less than about 10,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 5,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 1,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 500 grams per mole, and salts, esters, and other pharmaceutically acceptable forms of such compounds. It is understood that appropriate doses of small molecule agents depends upon a number of factors within the ken of the ordinarily skilled physician, veterinarian, or researcher. The dose(s) of the small molecule will vary, for example, depending upon the identity, size, and condition of the subject or sample being treated, further depending upon the route by which the composition is to be administered, if applicable, and the effect which the practitioner desires the small molecule to have upon the nucleic acid or polypeptide of the invention.

[1736] Exemplary doses include milligram or microgram amounts of the small molecule per kilogram of subject or sample weight (e.g., about 1 microgram per kilogram to about 500 milligrams per kilogram, about 100 micrograms per kilogram to about 5 milligrams per kilogram, or about 1 microgram per kilogram to about 50 micrograms per kilogram. It is furthermore understood that appropriate doses of a small molecule depend upon the potency of the small molecule with respect to the expression or activity to be modulated. Such appropriate doses may be determined using the assays described herein. When one or more of these small molecules is to be administered to an animal (e.g., a human) in order to modulate expression or activity of a polypeptide or nucleic acid of the invention, a physician, veterinarian, or researcher may, for example, prescribe a relatively low dose at first, subsequently increasing the dose until an appropriate response is obtained. In addition, it is understood that the specific dose level for any particular animal subject will depend upon a variety of factors including the activity of the specific compound employed, the age, body weight, general health, gender, and diet of the subject, the time of administration, the route of administration, the rate of excretion, any drug combination, and the degree of expression or activity to be modulated.

[1737] Further, an antibody (or fragment thereof) may be conjugated to a therapeutic moiety such as a cytotoxin, a therapeutic agent or a radioactive metal ion. A cytotoxin or cytotoxic agent includes any agent that is detrimental to cells. Examples include taxol, cytochalasin B, gramicidin D, ethidium bromide, emetine, mitomycin, etoposide, tenoposide, vincristine, vinblastine, colchicin, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, dihydroxy anthracin dione, mitoxantrone, mithramycin, actinomycin D, 1-dehydrotestosterone, glucocorticoids, procaine, tetracaine, lidocaine, propranolol, and puromycin and analogs or homologues thereof. Therapeutic agents include, but are not limited to, antimetabolites (e.g., methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, cytarabine, 5-fluorouracil decarbazine), alkylating agents (e.g., mechlorethamine, thioepa chlorambucil, melphalan, carmustine (BSNU) and lomustine (CCNU), cyclothosphamide, busulfan, dibromomannitol, streptozotocin, mitomycin C, and cis-dichlorodiamine platinum (II) (DDP) cisplatin), anthracyclines (e.g., daunorubicin (formerly daunomycin) and doxorubicin), antibiotics (e.g., dactinomycin (formerly actinomycin), bleomycin, mithramycin, and anthramycin (AMC)), and anti-mitotic agents (e.g., vincristine and vinblastine).

[1738] The conjugates of the invention can be used for modifying a given biological response, the drug moiety is not to be construed as limited to classical chemical therapeutic agents. For example, the drug moiety may be a protein or polypeptide possessing a desired biological activity. Such proteins may include, for example, a toxin such as abrin, ricin A, pseudomonas exotoxin, or diphtheria toxin; a protein such as tumor necrosis factor, alpha-interferon, beta-interferon, nerve growth factor, platelet derived growth factor, tissue plasminogen activator; or, biological response modifiers such as, for example, lymphokines, interleukin-1 (“IL-1”), interleukin-2 (“IL-2”), interleukin-6 (“IL-6”), granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (“GM-CSF”), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (“G-CSF”), or other growth factors.

[1739] Techniques for conjugating such therapeutic moiety to antibodies are well known, see, e.g., Amon et al., “Monoclonal Antibodies For Immunotargeting Of Drugs In Cancer Therapy”, in Monoclonal Antibodies And Cancer Therapy, Reisfeld et al. (eds.), pp. 243-56 (Alan R. Liss, Inc. 1985); Hellstrom et al., “Antibodies For Drug Delivery”, in Controlled Drug Delivery (2nd Ed.), Robinson et al. (eds.), pp. 623-53 (Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1987); Thorpe, “Antibody Carriers Of Cytotoxic Agents In Cancer Therapy: A Review”, in Monoclonal Antibodies '84: Biological And Clinical Applications, Pinchera et al. (eds.), pp. 475-506 (1985); “Analysis, Results, And Future Prospective Of The Therapeutic Use Of Radiolabeled Antibody In Cancer Therapy”, in Monoclonal Antibodies For Cancer Detection And Therapy, Baldwin et al. (eds.), pp. 303-16 (Academic Press 1985), and Thorpe et al., “The Preparation And Cytotoxic Properties Of Antibody-Toxin Conjugates”, Immunol. Rev., 62:119-58 (1982). Alternatively, an antibody can be conjugated to a second antibody to form an antibody heteroconjugate as described by Segal in U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,980.

[1740] The nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be inserted into vectors and used as gene therapy vectors. Gene therapy vectors can be delivered to a subject by, for example, intravenous injection, local administration (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,470) or by stereotactic injection (see e.g., Chen et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:3054-3057). The pharmaceutical preparation of the gene therapy vector can include the gene therapy vector in an acceptable diluent, or can comprise a slow release matrix in which the gene delivery vehicle is imbedded. Alternatively, where the complete gene delivery vector can be produced intact from recombinant cells, e.g., retroviral vectors, the pharmaceutical preparation can include one or more cells which produce the gene delivery system.

[1741] The pharmaceutical compositions can be included in a container, pack, or dispenser together with instructions for administration.

[1742] V. Uses and Methods of the Invention

[1743] The nucleic acid molecules, proteins, protein homologues, and antibodies described herein can be used in one or more of the following methods: a) screening assays; b) predictive medicine (e.g., diagnostic assays, prognostic assays, monitoring clinical trials, and pharmacogenetics); and c) methods of treatment (e.g., therapeutic and prophylactic). As described herein, a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide of the invention has one or more of the following activities: (1) modulate the import and export of molecules, e.g., hormones, ions, cytokines, neurotransmitters, monocarboxylates, monosaccharides, and metabolites, from cells, 2) modulate intra- or inter-cellular signaling, 3) modulate removal of potentially harmful compounds from the cell, or facilitate the compartmentalization of these molecules into a sequestered intra-cellular space (e.g., the peroxisome), and 4) modulate transport of biological molecules across membranes, e.g., the plasma membrane, or the membrane of the mitochondrion, the peroxisome, the lysosome, the endoplasmic reticulum, the nucleus, or the vacuole.

[1744] The isolated nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be used, for example, to express TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides (e.g., via a recombinant expression vector in a host cell in gene therapy applications), to detect TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA (e.g., in a biological sample) or a genetic alteration in a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene, and to modulate TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity, as described further below. The TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides can be used to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive production of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 substrate or production of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 inhibitors. In addition, the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides can be used to screen for naturally occurring TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 substrates, to screen for drugs or compounds which modulate TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity, as well as to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive production of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or production of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide forms which have decreased, aberrant or unwanted activity compared to TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 wild type polypeptide (e.g., transporter-associated disorders). Moreover, the anti-TFM-2 and/or anti-TFM-3 antibodies of the invention can be used to detect and isolate TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides, to regulate the bioavailability of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides, and modulate TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity.

[1745] A. Screening Assays

[1746] The invention provides a method (also referred to herein as a “screening assay”) for identifying modulators, i.e., candidate or test compounds or agents (e.g., peptides, peptidomimetics, small molecules or other drugs) which bind to TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides, have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on, for example, TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression or TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity, or have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on, for example, the expression or activity of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 substrate.

[1747] In one embodiment, the invention provides assays for screening candidate or test compounds which are substrates of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof. In another embodiment, the invention provides assays for screening candidate or test compounds which bind to or modulate the activity of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof. The test compounds of the present invention can be obtained using any of the numerous approaches in combinatorial library methods known in the art, including: biological libraries; spatially addressable parallel solid phase or solution phase libraries; synthetic library methods requiring deconvolution; the ‘one-bead one-compound’ library method; and synthetic library methods using affinity chromatography selection. The biological library approach is limited to peptide libraries, while the other four approaches are applicable to peptide, non-peptide oligomer or small molecule libraries of compounds (Lam, K. S. (1997) Anticancer Drug Des. 12:145).

[1748] Examples of methods for the synthesis of molecular libraries can be found in the art, for example in: DeWitt et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90:6909; Erb et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:11422; Zuckermann et al. (1994). J Med. Chem. 37:2678; Cho et al. (1993) Science 261:1303; Carrell et al. (1994) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 33:2059; Carell et al. (1994) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 33:2061; and in Gallop et al. (1994) J Med. Chem. 37:1233.

[1749] Libraries of compounds may be presented in solution (e.g., Houghten (1992) Biotechniques 13:412-421), or on beads (Lam (1991) Nature 354:82-84), chips (Fodor (1993) Nature 364:555-556), bacteria (Ladner U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409), spores (Ladner USP '409), plasmids (Cull et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:1865-1869) or on phage (Scott and Smith (1990) Science 249:386-390); (Devlin (1990) Science 249:404-406); (Cwirla et al (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 87:6378-6382); (Felici (1991) J. Mol. Biol. 222:301-310); (Ladner supra.).

[1750] In one embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay in which a cell which expresses a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity is determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity can be accomplished by monitoring, for example, intra- or extra- cellular lactate, pyruvate, branched chain oxoacid, ketone body, mannose, D-glucose, D-fructose or D-galactose concentration, or insulin or glucagon secretion. The cell, for example, can be of mammalian origin, e.g., a brain cell, a heart cell, a liver cell, fat cell, muscle cell, a tumor cell, or a blood cell, such as an erythrocyte.

[1751] The ability of the test compound to modulate TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 binding to a substrate or to bind to TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 can also be determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 binding to a substrate can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 substrate with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 substrate to TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 can be determined by detecting the labeled TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 substrate in a complex. Alternatively, TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 could be coupled with a radioisotope or enzymatic label to monitor the ability of a test compound to modulate TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 binding to a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 substrate in a complex. Determining the ability of the test compound to bind TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the compound with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the compound to TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 can be determined by detecting the labeled TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 compound in a complex. For example, compounds (e.g., TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 substrates) can be labeled with ¹²⁵I, ³⁵S, ¹⁴C, or ³H, either directly or indirectly, and the radioisotope detected by direct counting of radioemission or by scintillation counting. Alternatively, compounds can be enzymatically labeled with, for example, horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, or luciferase, and the enzymatic label detected by determination of conversion of an appropriate substrate to product.

[1752] It is also within the scope of this invention to determine the ability of a compound (e.g., a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 substrate) to interact with TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 without the labeling of any of the interactants. For example, a microphysiometer can be used to detect the interaction of a compound with TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 without the labeling of either the compound or the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3. McConnell, H. M. et al. (1992) Science 257:1906-1912. As used herein, a “microphysiometer” (e.g., Cytosensor) is an analytical instrument that measures the rate at which a cell acidifies its environment using a light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS). Changes in this acidification rate can be used as an indicator of the interaction between a compound and TFM-2 and/or TFM-3.

[1753] In another embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay comprising contacting a cell expressing a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 target molecule (e.g., a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 substrate) with a test compound and determining the ability of the test compound to modulate (e.g., stimulate or inhibit) the activity of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 target molecule. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 target molecule can be accomplished, for example, by determining the ability of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide to bind to or interact with the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 target molecule.

[1754] Determining the ability of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, or a biologically active fragment thereof, to bind to or interact with a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 target molecule can be accomplished by one of the methods described above for determining direct binding. In a preferred embodiment, determining the ability of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide to bind to or interact with a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 target molecule can be accomplished by determining the activity of the target molecule. For example, the activity of the target molecule can be determined by detecting induction of a cellular second messenger of the target (i.e., intra-cellular Ca²⁺, diacylglycerol, IP₃, and the like), detecting catalytic/enzymatic activity of the target using an appropriate substrate, detecting the induction of a reporter gene (comprising a target-responsive regulatory element operatively linked to a nucleic acid encoding a detectable marker, e.g., luciferase), or detecting a target-regulated cellular response.

[1755] In yet another embodiment, an assay of the present invention is a cell-free assay in which a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to bind to the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is determined. Preferred biologically active portions of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides to be used in assays of the present invention include fragments which participate in interactions with non-TFM-2 and/or non-TFM-3 molecules, e.g., fragments with high surface probability scores (see, for example, FIGS. 29 and 33). Binding of the test compound to the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide can be determined either directly or indirectly as described above. In a preferred embodiment, the assay includes contacting the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof with a known compound which binds TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 to form an assay mixture, contacting the assay mixture with a test compound, and determining the ability of the test compound to interact with a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, wherein determining the ability of the test compound to interact with a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide comprises determining the ability of the test compound to preferentially bind to TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 or biologically active portion thereof as compared to the known compound.

[1756] In another embodiment, the assay is a cell-free assay in which a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, or biologically active portion thereof, is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate the intrinsic fluorescence of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, or biologically active portion thereof, is monitored. It is common for a molecule's intrinsic fluorescence to change when binding occurs with or near fluorescent aminoacids (e.g., tryptophan and tyrosine).

[1757] In another embodiment, the assay is a cell-free assay in which a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate (e.g., stimulate or inhibit) the activity of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide can be accomplished, for example, by determining the ability of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide to bind to a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 target molecule by one of the methods described above for determining direct binding. Determining the ability of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide to bind to a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 target molecule can also be accomplished using a technology such as real-time Biomolecular Interaction Analysis (BIA). Sjolander, S. and Urbaniczky, C. (1991) Anal. Chem. 63:2338-2345 and Szabo et al. (1995) Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol. 5:699-705. As used herein, “BIA” is a technology for studying biospecific interactions in real time, without labeling any of the interactants (e.g., BIAcore). Changes in the optical phenomenon of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) can be used as an indication of real-time reactions between biological molecules.

[1758] In an alternative embodiment, determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide can be accomplished by determining the ability of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide to further modulate the activity of a downstream effector of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 target molecule. For example, the activity of the effector molecule on an appropriate target can be determined or the binding of the effector to an appropriate target can be determined as previously described.

[1759] In yet another embodiment, the cell-free assay involves contacting a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof with a known compound which binds the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide to form an assay mixture, contacting the assay mixture with a test compound, and determining the ability of the test compound to interact with the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, wherein determining the ability of the test compound to interact with the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide comprises determining the ability of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide to preferentially bind to or modulate the activity of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 target molecule.

[1760] In more than one embodiment of the above assay methods of the present invention, it may be desirable to immobilize either TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 or its target molecule to facilitate separation of complexed from uncomplexed forms of one or both of the proteins, as well as to accommodate automation of the assay. Binding of a test compound to a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, or interaction of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide with a target molecule in the presence and absence of a candidate compound, can be accomplished in any vessel suitable for containing the reactants. Examples of such vessels include microtiter plates, test tubes, and micro-centrifuge tubes. In one embodiment, a fusion protein can be provided which adds a domain that allows one or both of the proteins to be bound to a matrix. For example, glutathione-S-transferase/TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 fusion proteins or glutathione-S-transferase/target fusion proteins can be adsorbed onto glutathione sepharose beads (Sigma Chemical, St. Louis, Mo.) or glutathione derivatized micrometer plates, which are then combined with the test compound or the test compound and either the non-adsorbed target protein or TFM-2 and TFM-3 polypeptide, and the mixture incubated under conditions conducive to complex formation (e.g., at physiological conditions for salt and pH). Following incubation, the beads or micrometer plate wells are washed to remove any unbound components, the matrix immobilized in the case of beads, complex determined either directly or indirectly, for example, as described above. Alternatively, the complexes can be dissociated from the matrix, and the level of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 binding or activity determined using standard techniques.

[1761] Other techniques for immobilizing proteins on matrices can also be used in the screening assays of the invention. For example, either a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 target molecule can be immobilized utilizing conjugation of biotin and streptavidin. Biotinylated TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or target molecules can be prepared from biotin-NHS (N-hydroxy-succinimide) using techniques known in the art (e.g., biotinylation kit, Pierce Chemicals, Rockford, Ill.), and immobilized in the wells of streptavidin-coated 96 well plates (Pierce Chemical). Alternatively, antibodies reactive with TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or target molecules but which do not interfere with binding of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide to its target molecule can be derivatized to the wells of the plate, and unbound target or TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide trapped in the wells by antibody conjugation. Methods for detecting such complexes, in addition to those described above for the GST-immobilized complexes, include immunodetection of complexes using antibodies reactive with the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or target molecule, as well as enzyme-linked assays which rely on detecting an enzymatic activity associated with the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or target molecule.

[1762] In another embodiment, modulators of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression are identified in a method wherein a cell is contacted with a candidate compound and the expression of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA or polypeptide in the cell is determined. The level of expression of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA or polypeptide in the presence of the candidate compound is compared to the level of expression of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA or polypeptide in the absence of the candidate compound. The candidate compound can then be identified as a modulator of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression based on this comparison. For example, when expression of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA or polypeptide is greater (statistically significantly greater) in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as a stimulator of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA or polypeptide expression. Alternatively, when expression of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA or polypeptide is less (statistically significantly less) in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as an inhibitor of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA or polypeptide expression. The level of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA or polypeptide expression in the cells can be determined by methods described herein for detecting TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA or polypeptide.

[1763] In yet another aspect of the invention, the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides can be used as “bait proteins” in a two-hybrid assay or three-hybrid assay (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,317; Zervos et al. (1993) Cell 72:223-232; Madura et al. (1993) J Biol. Chem. 268:12046-12054; Bartel et al (1993) Biotechniques 14:920-924; Iwabuchi et al. (1993) Oncogene 8:1693-1696; and Brent WO94/10300), to identify other proteins, which bind to or interact with TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 (“TFM-2-binding proteins” and “TFM-3-binding proteins,” or “TFM-2-bp” “TFM-3-bp”) and are involved in TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity. Such TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-binding proteins are also likely to be involved in the propagation of signals by the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptides or TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 targets as, for example, downstream elements of a TFM-2- and/or TFM-3-mediated signaling pathway. Alternatively, such TFM-2- and/or TFM-3-binding proteins are likely to be TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 inhibitors.

[1764] The two-hybrid system is based on the modular nature of most transcription factors, which consist of separable DNA-binding and activation domains. Briefly, the assay utilizes two different DNA constructs. In one construct, the gene that codes for a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide is fused to a gene encoding the DNA binding domain of a known transcription factor (e.g., GAL-4). In the other construct, a DNA sequence, from a library of DNA sequences, that encodes an unidentified protein (“prey” or “sample”) is fused to a gene that codes for the activation domain of the known transcription factor. If the “bait” and the “prey” proteins are able to interact, in vivo, forming a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-dependent complex, the DNA-binding and activation domains of the transcription factor are brought into close proximity. This proximity allows transcription of a reporter gene (e.g., LacZ) which is operably linked to a transcriptional regulatory site responsive to the transcription factor. Expression of the reporter gene can be detected and cell colonies containing the functional transcription factor can be isolated and used to obtain the cloned gene which encodes the protein which interacts with the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide.

[1765] In another aspect, the invention pertains to a combination of two or more of the assays described herein. For example, a modulating agent can be identified using a cell-based or a cell free assay, and the ability of the agent to modulate the activity of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide can be confirmed in vivo, e.g., in an animal such as an animal model for cellular transformation and/or tumorigenesis, an animal model for obesity, or an animal model for a deficiency in sugar transport. Examples of animals that can be used include animals having mutations which lead to syndromes that include obesity symptoms (described in, for example, Friedman, J. M. et al. (1991) Mamm. Gen. 1:130-144; Friedman, J. M. and Liebel, R. L. (1992) Cell 69:217-220; Bray, G. A. (1992) Prog. Brain Res. 93:333-341; and Bray, G. A. (1989) Amer. J Clin. Nutr. 5:891-902); the animals described in Stubdal H. et al. (2000) Mol. Cell Biol 20(3):878-82 (the mouse tubby phenotype characterized by maturity-onset obesity); the animals described in Abadie J.M. et al. Lipids (2000) 35(6):613-20 (the obese Zucker rat (ZR), a genetic model of human youth-onset obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus); the animals described in Shaughnessy S. et al. (2000) Diabetes 49(6):904-11 (mice null for the adipocyte fatty acid binding protein); or the animals described in Loskutoff D. J. et al. (2000) Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 902:272-81 (the fat mouse).

[1766] This invention further pertains to novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays. Accordingly, it is within the scope of this invention to further use an agent identified as described herein in an appropriate animal model. For example, an agent identified as described herein (e.g., a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 modulating agent, an antisense TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid molecule, a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-specific antibody, or a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-binding partner) can be used in an animal model to determine the efficacy, toxicity, or side effects of treatment with such an agent. Alternatively, an agent identified as described herein can be used in an animal model to determine the mechanism of action of such an agent. Furthermore, this invention pertains to uses of novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays for treatments as described herein.

[1767] B. Detection Assays

[1768] Portions or fragments of the cDNA sequences identified herein (and the corresponding complete gene sequences) can be used in numerous ways as polynucleotide reagents. For example, these sequences can be used to: (i) map their respective genes on a chromosome; and, thus, locate gene regions associated with genetic disease; (ii) identify an individual from a minute biological sample (tissue typing); and (iii) aid in forensic identification of a biological sample. These applications are described in the subsections below.

[1769] 1. Chromosome Mapping

[1770] Once the sequence (or a portion of the sequence) of a gene has been isolated, this sequence can be used to map the location of the gene on a chromosome. This process is called chromosome mapping. Accordingly, portions or fragments of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleotide sequences, described herein, can be used to map the location of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 genes on a chromosome. The mapping of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 sequences to chromosomes is an important first step in correlating these sequences with genes associated with disease.

[1771] Briefly, TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 genes can be mapped to chromosomes by preparing PCR primers (preferably 15-25 bp in length) from the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleotide sequences. Computer analysis of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 sequences can be used to predict primers that do not span more than one exon in the genomic DNA, thus complicating the amplification process. These primers can then be used for PCR screening of somatic cell hybrids containing individual human chromosomes. Only those hybrids containing the human gene corresponding to the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 sequences will yield an amplified fragment.

[1772] Somatic cell hybrids are prepared by fusing somatic cells from different mammals (e.g., human and mouse cells). As hybrids of human and mouse cells grow and divide, they gradually lose human chromosomes in random order, but retain the mouse chromosomes. By using media in which mouse cells cannot grow, because they lack a particular enzyme, but human cells can, the one human chromosome that contains the gene encoding the needed enzyme, will be retained. By using various media, panels of hybrid cell lines can be established. Each cell line in a panel contains either a single human chromosome or a small number of human chromosomes, and a full set of mouse chromosomes, allowing easy mapping of individual genes to specific human chromosomes (D'Eustachio P. et al. (1983) Science 220:919-924). Somatic cell hybrids containing only fragments of human chromosomes can also be produced by using human chromosomes with translocations and deletions.

[1773] PCR mapping of somatic cell hybrids is a rapid procedure for assigning a particular sequence to a particular chromosome. Three or more sequences can be assigned per day using a single thermal cycler. Using the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleotide sequences to design oligonucleotide primers, sublocalization can be achieved with panels of fragments from specific chromosomes. Other mapping strategies which can similarly be used to map a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 sequence to its chromosome include in situ hybridization (described in Fan, Y. et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 87:6223-27), pre-screening with labeled flow-sorted chromosomes, and pre-selection by hybridization to chromosome specific cDNA libraries.

[1774] Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of a DNA sequence to a metaphase chromosomal spread can further be used to provide a precise chromosomal location in one step. Chromosome spreads can be made using cells whose division has been blocked in metaphase by a chemical such as colcemid that disrupts the mitotic spindle. The chromosomes can be treated briefly with trypsin, and then stained with Giemsa. A pattern of light and dark bands develops on each chromosome, so that the chromosomes can be identified individually. The FISH technique can be used with a DNA sequence as short as 500 or 600 bases. However, clones larger than 1,000 bases have a higher likelihood of binding to a unique chromosomal location with sufficient signal intensity for simple detection. Preferably 1,000 bases, and more preferably 2,000 bases will suffice to get good results at a reasonable amount of time. For a review of this technique, see Verma et al., Human Chromosomes: A Manual of Basic Techniques (Pergamon Press, New York 1988).

[1775] Reagents for chromosome mapping can be used individually to mark a single chromosome or a single site on that chromosome, or panels of reagents can be used for marking multiple sites and/or multiple chromosomes. Reagents corresponding to noncoding regions of the genes actually are preferred for mapping purposes. Coding sequences are more likely to be conserved within gene families, thus increasing the chance of cross hybridizations during chromosomal mapping.

[1776] Once a sequence has been mapped to a precise chromosomal location, the physical position of the sequence on the chromosome can be correlated with genetic map data. (Such data are found, for example, in V. McKusick, Mendelian Inheritance in Man, available on-line through Johns Hopkins University Welch Medical Library). The relationship between a gene and a disease, mapped to the same chromosomal region, can then be identified through linkage analysis (co-inheritance of physically adjacent genes), described in, for example, Egeland, J. et al. (1987) Nature, 325:783-787.

[1777] Moreover, differences in the DNA sequences between individuals affected and unaffected with a disease associated with the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene, can be determined. If a mutation is observed in some or all of the affected individuals but not in any unaffected individuals, then the mutation is likely to be the causative agent of the particular disease. Comparison of affected and unaffected individuals generally involves first looking for structural alterations in the chromosomes, such as deletions or translocations that are visible from chromosome spreads or detectable using PCR based on that DNA sequence. Ultimately, complete sequencing of genes from several individuals can be performed to confirm the presence of a mutation and to distinguish mutations from polymorphisms.

[1778] 2. Tissue Typing

[1779] The TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 sequences of the present invention can also be used to identify individuals from minute biological samples. The United States military, for example, is considering the use of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) for identification of its personnel. In this technique, an individual's genomic DNA is digested with one or more restriction enzymes, and probed on a Southern blot to yield unique bands for identification. This method does not suffer from the current limitations of “Dog Tags” which can be lost, switched, or stolen, making positive identification difficult. The sequences of the present invention are useful as additional DNA markers for RFLP (described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,057).

[1780] Furthermore, the sequences of the present invention can be used to provide an alternative technique which determines the actual base-by-base DNA sequence of selected portions of an individual's genome. Thus, the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleotide sequences described herein can be used to prepare two PCR primers from the 5′ and 3′ ends of the sequences. These primers can then be used to amplify an individual's DNA and subsequently sequence it.

[1781] Panels of corresponding DNA sequences from individuals, prepared in this manner, can provide unique individual identifications, as each individual will have a unique set of such DNA sequences due to allelic differences. The sequences of the present invention can be used to obtain such identification sequences from individuals and from tissue. The TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleotide sequences of the invention uniquely represent portions of the human genome. Allelic variation occurs to some degree in the coding regions of these sequences, and to a greater degree in the noncoding regions. It is estimated that allelic variation between individual humans occurs with a frequency of about once per each 500 bases. Each of the sequences described herein can, to some degree, be used as a standard against which DNA from an individual can be compared for identification purposes. Because greater numbers of polymorphisms occur in the noncoding regions, fewer sequences are necessary to differentiate individuals. The noncoding sequences of SEQ ID NO: 27 or 30 can comfortably provide positive individual identification with a panel of perhaps 10 to 1,000 primers which each yield a noncoding amplified sequence of 100 bases. If predicted coding sequences, such as those in SEQ ID NO: 29 or 32 are used, a more appropriate number of primers for positive individual identification would be 500-2,000.

[1782] If a panel of reagents from TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleotide sequences described herein is used to generate a unique identification database for an individual, those same reagents can later be used to identify tissue from that individual. Using the unique identification database, positive identification of the individual, living or dead, can be made from extremely small tissue samples.

[1783] 3. Use of TFM-2 and TFM-3 Sequences in Forensic Biology

[1784] DNA-based identification techniques can also be used in forensic biology. Forensic biology is a scientific field employing genetic typing of biological evidence found at a crime scene as a means for positively identifying, for example, a perpetrator of a crime. To make such an identification, PCR technology can be used to amplify DNA sequences taken from very small biological samples such as tissues, e.g., hair or skin, or body fluids, e.g., blood, saliva, or semen found at a crime scene. The amplified sequence can then be compared to a standard, thereby allowing identification of the origin of the biological sample.

[1785] The sequences of the present invention can be used to provide polynucleotide reagents, e.g., PCR primers, targeted to specific loci in the human genome, which can enhance the reliability of DNA-based forensic identifications by, for example, providing another “identification marker” (i.e. another DNA sequence that is unique to a particular individual). As mentioned above, actual base sequence information can be used for identification as an accurate alternative to patterns formed by restriction enzyme generated fragments. Sequences targeted to noncoding regions of SEQ ID NO: 27 or 30 are particularly appropriate for this use as greater numbers of polymorphisms occur in the noncoding regions, making it easier to differentiate individuals using this technique. Examples of polynucleotide reagents include the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleotide sequences or portions thereof, e.g., fragments derived from the noncoding regions of SEQ ID NO: 27 or 30 having a length of at least 20 bases, preferably at least 30 bases.

[1786] The TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleotide sequences described herein can further be used to provide polynucleotide reagents, e.g., labeled or labelable probes which can be used in, for example, an in situ hybridization technique, to identify a specific tissue, e.g., brain tissue. This can be very useful in cases where a forensic pathologist is presented with a tissue of unknown origin. Panels of such TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 probes can be used to identify tissue by species and/or by organ type.

[1787] In a similar fashion, these reagents, e.g., TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 primers or probes can be used to screen tissue culture for contamination (i.e. screen for the presence of a mixture of different types of cells in a culture).

[1788] C. Predictive Medicine:

[1789] The present invention also pertains to the field of predictive medicine in which diagnostic assays, prognostic assays, and monitoring clinical trials are used for prognostic (predictive) purposes to thereby treat an individual prophylactically. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention relates to diagnostic assays for determining TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide and/or nucleic acid expression as well as TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity, in the context of a biological sample (e.g., blood, serum, cells, tissue) to thereby determine whether an individual is afflicted with a disease or disorder, or is at risk of developing a disorder, associated with aberrant or unwanted TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression or activity. The invention also provides for prognostic (or predictive) assays for determining whether an individual is at risk of developing a disorder associated with TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, nucleic acid expression or activity. For example, mutations in a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene can be assayed in a biological sample. Such assays can be used for prognostic or predictive purpose to thereby prophylactically treat an individual prior to the onset of a disorder characterized by or associated with TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, nucleic acid expression or activity.

[1790] Another aspect of the invention pertains to monitoring the influence of agents (e.g., drugs, compounds) on the expression or activity of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 in clinical trials.

[1791] These and other agents are described in further detail in the following sections.

[1792] 1. Diagnostic Assays

[1793] An exemplary method for detecting the presence or absence of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or nucleic acid in a biological sample involves obtaining a biological sample from a test subject and contacting the biological sample with a compound or an agent capable of detecting TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA, or genomic DNA) that encodes TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide such that the presence of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or nucleic acid is detected in the biological sample. In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for detecting the presence of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity in a biological sample by contacting the biological sample with an agent capable of detecting an indicator of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity such that the presence of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity is detected in the biological sample. A preferred agent for detecting TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA or genomic DNA is a labeled nucleic acid probe capable of hybridizing to TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA or genomic DNA. The nucleic acid probe can be, for example, the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid set forth in SEQ ID NO: 27, 29, 30, or 32, or the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or a portion thereof, such as an oligonucleotide of at least 15, 30, 50, 100, 250 or 500 nucleotides in length and sufficient to specifically hybridize under stringent conditions to TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA or genomic DNA. Other suitable probes for use in the diagnostic assays of the invention are described herein.

[1794] A preferred agent for detecting TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide is an antibody capable of binding to TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, preferably an antibody with a detectable label. Antibodies can be polyclonal, or more preferably, monoclonal. An intact antibody, or a fragment thereof (e.g., Fab or F(ab′)2) can be used. The term “labeled”, with regard to the probe or antibody, is intended to encompass direct labeling of the probe or antibody by coupling (i.e., physically linking) a detectable substance to the probe or antibody, as well as indirect labeling of the probe or antibody by reactivity with another reagent that is directly labeled. Examples of indirect labeling include detection of a primary antibody using a fluorescently labeled secondary antibody and end-labeling of a DNA probe with biotin such that it can be detected with fluorescently labeled streptavidin. The term “biological sample” is intended to include tissues, cells and biological fluids isolated from a subject, as well as tissues, cells and fluids present within a subject. That is, the detection method of the invention can be used to detect TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA, polypeptide, or genomic DNA in a biological sample in vitro as well as in vivo. For example, in vitro techniques for detection of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA include Northern hybridizations and in situ hybridizations. In vitro techniques for detection of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide include enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), Western blots, immunoprecipitations and immunofluorescence. In vitro techniques for detection of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 genomic DNA include Southern hybridizations. Furthermore, in vivo techniques for detection of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide include introducing into a subject a labeled anti-TFM-2 and/or anti-TFM-3 antibody. For example, the antibody can be labeled with a radioactive marker whose presence and location in a subject can be detected by standard imaging techniques.

[1795] The present invention also provides diagnostic assays for identifying the presence or absence of a genetic alteration characterized by at least one of (i) aberrant modification or mutation of a gene encoding a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide; (ii) aberrant expression of a gene encoding a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide; (iii) mis-regulation of the gene; and (iv) aberrant post-translational modification of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, wherein a wild-type form of the gene encodes a polypeptide with a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity. “Misexpression or aberrant expression”, as used herein, refers to a non-wild type pattern of gene expression, at the RNA or protein level. It includes, but is not limited to, expression at non-wild type levels (e.g., over or under expression); a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the time or stage at which the gene is expressed (e.g., increased or decreased expression (as compared with wild type) at a predetermined developmental period or stage); a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of decreased expression (as compared with wild type) in a predetermined cell type or tissue type; a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the splicing size, amino acid sequence, post-transitional modification, or biological activity of the expressed polypeptide; a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the effect of an environmental stimulus or extracellular stimulus on expression of the gene (e.g., a pattern of increased or decreased expression (as compared with wild type) in the presence of an increase or decrease in the strength of the stimulus).

[1796] In one embodiment, the biological sample contains protein molecules from the test subject. Alternatively, the biological sample can contain mRNA molecules from the test subject or genomic DNA molecules from the test subject. A preferred biological sample is a serum sample isolated by conventional means from a subject.

[1797] In another embodiment, the methods further involve obtaining a control biological sample from a control subject, contacting the control sample with a compound or agent capable of detecting TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA, such that the presence of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, mRNA or genomic DNA is detected in the biological sample, and comparing the presence of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, mRNA or genomic DNA in the control sample with the presence of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, mRNA or genomic DNA in the test sample.

[1798] The invention also encompasses kits for detecting the presence of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 in a biological sample. For example, the kit can comprise a labeled compound or agent capable of detecting TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or mRNA in a biological sample; means for determining the amount of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 in the sample; and means for comparing the amount of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 in the sample with a standard. The compound or agent can be packaged in a suitable container. The kit can further comprise instructions for using the kit to detect TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or nucleic acid.

[1799] 2. Prognostic Assays

[1800] The diagnostic methods described herein can furthermore be utilized to identify subjects having or at risk of developing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression or activity. As used herein, the term “aberrant” includes a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression or activity which deviates from the wild type TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression or activity. Aberrant expression or activity includes increased or decreased expression or activity, as well as expression or activity which does not follow the wild type developmental pattern of expression or the subcellular pattern of expression. For example, aberrant TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression or activity is intended to include the cases in which a mutation in the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene causes the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene to be under-expressed or over-expressed and situations in which such mutations result in a non-functional TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or a polypeptide which does not function in a wild-type fashion, e.g., a polypeptide which does not interact with a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 substrate, e.g., a transporter subunit or ligand, or one which interacts with a non-TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 substrate, e.g. a non-transporter subunit or ligand. As used herein, the term “unwanted” includes an unwanted phenomenon involved in a biological response, such as cellular proliferation. For example, the term unwanted includes a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression or activity which is undesirable in a subject.

[1801] The assays described herein, such as the preceding diagnostic assays or the following assays, can be utilized to identify a subject having or at risk of developing a disorder associated with a misregulation in TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a transporter-associated disorder. Alternatively, the prognostic assays can be utilized to identify a subject having or at risk for developing a disorder associated with a misregulation in TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a transporter-associated disorder. Thus, the present invention provides a method for identifying a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression or activity in which a test sample is obtained from a subject and TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA or genomic DNA) is detected, wherein the presence of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or nucleic acid is diagnostic for a subject having or at risk of developing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression or activity. As used herein, a “test sample” refers to a biological sample obtained from a subject of interest. For example, a test sample can be a biological fluid (e.g., serum), cell sample, or tissue.

[1802] Furthermore, the prognostic assays described herein can be used to determine whether a subject can be administered an agent (e.g., an agonist, antagonist, peptidomimetic, protein, peptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or other drug candidate) to treat a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression or activity. For example, such methods can be used to determine whether a subject can be effectively treated with an agent for a transporter-associated disorder. Thus, the present invention provides methods for determining whether a subject can be effectively treated with an agent for a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression or activity in which a test sample is obtained and TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or nucleic acid expression or activity is detected (e.g., wherein the abundance of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or nucleic acid expression or activity is diagnostic for a subject that can be administered the agent to treat a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression or activity).

[1803] The methods of the invention can also be used to detect genetic alterations in a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene, thereby determining if a subject with the altered gene is at risk for a disorder characterized by misregulation in TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a transporter-associated disorder. In preferred embodiments, the methods include detecting, in a sample of cells from the subject, the presence or absence of a genetic alteration characterized by at least one of an alteration affecting the integrity of a gene encoding a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-polypeptide, or the mis-expression of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene. For example, such genetic alterations can be detected by ascertaining the existence of at least one of 1) a deletion of one or more nucleotides from a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene; 2) an addition of one or more nucleotides to a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene; 3) a substitution of one or more nucleotides of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene, 4) a chromosomal rearrangement of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene; 5) an alteration in the level of a messenger RNA transcript of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene, 6) aberrant modification of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene, such as of the methylation pattern of the genomic DNA, 7) the presence of a non-wild type splicing pattern of a messenger RNA transcript of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene, 8) a non-wild type level of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-polypeptide, 9) allelic loss of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene, and 10) inappropriate post-translational modification of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-polypeptide. As described herein, there are a large number of assays known in the art which can be used for detecting alterations in a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene. A preferred biological sample is a tissue or serum sample isolated by conventional means from a subject.

[1804] In certain embodiments, detection of the alteration involves the use of a probe/primer in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195 and 4,683,202), such as anchor PCR or RACE PCR, or, alternatively, in a ligation chain reaction (LCR) (see, e.g., Landegran et al. (1988) Science 241:1077-1080; and Nakazawa et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:360-364), the latter of which can be particularly useful for detecting point mutations in the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene (see Abravaya et al. (1995) Nucleic Acids Res. 23:675-682). This method can include the steps of collecting a sample of cells from a subject, isolating nucleic acid (e.g., genomic, mRNA or both) from the cells of the sample, contacting the nucleic acid sample with one or more primers which specifically hybridize to a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene under conditions such that hybridization and amplification of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene (if present) occurs, and detecting the presence or absence of an amplification product, or detecting the size of the amplification product and comparing the length to a control sample. It is anticipated that PCR and/or LCR may be desirable to use as a preliminary amplification step in conjunction with any of the techniques used for detecting mutations described herein.

[1805] Alternative amplification methods include: self sustained sequence replication (Guatelli, J. C. et al., (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:1874-1878), transcriptional amplification system (Kwoh, D. Y. et al., (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:1173-1177), Q-Beta Replicase (Lizardi, P. M. et al. (1988) Bio-Technology 6:1197), or any other nucleic acid amplification method, followed by the detection of the amplified molecules using techniques well known to those of skill in the art. These detection schemes are especially useful for the detection of nucleic acid molecules if such molecules are present in very low numbers.

[1806] In an alternative embodiment, mutations in a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene from a sample cell can be identified by alterations in restriction enzyme cleavage patterns. For example, sample and control DNA is isolated, amplified (optionally), digested with one or more restriction endonucleases, and fragment length sizes are determined by gel electrophoresis and compared. Differences in fragment length sizes between sample and control DNA indicates mutations in the sample DNA. Moreover, the use of sequence specific ribozymes (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,531) can be used to score for the presence of specific mutations by development or loss of a ribozyme cleavage site.

[1807] In other embodiments, genetic mutations in TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 can be identified by hybridizing a sample and control nucleic acids, e.g., DNA or RNA, to high density arrays containing hundreds or thousands of oligonucleotides probes (Cronin, M. T. et al. (1996) Human Mutation 7: 244-255; Kozal, M. J. et al. (1996) Nature Medicine 2: 753-759). For example, genetic mutations in TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 can be identified in two dimensional arrays containing light-generated DNA probes as described in Cronin, M. T. et al. supra. Briefly, a first hybridization array of probes can be used to scan through long stretches of DNA in a sample and control to identify base changes between the sequences by making linear arrays of sequential overlapping probes. This step allows the identification of point mutations. This step is followed by a second hybridization array that allows the characterization of specific mutations by using smaller, specialized probe arrays complementary to all variants or mutations detected. Each mutation array is composed of parallel probe sets, one complementary to the wild-type gene and the other complementary to the mutant gene.

[1808] In yet another embodiment, any of a variety of sequencing reactions known in the art can be used to directly sequence the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene and detect mutations by comparing the sequence of the sample TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 with the corresponding wild-type (control) sequence. Examples of sequencing reactions include those based on techniques developed by Maxam and Gilbert ((1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:560) or Sanger ((1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:5463). It is also contemplated that any of a variety of automated sequencing procedures can be utilized when performing the diagnostic assays ((1995) Biotechniques 19:448), including sequencing by mass spectrometry (see, e.g., PCT International Publication No. WO 94/16101; Cohen et al. (1996) Adv. Chromatogr. 36:127-162; and Griffin et al (1993) Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 38:147-159).

[1809] Other methods for detecting mutations in the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene include methods in which protection from cleavage agents is used to detect mismatched bases in RNA/RNA or RNA/DNA heteroduplexes (Myers et al. (1985) Science 230:1242). In general, the art technique of “mismatch cleavage” starts by providing heteroduplexes of formed by hybridizing (labeled) RNA or DNA containing the wild-type TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 sequence with potentially mutant RNA or DNA obtained from a tissue sample. The double-stranded duplexes are treated with an agent which cleaves single-stranded regions of the duplex such as which will exist due to basepair mismatches between the control and sample strands. For instance, RNA/DNA duplexes can be treated with RNase and DNA/DNA hybrids treated with S1 nuclease to enzymatically digesting the mismatched regions. In other embodiments, either DNA/DNA or RNA/DNA duplexes can be treated with hydroxylamine or osmium tetroxide and with piperidine in order to digest mismatched regions. After digestion of the mismatched regions, the resulting material is then separated by size on denaturing polyacrylamide gels to determine the site of mutation. See, for example, Cotton et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:4397; Saleeba et al. (1992) Methods Enzymol. 217:286-295. In a preferred embodiment, the control DNA or RNA can be labeled for detection.

[1810] In still another embodiment, the mismatch cleavage reaction employs one or more proteins that recognize mismatched base pairs in double-stranded DNA (so called “DNA mismatch repair” enzymes) in defined systems for detecting and mapping point mutations in TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 cDNAs obtained from samples of cells. For example, the mutY enzyme of E. coli cleaves A at G/A mismatches and the thymidine DNA glycosylase from HeLa cells cleaves T at G/T mismatches (Hsu et al. (1994) Carcinogenesis 15:1657-1662). According to an exemplary embodiment, a probe based on a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 sequence, e.g., a wild-type TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 sequence, is hybridized to a cDNA or other DNA product from a test cell(s). The duplex is treated with a DNA mismatch repair enzyme, and the cleavage products, if any, can be detected from electrophoresis protocols or the like. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,039.

[1811] In other embodiments, alterations in electrophoretic mobility will be used to identify mutations in TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 genes. For example, single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) may be used to detect differences in electrophoretic mobility between mutant and wild type nucleic acids (Orita et al. (1989) Proc Natl. Acad. Sci USA: 86:2766, see also Cotton (1993) Mutat. Res. 285:125-144; and Hayashi (1992) Genet. Anal. Tech. Appl. 9:73-79). Single-stranded DNA fragments of sample and control TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acids will be denatured and allowed to renature. The secondary structure of single-stranded nucleic acids varies according to sequence, the resulting alteration in electrophoretic mobility enables the detection of even a single base change. The DNA fragments may be labeled or detected with labeled probes. The sensitivity of the assay may be enhanced by using RNA (rather than DNA), in which the secondary structure is more sensitive to a change in sequence. In a preferred embodiment, the subject method utilizes heteroduplex analysis to separate double stranded heteroduplex molecules on the basis of changes in electrophoretic mobility (Keen et al. (1991) Trends Genet 7:5).

[1812] In yet another embodiment the movement of mutant or wild-type fragments in polyacrylamide gels containing a gradient of denaturant is assayed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) (Myers et al. (1985) Nature 313:495). When DGGE is used as the method of analysis, DNA will be modified to insure that it does not completely denature, for example by adding a GC clamp of approximately 40 bp of high-melting GC-rich DNA by PCR. In a further embodiment, a temperature gradient is used in place of a denaturing gradient to identify differences in the mobility of control and sample DNA (Rosenbaum and Reissner (1987) Biophys Chem 265:12753).

[1813] Examples of other techniques for detecting point mutations include, but are not limited to, selective oligonucleotide hybridization, selective amplification, or selective primer extension. For example, oligonucleotide primers may be prepared in which the known mutation is placed centrally and then hybridized to target DNA under conditions which permit hybridization only if a perfect match is found (Saiki et al. (1986) Nature 324:163); Saiki et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6230). Such allele specific oligonucleotides are hybridized to PCR amplified target DNA or a number of different mutations when the oligonucleotides are attached to the hybridizing membrane and hybridized with labeled target DNA.

[1814] Alternatively, allele specific amplification technology which depends on selective PCR amplification may be used in conjunction with the instant invention. Oligonucleotides used as primers for specific amplification may carry the mutation of interest in the center of the molecule (so that amplification depends on differential hybridization) (Gibbs et al. (1989) Nucleic Acids Res. 17:2437-2448) or at the extreme 3′ end of one primer where, under appropriate conditions, mismatch can prevent, or reduce polymerase extension (Prossner (1993) Tibtech 11:238). In addition it may be desirable to introduce a novel restriction site in the region of the mutation to create cleavage-based detection (Gasparini et al. (1992) Mol. Cell Probes 6:1). It is anticipated that in certain embodiments amplification may also be performed using Taq ligase for amplification (Barany (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 88:189). In such cases, ligation will occur only if there is a perfect match at the 3′ end of the 5′ sequence making it possible to detect the presence of a known mutation at a specific site by looking for the presence or absence of amplification.

[1815] The methods described herein may be performed, for example, by utilizing pre-packaged diagnostic kits comprising at least one probe nucleic acid or antibody reagent described herein, which may be conveniently used, e.g., in clinical settings to diagnose patients exhibiting symptoms or family history of a disease or illness involving a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene.

[1816] Furthermore, any cell type or tissue in which TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 is expressed may be utilized in the prognostic assays described herein.

[1817] 3. Monitoring of Effects During Clinical Trials

[1818] Monitoring the influence of agents (e.g., drugs) on the expression or activity of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide (e.g., the modulation of transport of biological molecules across membranes) can be applied not only in basic drug screening, but also in clinical trials. For example, the effectiveness of an agent determined by a screening assay as described herein to increase TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene expression, polypeptide levels, or upregulate TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity, can be monitored in clinical trials of subjects exhibiting decreased TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene expression, polypeptide levels, or downregulated TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity. Alternatively, the effectiveness of an agent determined by a screening assay to decrease TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene expression, polypeptide levels, or downregulate TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity, can be monitored in clinical trials of subjects exhibiting increased TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene expression, polypeptide levels, or upregulated TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity. In such clinical trials, the expression or activity of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene, and preferably, other genes that have been implicated in, for example, a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-associated disorder can be used as a “read out” or markers of the phenotype of a particular cell.

[1819] For example, and not by way of limitation, genes, including TFM-2 and/or TFM-3, that are modulated in cells by treatment with an agent (e.g., compound, drug or small molecule) which modulates TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity (e.g., identified in a screening assay as described herein) can be identified. Thus, to study the effect of agents on transporter-associated disorders, for example, in a clinical trial, cells can be isolated and RNA prepared and analyzed for the levels of expression of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 and other genes implicated in the transporter-associated disorder, respectively. The levels of gene expression (e.g., a gene expression pattern) can be quantified by northern blot analysis or RT-PCR, as described herein, or alternatively by measuring the amount of polypeptide produced, by one of the methods as described herein, or by measuring the levels of activity of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 or other genes. In this way, the gene expression pattern can serve as a marker, indicative of the physiological response of the cells to the agent. Accordingly, this response state may be determined before, and at various points during treatment of the individual with the agent.

[1820] In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method for monitoring the effectiveness of treatment of a subject with an agent (e.g., an agonist, antagonist, peptidomimetic, protein, peptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or other drug candidate identified by the screening assays described herein) including the steps of (i) obtaining a pre-administration sample from a subject prior to administration of the agent; (ii) detecting the level of expression of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the preadministration sample; (iii) obtaining one or more post-administration samples from the subject; (iv) detecting the level of expression or activity of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the post-administration samples; (v) comparing the level of expression or activity of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the pre-administration sample with the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the post administration sample or samples; and (vi) altering the administration of the agent to the subject accordingly. For example, increased administration of the agent may be desirable to increase the expression or activity of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 to higher levels than detected, i.e., to increase the effectiveness of the agent. Alternatively, decreased administration of the agent may be desirable to decrease expression or activity of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 to lower levels than detected, i.e. to decrease the effectiveness of the agent. According to such an embodiment, TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression or activity may be used as an indicator of the effectiveness of an agent, even in the absence of an observable phenotypic response.

[1821] D. Methods of Treatment:

[1822] The present invention provides for both prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treating a subject at risk of (or susceptible to) a disorder or having a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression or activity, e.g. a transporter-associated disorder. With regards to both prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treatment, such treatments may be specifically tailored or modified, based on knowledge obtained from the field of pharmacogenomics. “Pharmacogenomics”, as used herein, refers to the application of genomics technologies such as gene sequencing, statistical genetics, and gene expression analysis to drugs in clinical development and on the market. More specifically, the term refers the study of how a patient's genes determine his or her response to a drug (e.g., a patient's “drug response phenotype”, or “drug response genotype”). Thus, another aspect of the invention provides methods for tailoring an individual's prophylactic or therapeutic treatment with either the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 molecules of the present invention or TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 modulators according to that individual's drug response genotype. Pharmacogenomics allows a clinician or physician to target prophylactic or therapeutic treatments to patients who will most benefit from the treatment and to avoid treatment of patients who will experience toxic drug-related side effects.

[1823] 1. Prophylactic Methods

[1824] In one aspect, the invention provides a method for preventing in a subject, a disease or condition associated with an aberrant or unwanted TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression or activity, by administering to the subject a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 or an agent which modulates TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression or at least one TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity. Subjects at risk for a disease which is caused or contributed to by aberrant or unwanted TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression or activity can be identified by, for example, any or a combination of diagnostic or prognostic assays as described herein. Administration of a prophylactic agent can occur prior to the manifestation of symptoms characteristic of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 aberrancy, such that a disease or disorder is prevented or, alternatively, delayed in its progression. Depending on the type of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 aberrancy, for example, a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3, TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 agonist or TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 antagonist agent can be used for treating the subject. The appropriate agent can be determined based on screening assays described herein.

[1825] 2. Therapeutic Methods

[1826] Another aspect of the invention pertains to methods of modulating TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression or activity for therapeutic purposes. Accordingly, in an exemplary embodiment, the modulatory method of the invention involves contacting a cell capable of expressing TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 with an agent that modulates one or more of the activities of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide activity associated with the cell, such that TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity in the cell is modulated. An agent that modulates TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide activity can be an agent as described herein, such as a nucleic acid or a polypeptide, a naturally-occurring target molecule of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide (e.g., a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 substrate), a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 antibody, a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 agonist or antagonist, a peptidomimetic of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 agonist or antagonist, or other small molecule. In one embodiment, the agent stimulates one or more TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activities. Examples of such stimulatory agents include active TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide and a nucleic acid molecule encoding TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 that has been introduced into the cell. In another embodiment, the agent inhibits one or more TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activities. Examples of such inhibitory agents include antisense TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 nucleic acid molecules, anti-TFM-2 and/or anti-TFM-3 antibodies, and TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 inhibitors. These modulatory methods can be performed in vitro (e.g., by culturing the cell with the agent) or, alternatively, in vivo (e.g., by administering the agent to a subject). As such, the present invention provides methods of treating an individual afflicted with a disease or disorder characterized by aberrant or unwanted expression or activity of a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule. In one embodiment, the method involves administering an agent (e.g., an agent identified by a screening assay described herein), or combination of agents that modulates (e.g., upregulates or downregulates) TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression or activity. In another embodiment, the method involves administering a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule as therapy to compensate for reduced, aberrant, or unwanted TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 expression or activity.

[1827] Stimulation of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity is desirable in situations in which TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 is abnormally downregulated and/or in which increased TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity is likely to have a beneficial effect. Likewise, inhibition of TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity is desirable in situations in which TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 is abnormally upregulated and/or in which decreased TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity is likely to have a beneficial effect.

[1828] 3. Pharmacogenomics

[1829] The TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 molecules of the present invention, as well as agents, or modulators which have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity (e.g., TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene expression) as identified by a screening assay described herein can be administered to individuals to treat (prophylactically or therapeutically) transporter-associated disorders (e.g., proliferative disorders) associated with aberrant or unwanted TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 activity. In conjunction with such treatment, pharmacogenomics (i.e., the study of the relationship between an individual's genotype and that individual's response to a foreign compound or drug) may be considered. Differences in metabolism of therapeutics can lead to severe toxicity or therapeutic failure by altering the relation between dose and blood concentration of the pharmacologically active drug. Thus, a physician or clinician may consider applying knowledge obtained in relevant pharmacogenomics studies in determining whether to administer a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 molecule or TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 modulator as well as tailoring the dosage and/or therapeutic regimen of treatment with a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 molecule or TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 modulator.

[1830] Pharmacogenomics deals with clinically significant hereditary variations in the response to drugs due to altered drug disposition and abnormal action in affected persons. See, for example, Eichelbaum, M. et al. (1996) Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol. 23(10-11): 983-985 and Linder, M. W. et al. (1997) Clin. Chem. 43(2):254-266. In general, two types of pharmacogenetic conditions can be differentiated. Genetic conditions transmitted as a single factor altering the way drugs act on the body (altered drug action) or genetic conditions transmitted as single factors altering the way the body acts on drugs (altered drug metabolism). These pharmacogenetic conditions can occur either as rare genetic defects or as naturally-occurring polymorphisms. For example, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD) is a common inherited enzymopathy in which the main clinical complication is haemolysis after ingestion of oxidant drugs (anti-malarials, sulfonamides, analgesics, nitrofurans) and consumption of fava beans.

[1831] One pharmacogenomics approach to identifying genes that predict drug response, known as “a genome-wide association”, relies primarily on a high-resolution map of the human genome consisting of already known gene-related markers (e.g., a “bi-allelic” gene marker map which consists of 60,000-100,000 polymorphic or variable sites on the human genome, each of which has two variants.) Such a high-resolution genetic map can be compared to a map of the genome of each of a statistically significant number of patients taking part in a Phase II/III drug trial to identify markers associated with a particular observed drug response or side effect. Alternatively, such a high resolution map can be generated from a combination of some ten-million known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human genome. As used herein, a “SNP” is a common alteration that occurs in a single nucleotide base in a stretch of DNA. For example, a SNP may occur once per every 1000 bases of DNA. A SNP may be involved in a disease process, however, the vast majority may not be disease-associated. Given a genetic map based on the occurrence of such SNPs, individuals can be grouped into genetic categories depending on a particular pattern of SNPs in their individual genome. In such a manner, treatment regimens can be tailored to groups of genetically similar individuals, taking into account traits that may be common among such genetically similar individuals.

[1832] Alternatively, a method termed the “candidate gene approach”, can be utilized to identify genes that predict drug response. According to this method, if a gene that encodes a drugs target is known (e.g., a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide of the present invention), all common variants of that gene can be fairly easily identified in the population and it can be determined if having one version of the gene versus another is associated with a particular drug response.

[1833] As an illustrative embodiment, the activity of drug metabolizing enzymes is a major determinant of both the intensity and duration of drug action. The discovery of genetic polymorphisms of drug metabolizing enzymes (e.g., N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT 2) and cytochrome P450 enzymes CYP2D6 and CYP2C19) has provided an explanation as to why some patients do not obtain the expected drug effects or show exaggerated drug response and serious toxicity after taking the standard and safe dose of a drug. These polymorphisms are expressed in two phenotypes in the population, the extensive metabolizer (EM) and poor metabolizer (PM). The prevalence of PM is different among different populations. For example, the gene coding for CYP2D6 is highly polymorphic and several mutations have been identified in PM, which all lead to the absence of functional CYP2D6. Poor metabolizers of CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 quite frequently experience exaggerated drug response and side effects when they receive standard doses. If a metabolite is the active therapeutic moiety, PM show no therapeutic response, as demonstrated for the analgesic effect of codeine mediated by its CYP2D6-formed metabolite morphine. The other extreme are the so called ultra-rapid metabolizers who do not respond to standard doses. Recently, the molecular basis of ultra-rapid metabolism has been identified to be due to CYP2D6 gene amplification.

[1834] Alternatively, a method termed the “gene expression profiling”, can be utilized to identify genes that predict drug response. For example, the gene expression of an animal dosed with a drug (e.g., a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 molecule or TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 modulator of the present invention) can give an indication whether gene pathways related to toxicity have been turned on.

[1835] Information generated from more than one of the above pharmacogenomics approaches can be used to determine appropriate dosage and treatment regimens for prophylactic or therapeutic treatment an individual. This knowledge, when applied to dosing or drug selection, can avoid adverse reactions or therapeutic failure and thus enhance therapeutic or prophylactic efficiency when treating a subject with a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 molecule or TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 modulator, such as a modulator identified by one of the exemplary screening assays described herein.

[1836] 4. Use of TFM-2 and TFM-3 Molecules as Surrogate Markers

[1837] The TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 molecules of the invention are also useful as markers of disorders or disease states, as markers for precursors of disease states, as markers for predisposition of disease states, as markers of drug activity, or as markers of the pharmacogenomic profile of a subject. Using the methods described herein, the presence, absence and/or quantity of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 molecules of the invention may be detected, and may be correlated with one or more biological states in vivo. For example, the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 molecules of the invention may serve as surrogate markers for one or more disorders or disease states or for conditions leading up to disease states. As used herein, a “surrogate marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates with the absence or presence of a disease or disorder, or with the progression of a disease or disorder (e.g., with the presence or absence of a tumor). The presence or quantity of such markers is independent of the disease. Therefore, these markers may serve to indicate whether a particular course of treatment is effective in lessening a disease state or disorder. Surrogate markers are of particular use when the presence or extent of a disease state or disorder is difficult to assess through standard methodologies (e.g., early stage tumors), or when an assessment of disease progression is desired before a potentially dangerous clinical endpoint is reached (e.g., an assessment of cardiovascular disease may be made using cholesterol levels as a surrogate marker, and an analysis of HIV infection may be made using HIV RNA levels as a surrogate marker, well in advance of the undesirable clinical outcomes of myocardial infarction or fully-developed AIDS). Examples of the use of surrogate markers in the art include: Koomen et al. (2000) J Mass. Spectrom. 35: 258-264; and James (1994) AIDS Treatment News Archive 209.

[1838] The TFM-2 and TFM-3 molecules of the invention are also useful as pharmacodynamic markers. As used herein, a “pharmacodynamic marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates specifically with drug effects. The presence or quantity of a pharmacodynamic marker is not related to the disease state or disorder for which the drug is being administered; therefore, the presence or quantity of the marker is indicative of the presence or activity of the drug in a subject. For example, a pharmacodynamic marker may be indicative of the concentration of the drug in a biological tissue, in that the marker is either expressed or transcribed or not expressed or transcribed in that tissue in relationship to the level of the drug. In this fashion, the distribution or uptake of the drug may be monitored by the pharmacodynamic marker. Similarly, the presence or quantity of the pharmacodynamic marker may be related to the presence or quantity of the metabolic product of a drug, such that the presence or quantity of the marker is indicative of the relative breakdown rate of the drug in vivo. Pharmacodynamic markers are of particular use in increasing the sensitivity of detection of drug effects, particularly when the drug is administered in low doses. Since even a small amount of a drug may be sufficient to activate multiple rounds of marker (e.g., a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 marker) transcription or expression, the amplified marker may be in a quantity which is more readily detectable than the drug itself. Also, the marker may be more easily detected due to the nature of the marker itself; for example, using the methods described herein, anti-TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 antibodies may be employed in an immune-based detection system for a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide marker, or TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-specific radiolabeled probes may be used to detect a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 mRNA marker. Furthermore, the use of a pharmacodynamic marker may offer mechanism-based prediction of risk due to drug treatment beyond the range of possible direct observations. Examples of the use of pharmacodynamic markers in the art include: Matsuda et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,862; Hattis et al. (1991) Env. Health Perspect. 90: 229-238; Schentag (1999) Am. J Health-Syst. Pharm. 56 Suppl. 3: S21-S24; and Nicolau (1999) Am, J Health-Syst. Pharm. 56 Suppl. 3: S16-S20.

[1839] The TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 molecules of the invention are also useful as pharmacogenomic markers. As used herein, a “pharmacogenomic marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates with a specific clinical drug response or susceptibility in a subject (see, e.g., McLeod et al. (1999) Eur. J. Cancer 35(12): 1650-1652). The presence or quantity of the pharmacogenomic marker is related to the predicted response of the subject to a specific drug or class of drugs prior to administration of the drug. By assessing the presence or quantity of one or more pharmacogenomic markers in a subject, a drug therapy which is most appropriate for the subject, or which is predicted to have a greater degree of success, may be selected. For example, based on the presence or quantity of RNA, or polypeptide (e.g., TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide or RNA) for specific tumor markers in a subject, a drug or course of treatment may be selected that is optimized for the treatment of the specific tumor likely to be present in the subject. Similarly, the presence or absence of a specific sequence mutation in TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 DNA may correlate TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 drug response. The use of pharmacogenomic markers therefore permits the application of the most appropriate treatment for each subject without having to administer the therapy.

[1840] E. Electronic Apparatus Readable Media and Arrays

[1841] Electronic apparatus readable media comprising TFM-2 and TFM-3 sequence information is also provided. As used herein, “TFM-2 and TFM-3 sequence information” refers to any nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence information particular to the TFM-2 and TFM-3 molecules of the present invention, including but not limited to full-length nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, partial nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, polymorphic sequences including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), epitope sequences, and the like. Moreover, information “related to” said TFM-2 and TFM-3 sequence information includes detection of the presence or absence of a sequence (e.g., detection of expression of a sequence, fragment, polymorphism, etc.), determination of the level of a sequence (e.g., detection of a level of expression, for example, a quantitative detection), detection of a reactivity to a sequence (e.g., detection of protein expression and/or levels, for example, using a sequence-specific antibody), and the like. As used herein, “electronic apparatus readable media” refers to any suitable medium for storing, holding or containing data or information that can be read and accessed directly by an electronic apparatus. Such media can include, but are not limited to: magnetic storage media, such as floppy discs, hard disc storage medium, and magnetic tape; optical storage media such as compact disc; electronic storage media such as RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM and the like; general hard disks and hybrids of these categories such as magnetic/optical storage media. The medium is adapted or configured for having recorded thereon TFM-2 and TFM-3 sequence information of the present invention.

[1842] As used herein, the term “electronic apparatus” is intended to include any suitable computing or processing apparatus or other device configured or adapted for storing data or information. Examples of electronic apparatus suitable for use with the present invention include stand-alone computing apparatus; networks, including a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) Internet, Intranet, and Extranet; electronic appliances such as a personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular phone, pager and the like; and local and distributed processing systems.

[1843] As used herein, “recorded” refers to a process for storing or encoding information on the electronic apparatus readable medium. Those skilled in the art can readily adopt any of the presently known methods for recording information on known media to generate manufactures comprising the TFM-2 and TFM-3 sequence information.

[1844] A variety of software programs and formats can be used to store the sequence information on the electronic apparatus readable medium. For example, the sequence information can be represented in a word processing text file, formatted in commercially-available software such as WordPerfect and Microsoft Word, or represented in the form of an ASCII file, stored in a database application, such as DB2, Sybase, Oracle, or the like, as well as in other forms. Any number of data processor structuring formats (e.g., text file or database) may be employed in order to obtain or create a medium having recorded thereon the TFM-2 and TFM-3 sequence information.

[1845] By providing TFM-2 and TFM-3 sequence information in readable form, one can routinely access the sequence information for a variety of purposes. For example, one skilled in the art can use the sequence information in readable form to compare a target sequence or target structural motif with the sequence information stored within the data storage means. Search means are used to identify fragments or regions of the sequences of the invention which match a particular target sequence or target motif.

[1846] The present invention therefore provides a medium for holding instructions for performing a method for determining whether a subject has a TFM-2 and TFM-3-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a TFM-2 and TFM-3-associated disease or disorder, wherein the method comprises the steps of determining TFM-2 and TFM-3 sequence information associated with the subject and based on the TFM-2 and TFM-3 sequence information, determining whether the subject has a TFM-2 and TFM-3-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a TFM-2 and TFM-3-associated disease or disorder and/or recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[1847] The present invention further provides in an electronic system and/or in a network, a method for determining whether a subject has a TFM-2 and TFM-3-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a disease associated with a TFM-2 and TFM-3 wherein the method comprises the steps of determining TFM-2 and TFM-3 sequence information associated with the subject, and based on the TFM-2 and TFM-3 sequence information, determining whether the subject has a TFM-2 and TFM-3-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a TFM-2 and TFM-3-associated disease or disorder, and/or recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition. The method may further comprise the step of receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject and/or acquiring from a network phenotypic information associated with the subject.

[1848] The present invention also provides in a network, a method for determining whether a subject has a TFM-2 and TFM-3-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a TFM-2 and TFM-3-associated disease or disorder associated with TFM-2 and TFM-3, said method comprising the steps of receiving TFM-2 and TFM-3 sequence information from the subject and/or information related thereto, receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject, acquiring information from the network corresponding to TFM-2 and TFM-3 and/or a TFM-2 and TFM-3-associated disease or disorder, and based on one or more of the phenotypic information, the TFM-2 and TFM-3 information (e.g., sequence information and/or information related thereto), and the acquired information, determining whether the subject has a TFM-2 and TFM-3-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a TFM-2 and TFM-3-associated disease or disorder. The method may further comprise the step of recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[1849] The present invention also provides a business method for determining whether a subject has a TFM-2 and TFM-3-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a TFM-2 and TFM-3-associated disease or disorder, said method comprising the steps of receiving information related to TFM-2 and TFM-3 (e.g., sequence information and/or information related thereto), receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject, acquiring information from the network related to TFM-2 and TFM-3 and/or related to a TFM-2 and TFM-3-associated disease or disorder, and based on one or more of the phenotypic information, the TFM-2 and TFM-3 information, and the acquired information, determining whether the subject has a TFM-2 and TFM-3-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a TFM-2 and TFM-3-associated disease or disorder. The method may further comprise the step of recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[1850] The invention also includes an array comprising a TFM-2 and TFM-3 sequence of the present invention. The array can be used to assay expression of one or more genes in the array. In one embodiment, the array can be used to assay gene expression in a tissue to ascertain tissue specificity of genes in the array. In this manner, up to about 7600 genes can be simultaneously assayed for expression, one of which can be TFM-2 and TFM-3. This allows a profile to be developed showing a battery of genes specifically expressed in one or more tissues.

[1851] In addition to such qualitative determination, the invention allows the quantitation of gene expression. Thus, not only tissue specificity, but also the level of expression of a battery of genes in the tissue is ascertainable. Thus, genes can be grouped on the basis of their tissue expression per se and level of expression in that tissue. This is useful, for example, in ascertaining the relationship of gene expression between or among tissues. Thus, one tissue can be perturbed and the effect on gene expression in a second tissue can be determined. In this context, the effect of one cell type on another cell type in response to a biological stimulus can be determined. Such a determination is useful, for example, to know the effect of cell-cell interaction at the level of gene expression. If an agent is administered therapeutically to treat one cell type but has an undesirable effect on another cell type, the invention provides an assay to determine the molecular basis of the undesirable effect and thus provides the opportunity to co-administer a counteracting agent or otherwise treat the undesired effect. Similarly, even within a single cell type, undesirable biological effects can be determined at the molecular level. Thus, the effects of an agent on expression of other than the target gene can be ascertained and counteracted.

[1852] In another embodiment, the array can be used to monitor the time course of expression of one or more genes in the array. This can occur in various biological contexts, as disclosed herein, for example development of a TFM-2 and TFM-3-associated disease or disorder, progression of TFM-2 and TFM-3-associated disease or disorder, and processes, such a cellular transformation associated with the TFM-2 and TFM-3-associated disease or disorder.

[1853] The array is also useful for ascertaining the effect of the expression of a gene on the expression of other genes in the same cell or in different cells (e.g., ascertaining the effect of TFM-2 and TFM-3 expression on the expression of other genes). This provides, for example, for a selection of alternate molecular targets for therapeutic intervention if the ultimate or downstream target cannot be regulated.

[1854] The array is also useful for ascertaining differential expression patterns of one or more genes in normal and abnormal cells. This provides a battery of genes (e.g., including TFM-2 and TFM-3) that could serve as a molecular target for diagnosis or therapeutic intervention.

[1855] This invention is further illustrated by the following examples which should not be construed as limiting. The contents of all references, patents and published patent applications cited throughout this application, as well as the Figures and the Sequence Listing, are incorporated herein by reference.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Identification and Characterization of Human TFM-2 and TFM-3 cDNAs

[1856] In this example, the identification and characterization of the gene encoding human TFM-2 (clone 32146) and human TFM-3 (clone 57259) is described.

[1857] Isolation of the Human TFM-2 and TFM-3 cDNAs

[1858] The invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of two human genes encoding novel polypeptides, referred to herein as human TFM-2 and TFM-3. The entire sequence of the human clone 32146 was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “TFM-2.” The nucleotide sequence of the human TFM-2 gene is set forth in FIGS. 28A-B and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 27. The amino acid sequence of the human TFM-2 expression product is set forth in FIGS. 28A-B and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 28. The TFM-2 polypeptide comprises 392 amino acids. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 27 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 29. Clone 32146, comprising the coding region of human TFM-2, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______, and assigned Accession No. ______.

[1859] The entire sequence of the human clone 57259 was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “TFM-3.” The nucleotide sequence of the human TFM-3 gene is set forth in FIGS. 32A-B and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 30. The amino acid sequence of the human TFM-3 expression product is set forth in FIGS. 32A-B and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 31. The TFM-3 polypeptide comprises 405 amino acids. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 30 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 32. Clone 57259, comprising the coding region of human TFM-3, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______, and assigned Accession No. ______.

[1860] Analysis of the Human TFM-2 and TFM-3 Molecules

[1861] A search using the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28 was performed against the HMM database in PFAM (FIGS. 30A-C) resulting in the identification of a potential monocarboxylate transporter domain in the amino acid sequence of human TFM-2 at about residues 1-332 of SEQ ID NO: 28 (score=35.5), a potential LacY proton/sugar symporter domain in the amino acid sequence of human TFM-2 at about residues 42-322 of SEQ ID NO: 28 (score=−341.8), a potential polysaccharide biosynthesis domain in the amino acid sequence of human TFM-2 at about residues 77-353 of SEQ ID NO: 28 (score=−96.2), and a potential domain of unknown function, DUF20, in the amino acid sequence of human TFM-2 at about residues 26-326 of SEQ ID NO: 28 (score=−133.4).

[1862] The amino acid sequence of human TFM-2 was analyzed using the program PSORT (Nakai, K. and Horton, P. (1999) Trends. Biochem. Sci. 24(1) 34-35) to predict the localization of the proteins within the cell. This program assesses the presence of different targeting and localization amino acid sequences within the query sequence. The results of this analysis show that human TFM-2 may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria or nucleus.

[1863] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human TFM-2 were further performed against the Prosite database. These searches resulted in the identification in the amino acid sequence of human TFM-2 of a potential glycosaminoglycan attachment site (e.g., at residues 216-219 of SEQ ID NO: 28), a number of potential cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation sites (e.g., at residues 151-154, 385-388 of SEQ ID NO: 28), a number of potential protein kinase C phosphorylation sites (e.g., at residues 110-112, 127-129, 134-136, 149-151, 351-353, 361-363 of SEQ ID NO: 28), a number of potential casein kinase II phosphorylation sites (e.g., at residues 40-43, 134-137, 361-364 of SEQ ID NO: 28), a number of potential N-myristoylation sites (e.g., at residues 17-22, 25-30, 32-37, 50-55, 56-61, 77-82, 106-111, 141-146, 176-181, 213-218, 260-265, 270-275, 340-345 of SEQ ID NO: 28), a potential membrane lipoprotein lipid attachment site (e.g., at residues 45-55 of SEQ ID NO: 28), and a potential leucine zipper site (e.g., at residues 241-262 of SEQ ID NO: 28).

[1864] A MEMSAT analysis of the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28 was also performed (FIG. 31), predicting ten potential transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human TFM-2 (SEQ ID NO: 28) at about residues 22-42, 49-69, 76-98, 105-128, 167-186, 207-223, 236-253, 261-285, 296-318, and 327-349. A search of the amino acid sequence of human TFM-2 was also performed against the ProDom database. This search resulted in the local alignment of the human TFM-2 protein with various transporter proteins.

[1865] A search using the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 31 was performed against the HMM database in PFAM (FIGS. 34A-B) resulting in the identification of a potential sugar transporter domain in the amino acid sequence of human TFM-3 at about residues 1 -353 of SEQ ID NO: 31 (score=−160.9).

[1866] The amino acid sequence of human TFM-3 was also analyzed using the program PSORT The results of this analysis show that human TFM-3 may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, secretory vesicles or vacuole.

[1867] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human TFM-3 were further performed against the Prosite database. These searches resulted in the identification in the amino acid sequence of human TFM-3 of a potential N-glycosylation site (e.g., at residues 348-351 of SEQ ID NO: 31), a number of potential protein kinase C phosphorylation sites (e.g., at residues 4-6, 85-87, 97-99, 106-108, 129-131, 250-252 of SEQ ID NO: 31), a number of potential casein kinase II phosphorylation sites (e.g., at residues 250-253, 350-353, 373-376, 392-395 of SEQ ID NO: 31), a number of potential N-myristoylation sites (e.g., at residues 15-20, 162-167, 246-251, 263-268, 292-297, 382-387, 396-401 of SEQ ID NO: 31), a number of potential amidation sites (e.g., at residues 30-33, 209-212 of SEQ ID NO: 31), and a number of potential prokaryotic membrane lipoprotein lipid attachment sites (e.g., at residues 189-199, 315-325 of SEQ ID NO: 31).

[1868] A MEMSAT analysis of the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 31 was also performed (FIG. 35), predicting nine potential transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human TFM-3 (SEQ ID NO: 31) at about residues 7-23, 34-57, 66-82, 150-168, 188-206, 213-237, 255-279, 288-308, and 321-337.

[1869] A search of the amino acid sequence of human TFM-3 was also performed against the ProDom database. This search resulted in the local alignment of the human TFM-3 protein with various transporter proteins.

Example 2 Expression of Recombinant TFM-2 and TFM-3 Polypeptide in Bacterial Cells

[1870] In this example, human TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 is expressed as a recombinant glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion polypeptide in E. coli and the fusion polypeptide is isolated and characterized. Specifically, TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 is fused to GST and this fusion polypeptide is expressed in E. coli, e.g., strain PEB199. Expression of the GST-TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 fusion polypeptide in PEB199 is induced with IPTG. The recombinant fusion polypeptide is purified from crude bacterial lysates of the induced PEB199 strain by affinity chromatography on glutathione beads. Using polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis of the polypeptide purified from the bacterial lysates, the molecular weight of the resultant fusion polypeptide is determined.

Example 3 Expression of Recombinant TFM-2 and TFM-3 Polypeptide in COS Cells

[1871] To express the human TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 gene in COS cells, the pcDNA/Amp vector by Invitrogen Corporation (San Diego, Calif.) is used. This vector contains an SV40 origin of replication, an ampicillin resistance gene, an E. coli replication origin, a CMV promoter followed by a polylinker region, and an SV40 intron and polyadenylation site. A DNA fragment encoding the entire TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide and an HA tag (Wilson et al. (1984) Cell 37:767) or a FLAG tag fused in-frame to its 3′ end of the fragment is cloned into the polylinker region of the vector, thereby placing the expression of the recombinant polypeptide under the control of the CMV promoter.

[1872] To construct the plasmid, the human TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 DNA sequence is amplified by PCR using two primers. The 5′ primer contains the restriction site of interest followed by approximately twenty nucleotides of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 coding sequence starting from the initiation codon; the 3′ end sequence contains complementary sequences to the other restriction site of interest, a translation stop codon, the HA tag or FLAG tag and the last 20 nucleotides of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 coding sequence. The PCR amplified fragment and the pCDNA/Amp vector are digested with the appropriate restriction enzymes and the vector is dephosphorylated using the CIAP enzyme (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.). Preferably the two restriction sites chosen are different so that the TFM-2 and TFM-3 gene is inserted in the correct orientation. The ligation mixture is transformed into E. coli cells (strains HB101, DH5α, SURE, available from Stratagene Cloning Systems, La Jolla, Calif., can be used), the transformed culture is plated on ampicillin media plates, and resistant colonies are selected. Plasmid DNA is isolated from transformants and examined by restriction analysis for the presence of the correct fragment.

[1873] COS cells are subsequently transfected with the human TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-pcDNA/Amp plasmid DNA using the calcium phosphate or calcium chloride co-precipitation methods, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, lipofection, or electroporation. Other suitable methods for transfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989. The expression of the IC54420 polypeptide is detected by radiolabeling (³⁵S-methionine or ³⁵S-cysteine available from NEN, Boston, Mass., can be used) and immunoprecipitation (Harlow, E. and Lane, D. Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1988) using an HA specific monoclonal antibody. Briefly, the cells are labeled for 8 hours with ³⁵S-methionine (or ³⁵S-cysteine). The culture media are then collected and the cells are lysed using detergents (RIPA buffer, 150 mM NaCl, 1% NP-40, 0.1% SDS, 0.5% DOC, 50 mM Tris, pH 7.5). Both the cell lysate and the culture media are precipitated with an HA specific monoclonal antibody. Precipitated polypeptides are then analyzed by SDS-PAGE.

[1874] Alternatively, DNA containing the human TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 coding sequence is cloned directly into the polylinker of the pCDNA/Amp vector using the appropriate restriction sites. The resulting plasmid is transfected into COS cells in the manner described above, and the expression of the TFM-2 and/or TFM-3 polypeptide is detected by radiolabeling and immunoprecipitation using a TFM-2 and/or TFM-3-specific monoclonal antibody.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[1875] The E1-E2 ATPase family is a large superfamily of transport enzymes that contains at least 80 members found in diverse organisms such as bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes (Palmgren, M. G. and Axelsen, K. B. (1998) Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1365:37-45). These enzymes are involved in ATP hydrolysis-dependent transmembrane movement of a variety of inorganic cations (e.g., H⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Cu²⁺, Cd⁺, and Mg²⁺ ions) across a concentration gradient, whereby the enzyme converts the free energy of ATP hydrolysis into electrochemical ion gradients. E1-E2 ATPases are also known as “P-type” ATPases, referring to the existence of a covalent high-energy phosphoryl-enzyme intermediate in the chemical reaction pathway of these transporters. Until recently, the superfamily contained four major groups: Ca²⁺ transporting ATPases; Na⁺/K⁺-and gastric H⁺/K⁺ transporting ATPases; plasma membrane H⁺ transporting ATPases of plants, fungi, and lower eukaryotes; and all bacterial P-type ATPases (Kuhlbrandt et al. (1998) Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol. 8:510-516).

[1876] E1-E2 ATPases are phosphorylated at a highly conserved DKTG sequence. Phosphorylation at this site is thought to control the enzyme's substrate affinity. Most E1-E2 ATPases contain ten alpha-helical transmembrane domains, although additional domains may be present. A majority of known gated-pore translocators contain twelve alpha-helices, including Na⁺/H⁺ antiporters (West (1997) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1331:213-234).

[1877] Members of the E1-E2 ATPase superfamily are able to generate electrochemical ion gradients which enable a variety of processes in the cell such as absorption, secretion, transmembrane signaling, nerve impulse transmission, excitation/contraction coupling, and growth and differentiation (Scarborough (1999) Curr. Op. Cell Biol. 11:517-522). These molecules are thus critical to normal cell function and well-being of the organism.

[1878] Recently, a new class of E1-E2 ATPases was identified, the aminophospholipid transporters or translocators. These transporters transport not cations, but phospholipids (Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497; Bull, L. N. et al. (1998) Nat. Genet. 18:219-224; Mauro, I. et al. (1999) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 257:333-339). These transporters are involved in cellular functions including bile acid secretion and maintenance of the asymmetrical integrity of the plasma membrane.

[1879] The histidine triad (HIT) family of proteins are a superfamily of nucleotide-binding proteins which were first identified based on sequence similarity. Specifically, HIT proteins all have the histidine triad-containing sequence motif His-φ-His-φ-His-φ-φ, where φ represents a hydrophobic amino acid residue (Seraphin, B. (1992) DNA Sequence 3:177-179). The histidine triad motif is responsible for the nucleotide binding properties of the HIT proteins (Brenner, C. et al. (1999) J Cell. Physiol. 181:19-187).

[1880] The HIT family can be divided into two branches, the Fhit branch and the Hint branch. Fhit proteins are found only in animals and fungi, while Hint proteins are found in all forms of cellular life (Brenner et al. (1999) supra). Hint proteins, first purified from rabbit heart cytosol (Gilmour et al. (1997)), are intracellular receptors for purine mononucleotides.

[1881] Fhit proteins bind and cleave diadenosine polyphosphates (Ap_(n)A) such as ApppA and AppppA (Brenner et al. (1999) supra). Human Fhit is a tumor suppressor protein frequently mutated in cancers of the gastrointestinal tract (Ohta, M. et al. (1996) Cell 84:587-597), lung (Sozzi, G. et al. (1996) Cell 85:17-26), and other tissues.

[1882] Under the current model, cellular stress signals cause tRNA synthetases to produce Ap_(n)A rather than deliver amino acids to tRNAs (Brenner et al. (1999) supra). Fhit acts as a sensor for Ap_(n)A, and Fhit-Ap_(n)A complexes stimulate the pro-apoptotic activity of nitrilases, enzymes which convert nitriles (such as indoleacetonitrile) to the corresponding acids (such as indoleacetic acid) plus ammonia by addition of two water molecules. When Fhit is mutated cells cannot sense Ap_(n)A stress signals, which can result in uncontrolled growth.

[1883] Given the important biological and physiological roles played by the E1-E2 ATPase family of proteins and the HIT family of proteins, there exists a need to identify novel E1-E2 ATPase and HIT family members for use in a variety of diagnostic/prognostic as well as therapeutic applications.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[1884] The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel human phospholipid transporter family members, referred to herein as “67118 and 67067” nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules. The 67118 and 67067 nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules of the present invention are useful as modulating agents in regulating a variety of cellular processes, e.g., phospholipid transport (e.g., aminophospholipid transport), absorption, secretion, gene expression, intra- or inter-cellular signaling, and/or cellular proliferation, growth, apoptosis, and/or differentiation. Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding 67118 and 67067 polypeptides or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments suitable as primers or hybridization probes for the detection of 67118 and 67067-encoding nucleic acids.

[1885] The present invention is also based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel histidine triad family members, referred to herein as “62092” nucleic acid and protein molecules. The 62092 nucleic acid and protein molecules of the present invention are useful as modulating agents in regulating a variety of cellular processes, e.g., gene expression, intra- or intercellular signaling, cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or apoptosis, and/or sensing of cellular stress signals. Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding 62092 proteins or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments suitable as primers or hybridization probes for the detection of 62092-encoding nucleic acids.

[1886] In one embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that includes the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41. In another embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that encodes a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40. In another embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that includes the nucleotide sequence contained in the plasmid deposited with ATCC® as Accession Number ______, ______, and/or ______.

[1887] In still other embodiments, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules including nucleotide sequences that are substantially identical (e.g., 60% identical) to the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41. The invention further features isolated nucleic acid molecules including at least 50 contiguous nucleotides of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41. In another embodiment, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence that is substantially identical (e.g., 60% identical) to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40. The present invention also features nucleic acid molecules which encode allelic variants of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40. In addition to isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding full-length polypeptides, the present invention also features nucleic acid molecules which encode fragments, for example, biologically active or antigenic fragments, of the full-length polypeptides of the present invention (e.g., fragments including at least 10 contiguous amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40). In still other embodiments, the invention features nucleic acid molecules that are complementary to, antisense to, or hybridize under stringent conditions to the isolated nucleic acid molecules described herein.

[1888] In another aspect, the invention provides vectors including the isolated nucleic acid molecules described herein (e.g., 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-encoding nucleic acid molecules). Such vectors can optionally include nucleotide sequences encoding heterologous polypeptides. Also featured are host cells including such vectors (e.g., host cells including vectors suitable for producing 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides).

[1889] In another aspect, the invention features isolated 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides and/or biologically active or antigenic fragments thereof. Exemplary embodiments feature a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40, a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence at least 60% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40, a polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid molecule including a nucleotide sequence at least 60% identical to the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41. Also featured are fragments of the full-length polypeptides described herein (e.g., fragments including at least 10 contiguous amino acid residues of the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40) as well as allelic variants of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40.

[1890] The 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides and/or biologically active or antigenic fragments thereof, are useful, for example, as reagents or targets in assays applicable to treatment and/or diagnosis of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 associated or related disorders. In one embodiment, a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or fragment thereof, has a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity.

[1891] In another embodiment, a 67118 or 67067 polypeptide or fragment thereof includes at least one of the following domains, sites, or motifs: a transmembrane domain, an N-terminal large extramembrane domain, a C-terminal large extramembrane domain, an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif, and/or one or more phospholipid transporter specific amino acid resides, and optionally, has a 67118 and/or a 67067 activity. In yet another embodiment, a 62092 polypeptide or fragment thereof has at least one or more of the following domains or motifs: a signal peptide, a HIT family domain, and/or a HIT family signature motif, and optionally, has a 62092 activity.

[1892] In a related aspect, the invention features antibodies (e.g., antibodies which specifically bind to any one of the polypeptides described herein) as well as fusion polypeptides including all or a fragment of a polypeptide described herein.

[1893] The present invention further features methods for detecting 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides and/or 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid molecules, such methods featuring, for example, a probe, primer or antibody described herein. Also featured are kits, e.g., kits for the detection of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides and/or 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid molecules. In a related aspect, the invention features methods for identifying compounds which bind to and/or modulate the activity of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid molecule described herein. Further featured are methods for modulating a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity.

[1894] Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[1895] The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel molecules, referred to herein as “67118” and “67067” nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules, which are novel members of the phospholipid transporter family. These novel molecules are capable of, for example, transporting phospholipids (e.g., aminophospholipids such as phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine, choline phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin, and bile acids) across cellular membranes and, thus, play a role in or function in a variety of cellular processes, e.g., phospholipid transport, absorption, secretion, gene expression, intra- or inter-cellular signaling, and/or cellular proliferation, growth, and/or differentiation.

[1896] The present invention is also based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel histidine triad family members, referred to herein as “62092” nucleic acid and protein molecules. These novel molecules are capable of binding nucleotides (e.g., purine mononucleotides and/or dinucleoside polyphosphates) and, thus, play a role in or function in a variety of cellular processes, e.g., gene expression, intra- or intercellular signaling, cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or apoptosis, and/or sensing of cellular stress signals. Thus, the 62092 molecules of the present invention provide novel diagnostic targets and therapeutic agents to control 62092-associated disorders, as defined herein.

[1897] The term “family” when referring to the protein and nucleic acid molecules of the invention is intended to mean two or more proteins or nucleic acid molecules having a common structural domain or motif and having sufficient amino acid or nucleotide sequence homology as defined herein. Such family members can be naturally or non-naturally occurring and can be from either the same or different species. For example, a family can contain a first protein of human origin as well as other distinct proteins of human origin or alternatively, can contain homologues of non-human origin, e.g., rat or mouse proteins. Members of a family can also have common functional characteristics.

[1898] For example, the family of 67118 and 67067 polypeptides comprise at least one “transmembrane domain” and preferably eight, nine, or ten transmembrane domains. As used herein, the term “transmembrane domain” includes an amino acid sequence of about 15-45 amino acid residues in length which spans the plasma membrane. More preferably, a transmembrane domain includes about at least 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, or 45 amino acid residues and spans the plasma membrane. Transmembrane domains are rich in hydrophobic residues, and typically have an alpha-helical structure. In a preferred embodiment, at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or more of the amino acids of a transmembrane domain are hydrophobic, e.g., leucines, isoleucines, alanines, valines, phenylalanines, prolines or methionines. Transmembrane domains are described in, for example, Zagotta W. N. et al, (1996) Annual Rev. Neurosci. 19: 235-263, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. A MEMSAT analysis and a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis also resulted in the identification of ten transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 67118 (SEQ ID NO: 34) at about residues 71-87, 94-110, 295-314, 349-368, 891 -907, 915-935, 964-987, 1002-1018, 1033-1057, and 1064-1088 as set forth in FIG. 37. A MEMSAT analysis and a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis resulted in the identification of ten transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 67067 (SEQ ID NO: 37) at about residues 65-82, 89-105, 287-304, 366-388, 1239-1259, 1322-1343, 1274-1292, 1351-1368, 1377-1399, 1425-1446 as set forth in FIG. 40.

[1899] The family of 67118 and/or 67067 proteins of the present invention also comprise at least one “extramembrane domain” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, an “extramembrane domain” includes a domain having greater than 20 amino acid residues that is found between transmembrane domains, preferably on the cytoplasmic side of the plasma membrane, and does not span or traverse the plasma membrane. An extramembrane domain preferably includes at least one, two, three, four or more motifs or consensus sequences characteristic of P-type ATPases, i.e., includes one, two, three, four, or more “P-type ATPase consensus sequences or motifs”. As used herein, the phrase “P-type ATPase consensus sequences or motifs” includes any consensus sequence or motif known in the art to be characteristic of P-type ATPases, including, but not limited to, the P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif (as defined herein), the P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif (as defined herein), the P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif (as defined herein), and the E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site (as defined herein).

[1900] In one embodiment, the family of 67118 and 67067 proteins of the present invention comprises at least one “N-terminal” large extramembrane domain in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, an “N-terminal” large extramembrane domain is found in the N-terminal ⅓^(rd) of the protein, preferably between the second and third transmembrane domains of a 67118 or 67067 protein and includes about 60-300, 80-280, 100-260, 120-240, 140-220, 160-200, or preferably, 181 or 183 amino acid residues. In a preferred embodiment, an N-terminal large extramembrane domain includes at least one P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif (as described herein). An N-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67118 at about residues 111 -294 of SEQ ID NO: 34. An N-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67067 at about residues 105-286 of SEQ ID NO: 37.

[1901] The family of 67118 and 67067 proteins of the present invention also comprises at least one “C-terminal” large extramembrane domain in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, a “C-terminal” large extramembrane domain is found in the C-terminal ⅔^(rds) of the protein, preferably between the fourth and fifth transmembrane domains of a PLTR protein and includes about 370-850, 400-820, 430-790, 460-760, 430-730, 460-700, 430-670, 460-640, 430-610, 490-580, 510-550, or preferably, 521 or 849 amino acid residues. In a preferred embodiment, a C-terminal large extramembrane domain includes at least one or more of the following motifs: a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif (as described herein), a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif (as defined herein), and/or an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site (as defined herein). A C-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67118 at about residues 369-890 of SEQ ID NO: 34. A C-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67067 at about residues 389-1238 of SEQ ID NO: 37.

[1902] In another embodiment, a 67118 or 67067 protein extramembrane domain is characterized by at least one “P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid sequence. As used herein, a “P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif” is a conserved sequence motif diagnostic for P-type ATPases (Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497; Fagan, M. J. and Saier, M. H. (1994) J. Mol. Evol. 38:57). Amino acid residues of the P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif are involved in the coupling of ATP hydrolysis with transport (e.g., transport of phospholipids). The consensus sequence for a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif is [DNS]-[QENR]-[SA]-[LIVSAN]-[LIV]-[TSN]-G-E-[SN] (SEQ ID NO: 42). The use of amino acids in brackets indicates that the amino acid at the indicated position may be any one of the amino acids within the brackets, e.g., [SA] indicates any of one of either S (serine) or A (alanine). In a preferred embodiment, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif is contained within an N-terminal large extramembrane domain. In another preferred embodiment, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif in the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 proteins of the present invention has at least 1, 2, 3, or preferably 4 amino acid resides which match the consensus sequence for a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif. A P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67118 at about residues 179-187 of SEQ ID NO: 34. A P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67067 at about residues 175-183 of SEQ ID NO: 37.

[1903] In another embodiment, a 67118 or 67067 protein extramembrane domain is characterized by at least one “P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid sequence. As used herein, a “P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif” is a conserved sequence motif diagnostic for P-type ATPases (Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497; Fagan, M. J. and Saier, M. H. (1994) J. Mol. Evol. 38:57). Preferably, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif overlaps with and/or includes an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site (as defined herein). The consensus sequence for a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif is [LIV]-[CAML]-[STFL]-D-K-T-G-T-[LI]-T (SEQ ID NO: 43). The use of amino acids in brackets indicates that the amino acid at the indicated position may be any one of the amino acids within the brackets, e.g., [LI] indicates any of one of either L (leucine) or I (isoleucine). In a preferred embodiment, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif is contained within a C-terminal large extramembrane domain. In another preferred embodiment, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif in the PLTR proteins of the present invention has at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or more preferably 9 amino acid resides which match the consensus sequence for a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif. A P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67118 at about residues 411-420 of SEQ ID NO: 34. A P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67067 at about residues 431-440 of SEQ ID NO: 37.

[1904] In yet another embodiment, a 67118 or 67067 protein extramembrane domain is characterized by at least one “P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid sequence. As used herein, a “P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif” is a conserved sequence motif diagnostic for P-type ATPases (Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497; Fagan, M. J. and Saier, M. H. (1994) J. Mol. Evol. 38:57). Amino acid residues of the P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif are involved in ATP binding. The consensus sequence for a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif is [TIV]-G-D-G-X-N-D-[ASG]-P-[ASV]-L (SEQ ID NO: 44). X indicates that the amino acid at the indicated position may be any amino acid (i.e., is not conserved). The use of amino acids in brackets indicates that the amino acid at the indicated position may be any one of the amino acids within the brackets, e.g., [TIV] indicates any of one of either T (threonine), I (isoleucine), or V (valine). In a preferred embodiment, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif is contained within a C-terminal large extramembrane domain. In another preferred embodiment, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif in the 67118 or 67067 proteins of the present invention has at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or more preferably 7 amino acid resides (including the amino acid at the position indicated by “X”) which match the consensus sequence for a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif. A P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67118 at about residues 823-833 of SEQ ID NO: 34. A P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67067 at about residues 1180-1190of SEQ ID NO: 37.

[1905] In another embodiment, a 67118 or 67067 protein of the present invention is identified based on the presence of an “E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site” (alternatively referred to simply as a “phosphorylation site”) in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. An E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site functions in accepting a phosphate moiety and has the amino acid sequence DKTGT (amino acid residues 1-5 of SEQ ID NO: 45), and can be included within the E1-E2 ATPase phosphorylation site consensus sequence: D-K-T-G-T-[LIVM]-[TI] (SEQ ID NO: 45), wherein D is phosphorylated. The use of amino acids in brackets indicates that the amino acid at the indicated position may be any one of the amino acids within the brackets, e.g., [TI] indicates any of one of either T (threonine) or I (isoleucine). The E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site consensus sequence has been assigned ProSite Accession Number PS00154. To identify the presence of an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site consensus sequence in a 67118 or 67067 protein, and to make the determination that a protein of interest has a particular profile, the amino acid sequence of the protein may be searched against a database of known protein motifs (e.g., the ProSite database) using the default parameters (available on the Internet at the Prosite website). A search was performed against the ProSite database resulting in the identification of an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site consensus sequence in the amino acid sequence of human 67118 (SEQ ID NO: 34) at about residues 414-420 (see FIGS. 38A-B). A search was performed against the ProSite database resulting in the identification of an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site consensus sequence in the amino acid sequence of human 67067 (SEQ ID NO: 37) at about residues 434-440 (see FIGS. 41A-B).

[1906] Preferably an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site has a “phosphorylation site activity,” for example, the ability to be phosphorylated; to be dephosphorylated; to regulate the E1-E2 conformational change of the phospholipid transporter in which it is contained; to regulate transport of phospholipids (e.g., aminophospholipids such as phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine, choline phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin, and bile acids) across a cellular membrane by the 67118 or 67067 protein in which it is contained; and/or to regulate the activity (as defined herein) of the 67118 or 67067 protein in which it is contained. Accordingly, identifying the presence of an “E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site” can include isolating a fragment of a 67118 or 67067 molecule (e.g., a 67118 or 67067 polypeptide) and assaying for the ability of the fragment to exhibit one of the aforementioned phosphorylation site activities.

[1907] In another embodiment, a 67118 or 67067 protein of the present invention may also be identified based on its ability to adopt an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation. As used herein, an “E1 conformation” of a 67118 or 67067 protein includes a 3-dimensional conformation of a 67118 or 67067 protein which does not exhibit 67118 or 67067 activity (e.g., the ability to transport phospholipids), as defined herein. An E1 conformation of a 67118 or 67067 protein usually occurs when the 67118 or 67067 protein is unphosphorylated. As used herein, an “E2 conformation” of a 67118 or 67067 protein includes a 3-dimensional conformation of a 67118 or 67067 protein which exhibits 67118 or 67067 activity (e.g., the ability to transport phospholipids), as defined herein. An E2 conformation of a 67118 or 67067 protein usually occurs when the 67118 or 67067 protein is phosphorylated.

[1908] In still another embodiment, a 67118 or 67067 protein of the present invention is identified based on the presence of “phospholipid transporter specific” amino acid residues. As used herein, “phospholipid transporter specific” amino acid residues are amino acid residues specific to the class of phospholipid transporting P-type ATPases (as defined in Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497). Phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues are not found in those P-type ATPases which transport molecules which are not phospholipids (e.g., cations). For example, phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues are found at the first, second, and fifth positions of the P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif. In phospholipid transporting P-type ATPases, the first position of the P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif is preferably E (glutamic acid), the second position is preferably T (threonine), and the fifth position is preferably L (leucine). A phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residue is further found at the second position of the P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif. In phospholipid transporting P-type ATPases, the second position of the P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif is preferably F (phenylalanine). Phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues are still further found at the first, tenth, and eleventh positions of the P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif. In phospholipid transporting P-type ATPases, the first position of the P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif is preferably I (isoleucine), the tenth position is preferably M (methionine), and the eleventh position is preferably I (isoleucine). Phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues were identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67118 (SEQ ID NO: 34) at about residues 179 and 183 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif; see FIGS. 38A-B), at about residue 442 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif; see FIGS. 38A-B), and at about residues 823, 832 and 833 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif; see FIGS. 38A-B). Phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues were identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67067 (SEQ ID NO: 37) at about residues 175, 176, and 179 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif; see FIGS. 41A-B), at about residue 432 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif; see FIGS. 41A-B), and at about residues 1180, 1189, and 1190 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif; see FIGS. 41A-B).

[1909] Isolated polypeptides of the present invention, preferably 67118 and/or 67067 polypeptides, have an amino acid sequence sufficiently identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 34 or 37 or are encoded by a nucleotide sequence sufficiently identical to SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, or 38. As used herein, the term “sufficiently identical” refers to a first amino acid or nucleotide sequence which contains a sufficient or minimum number of identical or equivalent (e.g., an amino acid residue which has a similar side chain) amino acid residues or nucleotides to a second amino acid or nucleotide sequence such that the first and second amino acid or nucleotide sequences share common structural domains or motifs and/or a common functional activity. For example, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share common structural domains having at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homology or identity across the amino acid sequences of the domains and contain at least one and preferably two structural domains or motifs, are defined herein as sufficiently identical. Furthermore, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homology or identity and share a common functional activity are defined herein as sufficiently identical.

[1910] In a preferred embodiment, a 67118 or 67067 protein includes at least one or more of the following domains, sites, or motifs: a transmembrane domain, an N-terminal large extramembrane domain, a C-terminal large extramembrane domain, an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif, and/or one or more phospholipid transporter specific amino acid resides, and has an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homologous or identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 34 or 37, or the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______. In yet another preferred embodiment, a 67118 or 67067 protein includes at least one or more of the following domains, sites, or motifs: a transmembrane domain, an N-terminal large extramembrane domain, a C-terminal large extramembrane domain, an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif, and/or one or more phospholipid transporter specific amino acid resides, and is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule having a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, 3, 4, or 6. In another preferred embodiment, a 67118 or 67067 protein includes at least one or more of the following domains, sites, or motifs: a transmembrane domain, an N-terminal large extramembrane domain, a C-terminal large extramembrane domain, an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif, and/or one or more phospholipid transporter specific amino acid resides, and has a 67118 or 67067 activity.

[1911] As used interchangeably herein, a “phospholipid transporter activity” or a “67118 or 67067 activity” includes an activity exerted or mediated by a 67118 or 67067 protein, polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule on a 67118 or 67067 responsive cell or on a 67118 or 67067 substrate, as determined in vivo or in vitro, according to standard techniques. In one embodiment, a phospholipid transporter activity is a direct activity, such as an association with a 67118 or 67067 target molecule. As used herein, a “target molecule” or “binding partner” is a molecule with which a 67118 or 67067 protein binds or interacts in nature, such that 67118 or 67067-mediated function is achieved. In an exemplary embodiment, a 67118 or 67067 target molecule is a 67118 or 67067 substrate (e.g., a phospholipid, ATP, or a non-67118 or 67067 protein). A phospholipid transporter activity can also be an indirect activity, such as a cellular signaling activity mediated by interaction of the 67118 or 67067 protein with a 67118 or 67067 substrate.

[1912] In a preferred embodiment, a phospholipid transporter activity is at least one of the following activities: (i) interaction with a 67118 or 67067 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid, ATP, or a non-67118 or non-67067 protein); (ii) transport of a 67118 or 67067 substrate or target molecule (e.g., an aminophospholipid such as phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylethanolamine) from one side of a cellular membrane to the other; (iii) the ability to be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated; (iv) adoption of an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation; (v) conversion of a 67118 or 67067 substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., hydrolysis of ATP); (vi) interaction with a second non-67118 or non-67067 protein; (vii) modulation of substrate or target molecule location (e.g., modulation of phospholipid location within a cell and/or location with respect to a cellular membrane); (viii) maintenance of aminophospholipid gradients; (ix) modulation of intra- or intercellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); and/or (x) modulation of cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, apoptosis, absorption, or secretion.

[1913] The nucleotide sequence of the isolated human 67118 and 67067 CDNA and the predicted amino acid sequence of the human 67118 and 67067 polypeptides are shown in FIGS. 36A-E and 39A-F and in SEQ ID NOs: 33, 34 and 36, 37, respectively. Plasmids containing the nucleotide sequence encoding human 67118 and/or human 67067 were deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______ and assigned Accession Numbers ______ and ______, respectively. These deposits will be maintained under the terms of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure. These deposit were made merely as a convenience for those of skill in the art and are not admissions that a deposit is required under 35 U.S.C. § 112.

[1914] The human 67118 gene, which is approximately 7745 nucleotides in length, encodes a polypeptide which is approximately 1134 amino acid residues in length. The human 67067 gene, which is approximately 7205 nucleotides in length, encodes a polypeptide which is approximately 1588 amino acid residues in length.

[1915] 62092 family members likewise share structural and functional characteristics and can be identified by said characteristics, as follows. In another embodiment, a 62092 protein of the present invention is identified based on the presence of a signal peptide. The prediction of such a signal peptide can be made, for example, by using the computer algorithm SignalP (Henrik et al. (1997) Protein Eng. 10:1-6). As used herein, a “signal sequence” or “signal peptide” includes a peptide containing about 15 or more amino acids which occurs at the N-terminus of secretory and/or membrane bound proteins and which contains a large number of hydrophobic amino acid residues. For example, a signal sequence contains at least about 10-30 amino acid residues, preferably about 15-25 amino acid residues, more preferably about 18-20 amino acid residues, and more preferably about 19 amino acid residues, and has at least about 35-65%, preferably about 38-50%, and more preferably about 40-45% hydrophobic amino acid residues (e.g., Valine, Leucine, Isoleucine or Phenylalanine). Such a “signal sequence”, also referred to in the art as a “signal peptide”, serves to direct a protein containing such a sequence to a lipid bilayer, and is cleaved in secreted and membrane bound proteins. A possible signal sequence was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 62092 at about amino acids 1-19 of SEQ ID NO: 40.

[1916] In still another embodiment, members of the 62092 family of proteins include at least one “HIT family domain” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used interchangeably herein, the term “HIT family domain” includes a protein domain having at least about 30-170 amino acid residues and a bit score of at least 60.0 when compared against a HIT family domain Hidden Markov Model (HMM), e.g., Accession Number PF01230. Preferably, a HIT family domain includes a protein domain having an amino acid sequence of about 50-150, 70-130, 90-110, or more preferably about 102 amino acid residues, and a bit score of at least 80, 100, 120, 140, 160, or more preferably, 180.3. To identify the presence of a HIT family domain in a 62092 protein, and make the determination that a protein of interest has a particular profile, the amino acid sequence of the protein is searched against a database of known protein motifs and/or domains (e.g., the HMM database). The HIT family domain (HMM) has been assigned the PFAM Accession number PF01230. A search was performed against the HMM database resulting in the identification of a HIT family domain in the amino acid sequence of human 62092 at about residues 54-155 of SEQ ID NO: 40.

[1917] A description of the Pfam database can be found in Sonhammer et al. (1997) Proteins 28:405-420, and a detailed description of HMMs can be found, for example, in Gribskov et al. (1990) Meth. Enzymol. 183:146-159; Gribskov et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:4355-4358; Krogh et al. (1994) J. Mol. Biol. 235:1501-1531; and Stultz et al. (1993) Protein Sci. 2:305-314, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[1918] Preferably a HIT family domain is at least about 80-120 amino acid residues and comprises core amino acid residues sufficient to carry out a 62092 activity, as described herein. In a preferred embodiment, a “HIT family domain” includes at least about 90-110 amino acid residues, for example, about 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, or 110 amino acid residues, preferably, about 102 residues, and is capable of carrying out a 62092 biological activity. Accordingly, identifying the presence of a “HIT family domain” can include isolating a fragment of a 62092 molecule (e.g., a 62092 polypeptide) and assaying for the ability of the fragment to exhibit one of the aforementioned HIT family domain activities.

[1919] In another embodiment, a 62092 protein of the present invention is identified based on the presence of an “HIT family signature motif” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. The consensus for a HIT family signature motif is a protein motif and has the consensus sequence [NGA]-X(4)-[GSAV]-X-[QF]-X-[LIVM]-X-H-[LIVMFYST]-H-[LIVMFT]-H-[LIVMF](2)-[PSGA] (SEQ ID NO: 50). The HIT family signature motif functions in nucleotide binding and has been assigned Prosite™ Accession Number PS00892. To identify the presence of an HIT family signature motif in a 62092 protein, and to make the determination that a protein of interest has a particular profile, the amino acid sequence of the protein may be searched against a database of known protein domains or motifs (e.g., the Prosite™ database) using the default parameters (available at the ProSite internet website). A search was performed against the ProSite database resulting in the identification of a HIT family signature motif in the amino acid sequence of human 62092 (SEQ ID NO: 40) at about residues 136-151.

[1920] Isolated proteins of the present invention, preferably 62092 proteins, have an amino acid sequence sufficiently homologous to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 40, or are encoded by a nucleotide sequence sufficiently homologous to SEQ ID NO: 39 or 41. As used herein, the term “sufficiently homologous” refers to a first amino acid or nucleotide sequence which contains a sufficient or minimum number of identical or equivalent (e.g., an amino acid residue which has a similar side chain) amino acid residues or nucleotides to a second amino acid or nucleotide sequence such that the first and second amino acid or nucleotide sequences share common structural domains or motifs and/or a common functional activity. For example, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share common structural domains having at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homology or identity across the amino acid sequences of the domains and contain at least one and preferably two structural domains or motifs, are defined herein as sufficiently homologous. Furthermore, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homology or identity and share a common functional activity are defined herein as sufficiently homologous.

[1921] In a preferred embodiment, a 62092 protein includes at least one or more of the following domains or motifs: a signal peptide, a HIT family domain, and/or a HIT family signature motif, and has an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homologous or identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 40, or the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. In yet another preferred embodiment, a 62092 protein includes at least one or more of the following domains or motifs: a signal peptide, a HIT family domain, and/or a HIT family signature motif, and is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule having a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 39 or 41. In another preferred embodiment, a 62092 protein includes at least one or more of the following domains or motifs: a signal peptide, a HIT family domain, and/or a HIT family signature motif, and has a 62092 activity.

[1922] As used interchangeably herein, a “62092 activity”, “biological activity of 62092” or “functional activity of 62092”, includes an activity exerted or mediated by a 62092 protein, polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule on a 62092 responsive cell or on a 62092 substrate, as determined in vivo or in vitro, according to standard techniques. In one embodiment, a 62092 activity is a direct activity, such as an association with a 62092 target molecule. As used herein, a “target molecule” or “binding partner” is a molecule with which a 62092 protein binds or interacts in nature, such that 62092-mediated function is achieved. In an exemplary embodiment, a 62092 target molecule is a 62092 substrate (e.g., a nucleotide such as a purine mononucleotide (e.g., adenosine, AMP, GMP, or 8Br-AMP) or an dinucleoside polyphosphate (e.g., ApppA, AppppA, or AppppG)). A 62092 activity can also be an indirect activity, such as a cellular signaling activity mediated by interaction of the 62092 protein with a 62092 substrate. For example, a 62092 protein:substrate complex can interact with a downstream signaling molecule or target in order to indirectly effect a 62092 biological activity.

[1923] In a preferred embodiment, a 62092 activity is at least one of the following activities: (i) interaction with a 62092 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a nucleotide such as a purine mononucleotide or a nucleoside polyphosphate), or a non-62092 protein); (ii) conversion of a 62092 substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., cleavage of a dinucleoside polyphosphate); (iii) interaction with a second non-62092 protein; (iv) sensation of cellular stress signals; (v) regulation of substrate or target molecule availability or activity; (vi) modulation of intra- or intercellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); and/or (vii) modulation of cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or apoptosis.

[1924] The nucleotide sequence of the isolated human 62092 cDNA and the predicted amino acid sequence encoded by the 62092 cDNA are shown in FIG. 42 and in SEQ ID NOs: 39 and 40, respectively. A plasmid containing the human 62092 cDNA was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______ and assigned Accession Number ______. This deposit will be maintained under the terms of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure. This deposit were made merely as a convenience for those of skill in the art and is not an admission that a deposit is required under 35 U.S.C. § 112.

[1925] The human 62092 gene, which is approximately 978 nucleotides in length, encodes a protein having a molecular weight of approximately 6.9 kD and which is approximately 163 amino acid residues in length.

[1926] Various aspects of the invention are described in further detail in the following subsections:

[1927] I. Isolated Nucleic Acid Molecules

[1928] One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated nucleic acid molecules that encode 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments sufficient for use as hybridization probes to identify 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-encoding nucleic acid molecules (e.g., 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA) and fragments for use as PCR primers for the amplification or mutation of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid molecules. As used herein, the term “nucleic acid molecule” is intended to include DNA molecules (e.g., cDNA or genomic DNA) and RNA molecules (e.g., mRNA) and analogs of the DNA or RNA generated using nucleotide analogs. The nucleic acid molecule can be single-stranded or double-stranded, but preferably is double-stranded DNA.

[1929] The term “isolated nucleic acid molecule” includes nucleic acid molecules which are separated from other nucleic acid molecules which are present in the natural source of the nucleic acid. For example, with regards to genomic DNA, the term “isolated” includes nucleic acid molecules which are separated from the chromosome with which the genomic DNA is naturally associated. Preferably, an “isolated” nucleic acid is free of sequences which naturally flank the nucleic acid (i.e., sequences located at the 5′ and 3′ ends of the nucleic acid) in the genomic DNA of the organism from which the nucleic acid is derived. For example, in various embodiments, the isolated 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid molecule can contain less than about 5 kb, 4 kb, 3 kb, 2 kb, 1 kb, 0.5 kb or 0.1 kb of nucleotide sequences which naturally flank the nucleic acid molecule in genomic DNA of the cell from which the nucleic acid is derived. Moreover, an “isolated” nucleic acid molecule, such as a cDNA molecule, can be substantially free of other cellular material, or culture medium when produced by recombinant techniques, or substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized.

[1930] A nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, e.g., a nucleic acid molecule having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, and/or ______, or a portion thereof, can be isolated using standard molecular biology techniques and the sequence information provided herein. Using all or a portion of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, and/or ______, as a hybridization probe, 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid molecules can be isolated using standard hybridization and cloning techniques (e.g., as described in Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989).

[1931] Moreover, a nucleic acid molecule encompassing all or a portion of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, and/or ______ can be isolated by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using synthetic oligonucleotide primers designed based upon the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______ and/or ______.

[1932] A nucleic acid of the invention can be amplified using cDNA, mRNA or alternatively, genomic DNA, as a template and appropriate oligonucleotide primers according to standard PCR amplification techniques. The nucleic acid so amplified can be cloned into an appropriate vector and characterized by DNA sequence analysis. Furthermore, oligonucleotides corresponding to 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleotide sequences can be prepared by standard synthetic techniques, e.g., using an automated DNA synthesizer.

[1933] In one embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 33. The sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33 corresponds to the human 67118 cDNA. This cDNA comprises sequences encoding the human 67118 polypeptide (i.e., “the coding region”, from nucleotides 94-3495) as well as 5′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1-83) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 3486-7745). Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 33 (e.g., nucleotides 84-3485, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 35). Accordingly, in another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 35 and nucleotides 1-84 and 3486-7745 of SEQ ID NO: 33. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 33 or 35.

[1934] In another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 36. The sequence of SEQ ID NO: 36 corresponds to the human 67067 cDNA. This cDNA comprises sequences encoding the human 67067 polypeptide (i.e., “the coding region”, from nucleotides 157-4920) as well as 5′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1 - 156) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 4921-7205). Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 36 (e.g., nucleotides 157-4920, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 38). Accordingly, in another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 38 and nucleotides 1-156 and 4921-7205 of SEQ ID NO: 36. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 36or38.

[1935] In still another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 39 or 41. This cDNA comprises sequences encoding the human 62092 protein (e.g., the “coding region”, from nucleotides 357-845), as well as 5′ untranslated sequence (nucleotides 1-356) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 846-978) of SEQ ID NO: 39. Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 39 (e.g., nucleotides 357-845, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 41). Accordingly, in another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises SEQ ID NO: 41 and nucleotides 1-356 of SEQ ID NO: 39. In yet another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 41 and nucleotides 846-978 of SEQ ID NO: 39. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 39 or 41.

[1936] In still another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises a nucleic acid molecule which is a complement of the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, and/or ______, or a portion of any of these nucleotide sequences. A nucleic acid molecule which is complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, and/or ______, is one which is sufficiently complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, and/or ______, such that it can hybridize to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, and/or ______, thereby forming a stable duplex.

[1937] In still another preferred embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41 (e.g., to the entire length of the nucleotide sequence), or to the nucleotide sequence (e.g., the entire length of the nucleotide sequence) of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______, or a portion of any of these nucleotide sequences. In one embodiment, a nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least (or no greater than) 50-100, 100-250, 250-500, 500-750, 750-1000, 1000-1250, 1250-1500, 1500-1750, 1750-2000, 2000-2250, 2250-2500, 2500-2750, 2750-3000, 3000-3250, 3250-3500, 3500-3750, 3750-4000, 4000-4250, 4250-4500, 4500-4750, 4750-5000, 5000-5250, 5250-5500, 5500-5750, 5750-6000, 6000-6250, 6250-6500, 6500-6750, 6750-7000, 7000-7250, 7250-7500 or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______.

[1938] Moreover, the nucleic acid molecule of the invention can comprise only a portion of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______ and/or ______, for example, a fragment which can be used as a probe or primer or a fragment encoding a portion of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, e.g., a biologically active portion of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide. The nucleotide sequence determined from the cloning of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene allows for the generation of probes and primers designed for use in identifying and/or cloning other 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 family members, as well as 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 homologues from other species. The probe/primer typically comprises substantially purified oligonucleotide. The probe/primer (e.g., oligonucleotide) typically comprises a region of nucleotide sequence that hybridizes under stringent conditions to at least about 12 or 15, preferably about 20 or 25, more preferably about 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, or 100 or more consecutive nucleotides of a sense sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ and/or ______, of an anti-sense sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, and/or ______, or of a naturally occurring allelic variant or mutant of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, and/or ______.

[1939] Exemplary probes or primers are at least 12, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75 or more nucleotides in length and/or comprise consecutive nucleotides of an isolated nucleic acid molecule described herein. Probes based on the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleotide sequences can be used to detect (e.g., specifically detect) transcripts or genomic sequences encoding the same or homologous polypeptides. In preferred embodiments, the probe further comprises a label group attached thereto, e.g., the label group can be a radioisotope, a fluorescent compound, an enzyme, or an enzyme co-factor. In another embodiment a set of primers is provided, e.g., primers suitable for use in a PCR, which can be used to amplify a selected region of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequence, e.g., a domain, region, site or other sequence described herein. The primers should be at least 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 or more nucleotides in length. Such probes can be used as a part of a diagnostic test kit for identifying cells or tissue which misexpress a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, such as by measuring a level of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-encoding nucleic acid in a sample of cells from a subject e.g., detecting 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA levels or determining whether a genomic 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene has been mutated or deleted.

[1940] A nucleic acid fragment encoding a “biologically active portion of a 67118 polypeptide,” a “biologically active portion of a 67067 polypeptide,” or a “biologically active portion of a 62092 polypeptide,” can be prepared by isolating a portion of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, and/or ______, which encodes a polypeptide having a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 biological activity (the biological activities of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides are described herein), expressing the encoded portion of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide (e.g., by recombinant expression in vitro) and assessing the activity of the encoded portion of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide. In an exemplary embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule is at least 50-100, 100-250, 250-500, 500-750, 750-1000, 1000-1250, 1250-1500, 1500-1750, 1750-2000, 2000-2250, 2250-2500, 2500-2750, 2750-3000, 3000-3250, 3250-3500, 3500-3750, 3750-4000, 4000-4250, 4250-4500, 4500-4750, 4750-5000, 5000-5250, 5250-5500, 5500-5750, 5750-6000, 6000-6250, 6250-6500, 6500-6750, 6750-7000, 7000-7250, 7250-7500 or more nucleotides in length and encodes a polypeptide having a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity (as described herein).

[1941] The invention further encompasses nucleic acid molecules that differ from the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______ and/or ______. Such differences can be due to due to degeneracy of the genetic code, thus resulting in a nucleic acid which encodes the same 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides as those encoded by the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______ and/or ______. In another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention has a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence which differs by at least 1, but no greater than 5, 10, 20, 50 or 100 amino acid residues from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40, or the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______ and/or ______. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule encodes the amino acid sequence of human 67118, 67067, and/or 62092. If an alignment is needed for this comparison, the sequences should be aligned for maximum homology.

[1942] Nucleic acid variants can be naturally occurring, such as allelic variants (same locus), homologues (different locus), and orthologues (different organism) or can be non naturally occurring. Non-naturally occurring variants can be made by mutagenesis techniques, including those applied to polynucleotides, cells, or organisms. The variants can contain nucleotide substitutions, deletions, inversions and insertions. Variation can occur in either or both the coding and non-coding regions. The variations can produce both conservative and non-conservative amino acid substitutions (as compared in the encoded product).

[1943] Allelic variants result, for example, from DNA sequence polymorphisms within a population (e.g., the human population) that lead to changes in the amino acid sequences of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides. Such genetic polymorphism in the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 genes may exist among individuals within a population due to natural allelic variation. As used herein, the terms “gene” and “recombinant gene” refer to nucleic acid molecules which include an open reading frame encoding a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, preferably a mammalian 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, and can further include non-coding regulatory sequences, and introns.

[1944] Accordingly, in one embodiment, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode a naturally occurring allelic variant of a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______ and/or ______, wherein the nucleic acid molecule hybridizes to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, for example, under stringent hybridization conditions.

[1945] Allelic variants of human 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 include both functional and non-functional 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides. Functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the human 67118 or 67067 polypeptide that have a 67118 or 67067 activity, e.g., bind or interact with a 67118 or 67067 substrate or target molecule, transport a 67118 or 67067 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid) across a cellular membrane, hydrolyze ATP, be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated, adopt an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation, and/or modulate cellular signaling, growth, proliferation, differentiation, absorption, or secretion. Functional allelic variants will typically contain only conservative substitution of one or more amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 34 or 37, or substitution, deletion or insertion of non-critical residues in non-critical regions of the polypeptide. Functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the 62092 protein that maintain the ability to, e.g., bind or interact with a 62092 substrate or target molecule and/or modulate cellular signaling and/or gene transcription. Functional allelic variants will typically contain only conservative substitution of one or more amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 40, or substitution, deletion or insertion of non-critical residues in non-critical regions of the protein.

[1946] Non-functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the human 67118 or 67067 polypeptide that do not have a 67118 or 67067 activity, e.g., that do not have the ability to, e.g., bind or interact with a 67118 or 67067 substrate or target molecule, transport a 67118 or 67067 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid) across a cellular membrane, hydrolyze ATP, be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated, adopt an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation, and/or modulate cellular signaling, growth, proliferation, differentiation, absorption, or secretion. Non-functional allelic variants will typically contain a non-conservative substitution, a deletion, or insertion or premature truncation of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 34 or 37, or a substitution, insertion or deletion in critical residues or critical regions. Moreover, non-functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the 62092 protein, e.g., human 62092, that do not have the ability to, e.g., bind or interact with a 62092 substrate or target molecule and/or modulate cellular signaling and/or gene transcription. Non-functional allelic variants will typically contain a non-conservative substitution, a deletion, or insertion, or premature truncation of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 40, or a substitution, insertion, or deletion in critical residues or critical regions of the protein.

[1947] The present invention further provides non-human orthologues of the human 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides. Orthologues of human 67118 or 67067 polypeptides are polypeptides that are isolated from non-human organisms and possess the same 67118 or 67067 substrate or target molecule binding mechanisms, phospholipid transporting activity, ATPase activity, and/or modulation of cellular signaling mechanisms of the human PLTR proteins as the human 67118 or 67067 polypeptides. Orthologues of the human 67118 or 67067 polypeptides can readily be identified as comprising an amino acid sequence that is substantially identical to SEQ ID NO: 34 or 37. Orthologues of the human 62092 protein are proteins that are isolated from non-human organisms and possess the same 62092 substrate or target molecule binding mechanisms and/or ability to modulate cellular signaling and/or gene transcription of the human 62092 protein. Orthologues of the human 62092 protein can readily be identified as comprising an amino acid sequence that is substantially homologous to SEQ ID NO: 40.

[1948] Moreover, nucleic acid molecules encoding other 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 family members and, thus, which have a nucleotide sequence which differs from the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequences of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, and/or ______ are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, another 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 cDNA can be identified based on the nucleotide sequence of human 67118, 67067, and/or 62092. Moreover, nucleic acid molecules encoding 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides from different species, and which, thus, have a nucleotide sequence which differs from the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequences of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, and/or ______ are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, a mouse 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 cDNA can be identified based on the nucleotide sequence of a human 67118, 67067, and/or 62092.

[1949] Nucleic acid molecules corresponding to natural allelic variants and homologues of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 cDNAs of the invention can be isolated based on their homology to the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acids disclosed herein using the cDNAs disclosed herein, or a portion thereof, as a hybridization probe according to standard hybridization techniques under stringent hybridization conditions. Nucleic acid molecules corresponding to natural allelic variants and homologues of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 cDNAs of the invention can further be isolated by mapping to the same chromosome or locus as the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene.

[1950] Orthologues, homologues and allelic variants can be identified using methods known in the art (e.g., by hybridization to an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, for example, under stringent hybridization conditions). In one embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention is at least 15, 20, 25, 30 or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, and/or ______. In other embodiment, the nucleic acid is at least 50-100, 100-250, 250-500, 500-750, 750-1000, 1000-1250, 1250-1500, 1500-1750, 1750-2000, 2000-2250, 2250-2500, 2500-2750, 2750-3000, 3000-3250, 3250-3500, 3500-3750, 3750-4000, 4000-4250, 4250-4500, 4500-4750, 4750-5000, 5000-5250, 5250-5500, 5500-5750, 5750-6000, 6000-6250, 6250-6500, 6500-6750, 6750-7000, 7000-7250, 7250-7500 or more nucleotides in length.

[1951] As used herein, the term “hybridizes under stringent conditions” is intended to describe conditions for hybridization and washing under which nucleotide sequences that are significantly identical or homologous to each other remain hybridized to each other. Preferably, the conditions are such that sequences at least about 70%, more preferably at least about 80%, even more preferably at least about 85% or 90% identical to each other remain hybridized to each other. Such stringent conditions are known to those skilled in the art and can be found in Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Ausubel et al., eds., John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1995), sections 2, 4 and 6. Additional stringent conditions can be found in Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Sambrook et al., Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989), chapters 7, 9 and 11. A preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 4× sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC), at about 65-70° C. (or hybridization in 4× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 42-50° C.) followed by one or more washes in 1× SSC, at about 65-70° C. A preferred, non-limiting example of highly stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 1× SSC, at about 65-70° C. (or hybridization in 1× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 42-50° C.) followed by one or more washes in 0.3× SSC, at about 65-70° C. A preferred, non-limiting example of reduced stringency hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 4× SSC, at about 50-60° C. (or alternatively hybridization in 6× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 40-45° C.) followed by one or more washes in 2× SSC, at about 50-60° C. Ranges intermediate to the above-recited values, e.g., at 65-70° C. or at 42-50° C. are also intended to be encompassed by the present invention. SSPE (1×SSPE is 0.15M NaCl, 10 mM NaH₂PO₄, and 1.25 mM EDTA, pH 7.4) can be substituted for SSC (1×SSC is 0.15M NaCl and 15 mM sodium citrate) in the hybridization and wash buffers; washes are performed for 15 minutes each after hybridization is complete. The hybridization temperature for hybrids anticipated to be less than 50 base pairs in length should be 5-10° C. less than the melting temperature (T_(m)) of the hybrid, where T_(m) is determined according to the following equations. For hybrids less than 18 base pairs in length, T_(m)(° C.)=2(# of A+T bases)+4(# of G+C bases). For hybrids between 18 and 49 base pairs in length, T_(m)(° C.)=81.5+16.6(log₁₀[Na⁺])+0.41(%G+C)−(600/N), where N is the number of bases in the hybrid, and [Na⁺] is the concentration of sodium ions in the hybridization buffer ([Na⁺] for 1×SSC=0.165 M). It will also be recognized by the skilled practitioner that additional reagents may be added to hybridization and/or wash buffers to decrease non-specific hybridization of nucleic acid molecules to membranes, for example, nitrocellulose or nylon membranes, including but not limited to blocking agents (e.g., BSA or salmon or herring sperm carrier DNA), detergents (e.g., SDS), chelating agents (e.g., EDTA), Ficoll, PVP and the like. When using nylon membranes, in particular, an additional preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions is hybridization in 0.25-0.5M NaH₂PO₄, 7% SDS at about 65° C., followed by one or more washes at 0.02M NaH₂PO₄, 1% SDS at 65° C., see e.g., Church and Gilbert (1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:1991-1995, (or alternatively 0.2× SSC, 1% SDS).

[1952] Preferably, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41 and corresponds to a naturally-occurring nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, a “naturally-occurring” nucleic acid molecule refers to an RNA or DNA molecule having a nucleotide sequence that occurs in nature (e.g., encodes a natural polypeptide).

[1953] In addition to naturally-occurring allelic variants of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequences that may exist in the population, the skilled artisan will further appreciate that changes can be introduced by mutation into the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, and/or ______, thereby leading to changes in the amino acid sequence of the encoded 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides, without altering the functional ability of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides. For example, nucleotide substitutions leading to amino acid substitutions at “non-essential” amino acid residues can be made in the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, and/or ______. A “non-essential” amino acid residue is a residue that can be altered from the wild-type sequence of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 (e.g., the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40) without altering the biological activity, whereas an “essential” amino acid residue is required for biological activity. For example, amino acid residues that are conserved among the 67118 or 67067 polypeptides of the present invention, e.g., those present in a E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site, are predicted to be particularly unamenable to alteration. Furthermore, additional amino acid residues that are conserved between the 67118 or 67067 polypeptides of the present invention and other members of the phospholipid transporter family are not likely to be amenable to alteration. Also, amino acid residues that are conserved among the 62092 proteins of the present invention, e.g., those present in a 62092 family domain or a 62092 family signature motif, are predicted to be particularly unamenable to alteration. Furthermore, additional amino acid residues that are conserved between the 62092 proteins of the present invention and other members of the histidine triad family are not likely to be amenable to alteration.

[1954] Accordingly, another aspect of the invention pertains to nucleic acid molecules encoding 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides that contain changes in amino acid residues that are not essential for activity. Such 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides differ in amino acid sequence from SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40, yet retain biological activity. In one embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide, wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40 (e.g., to the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40).

[1955] An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide identical to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40, can be created by introducing one or more nucleotide substitutions, additions or deletions into the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, and/or ______, such that one or more amino acid substitutions, additions or deletions are introduced into the encoded polypeptide. Mutations can be introduced into SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, and/or ______ by standard techniques, such as site-directed mutagenesis and PCR-mediated mutagenesis. Preferably, conservative amino acid substitutions are made at one or more predicted non-essential amino acid residues. A “conservative amino acid substitution” is one in which the amino acid residue is replaced with an amino acid residue having a similar side chain. Families of amino acid residues having similar side chains have been defined in the art. These families include amino acids with basic side chains (e.g., lysine, arginine, histidine), acidic side chains (e.g., aspartic acid, glutamic acid), uncharged polar side chains (e.g., glycine, asparagine, glutamine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, cysteine, tryptophan), nonpolar side chains (e.g., alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, proline, phenylalanine, methionine), beta-branched side chains (e.g., threonine, valine, isoleucine) and aromatic side chains (e.g., tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, histidine). Thus, a predicted nonessential amino acid residue in a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide is preferably replaced with another amino acid residue from the same side chain family. Alternatively, in another embodiment, mutations can be introduced randomly along all or part of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 coding sequence, such as by saturation mutagenesis, and the resultant mutants can be screened for 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 biological activity to identify mutants that retain activity. Following mutagenesis of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, and/or ______, the encoded polypeptide can be expressed recombinantly and the activity of the polypeptide can be determined.

[1956] In a preferred embodiment, a mutant 67118 or 67067 polypeptide can be assayed for the ability to (i) interact with a 67118 or 67067 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid, ATP, or a non-67118 or -67067 protein); (ii) transport a 67118 or 67067 substrate or target molecule (e.g., an aminophospholipid such as phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylethanolamine) from one side of a cellular membrane to the other; (iii) be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated; (iv) adopt an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation; (v) convert a 67118 or 67067 substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., hydrolysis of ATP); (vi) interact with a second non-67118 or -67067 protein; (vii) modulate substrate or target molecule location (e.g., modulation of phospholipid location within a cell and/or location with respect to a cellular membrane); (viii) maintain aminophospholipid gradients; (ix) modulate intra- or intercellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); and/or (x) modulate cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, apoptosis, absorption, or secretion.

[1957] In another preferred embodiment, a mutant 62092 protein can be assayed for the ability to (i) interact with a 62092 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a nucleotide such as a purine mononucleotide or a dinucleoside polyphosphate, or a non-62092 protein); (ii) convert a 62092 substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., cleave a dinucleoside polyphosphate); (iii) interact with a second non-62092 protein; (iv) sense of cellular stress signals; (v) regulate substrate or target molecule availability or activity; (vi) modulate intra- or intercellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); and/or (vii) modulate cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or apoptosis.

[1958] In addition to the nucleic acid molecules encoding 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides described above, another aspect of the invention pertains to isolated nucleic acid molecules which are antisense thereto. In an exemplary embodiment, the invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule which is antisense to a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid molecule (e.g., is antisense to the coding strand of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid molecule). An “antisense” nucleic acid comprises a nucleotide sequence which is complementary to a “sense” nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide, e.g., complementary to the coding strand of a double-stranded cDNA molecule or complementary to an mRNA sequence. Accordingly, an antisense nucleic acid can hydrogen bond to a sense nucleic acid. The antisense nucleic acid can be complementary to an entire 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 coding strand, or to only a portion thereof. In one embodiment, an antisense nucleic acid molecule is antisense to a “coding region” of the coding strand of a nucleotide sequence encoding 67118, 67067, and/or 62092. The term “coding region” refers to the region of the nucleotide sequence comprising codons which are translated into amino acid residues (e.g., the coding regions of human 67118, 67067, and 62092 correspond to SEQ ID NO: 35, 38, or 41). In another embodiment, the antisense nucleic acid molecule is antisense to a “noncoding region” of the coding strand of a nucleotide sequence encoding 67118, 67067, and/or 62092. The term “noncoding region” refers to 5′ and 3′ sequences which flank the coding region that are not translated into amino acids (i.e., also referred to as 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions).

[1959] Given the coding strand sequences encoding 67118, 67067, and 62092 disclosed herein (e.g., SEQ ID NO: 35, 38, or 41), antisense nucleic acids of the invention can be designed according to the rules of Watson and Crick base pairing. The antisense nucleic acid molecule can be complementary to the entire coding region of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA, but more preferably is an oligonucleotide which is antisense to only a portion of the coding or noncoding region of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA. For example, the antisense oligonucleotide can be complementary to the region surrounding the translation start site of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA (e.g., between the −10 and +10 regions of the start site of a gene nucleotide sequence). An antisense oligonucleotide can be, for example, about 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 or 50 nucleotides in length. An antisense nucleic acid of the invention can be constructed using chemical synthesis and enzymatic ligation reactions using procedures known in the art. For example, an antisense nucleic acid (e.g., an antisense oligonucleotide) can be chemically synthesized using naturally occurring nucleotides or variously modified nucleotides designed to increase the biological stability of the molecules or to increase the physical stability of the duplex formed between the antisense and sense nucleic acids, e.g., phosphorothioate derivatives and acridine substituted nucleotides can be used. Examples of modified nucleotides which can be used to generate the antisense nucleic acid include 5-fluorouracil, 5-bromouracil, 5-chlorouracil, 5-iodouracil, hypoxanthine, xantine, 4-acetylcytosine, 5-(carboxyhydroxylmethyl) uracil, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyl-2-thiouridine, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyluracil, dihydrouracil, beta-D-galactosylqueosine, inosine, N6-isopentenyladenine, 1-methylguanine, 1-methylinosine, 2,2-dimethylguanine, 2-methyladenine, 2-methylguanine, 3-methylcytosine, 5-methylcytosine, N6-adenine, 7-methylguanine, 5-methylaminomethyluracil, 5-methoxyaminomethyl-2-thiouracil, beta-D-mannosylqueosine, 5′-methoxycarboxymethyluracil, 5-methoxyuracil, 2-methylthio-N6-isopentenyladenine, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), wybutoxosine, pseudouracil, queosine, 2-thiocytosine, 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 2-thiouracil, 4-thiouracil, 5-methyluracil, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid methylester, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 3-(3-amino-3-N-2-carboxypropyl) uracil, (acp3)w, and 2,6-diaminopurine. Alternatively, the antisense nucleic acid can be produced biologically using an expression vector into which a nucleic acid has been subcloned in an antisense orientation (i.e., RNA transcribed from the inserted nucleic acid will be of an antisense orientation to a target nucleic acid of interest, described further in the following subsection).

[1960] The antisense nucleic acid molecules of the invention are typically administered to a subject or generated in situ such that they hybridize with or bind to cellular mRNA and/or genomic DNA encoding a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide to thereby inhibit expression of the polypeptide, e.g., by inhibiting transcription and/or translation. The hybridization can be by conventional nucleotide complementarity to form a stable duplex, or, for example, in the case of an antisense nucleic acid molecule which binds to DNA duplexes, through specific interactions in the major groove of the double helix. An example of a route of administration of antisense nucleic acid molecules of the invention include direct injection at a tissue site. Alternatively, antisense nucleic acid molecules can be modified to target selected cells and then administered systemically. For example, for systemic administration, antisense molecules can be modified such that they specifically bind to receptors or antigens expressed on a selected cell surface, e.g., by linking the antisense nucleic acid molecules to peptides or antibodies which bind to cell surface receptors or antigens. The antisense nucleic acid molecules can also be delivered to cells using the vectors described herein. To achieve sufficient intra-cellular concentrations of the antisense molecules, vector constructs in which the antisense nucleic acid molecule is placed under the control of a strong pol II or pol III promoter are preferred.

[1961] In yet another embodiment, the antisense nucleic acid molecule of the invention is an α-anomeric nucleic acid molecule. An α-anomeric nucleic acid molecule forms specific double-stranded hybrids with complementary RNA in which, contrary to the usual β-units, the strands run parallel to each other (Gaultier et al. (1987) Nucleic Acids. Res. 15:6625-6641). The antisense nucleic acid molecule can also comprise a 2′-o-methylribonucleotide (Inoue et al. (1987) Nucleic Acids Res. 15:6131-6148) or a chimeric RNA-DNA analogue (Inoue et al. (1987) FEBS Lett. 215:327-330).

[1962] In still another embodiment, an antisense nucleic acid of the invention is a ribozyme. Ribozymes are catalytic RNA molecules with ribonuclease activity which are capable of cleaving a single-stranded nucleic acid, such as an mRNA, to which they have a complementary region. Thus, ribozymes (e.g., hammerhead ribozymes (described in Haseloff and Gerlach (1988) Nature 334:585-591)) can be used to catalytically cleave 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA transcripts to thereby inhibit translation of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA. A ribozyme having specificity for a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-encoding nucleic acid can be designed based upon the nucleotide sequence of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 cDNA disclosed herein (i.e., SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, or ______ . For example, a derivative of a Tetrahymena L-19 IVS RNA can be constructed in which the nucleotide sequence of the active site is complementary to the nucleotide sequence to be cleaved in a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-encoding mRNA. See, e.g., Cech et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,071; and Cech et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,742. Alternatively, 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA can be used to select a catalytic RNA having a specific ribonuclease activity from a pool of RNA molecules. See, e.g., Bartel, D. and Szostak, J. W. (1993) Science 261:1411-1418.

[1963] Alternatively, 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene expression can be inhibited by targeting nucleotide sequences complementary to the regulatory region of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 (e.g., the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 promoter and/or enhancers) to form triple helical structures that prevent transcription of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene in target cells. See generally, Helene, C. (1991) Anticancer Drug Des. 6(6):569-84; Helene, C. et al. (1992) Ann. N.Y Acad. Sci. 660:27-36; and Maher, L. J. (1992) Bioassays 14(12):807-15.

[1964] In yet another embodiment, the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid molecules of the present invention can be modified at the base moiety, sugar moiety or phosphate backbone to improve, e.g., the stability, hybridization, or solubility of the molecule. For example, the deoxyribose phosphate backbone of the nucleic acid molecules can be modified to generate peptide nucleic acids (see Hyrup B. et al. (1996) Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry 4 (1): 5-23). As used herein, the terms “peptide nucleic acids” or “PNAs” refer to nucleic acid mimics, e.g., DNA mimics, in which the deoxyribose phosphate backbone is replaced by a pseudopeptide backbone and only the four natural nucleobases are retained. The neutral backbone of PNAs has been shown to allow for specific hybridization to DNA and RNA under conditions of low ionic strength. The synthesis of PNA oligomers can be performed using standard solid phase peptide synthesis protocols as described in Hyrup B. et al. (1996) supra; Perry-O'Keefe et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 93: 14670-675.

[1965] PNAs of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid molecules can be used in therapeutic and diagnostic applications. For example, PNAs can be used as antisense or antigene agents for sequence-specific modulation of gene expression by, for example, inducing transcription or translation arrest or inhibiting replication. PNAs of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid molecules can also be used in the analysis of single base pair mutations in a gene, (e.g., by PNA-directed PCR clamping); as ‘artificial restriction enzymes’ when used in combination with other enzymes, (e.g., S1 nucleases (Hyrup B. (1996) supra)); or as probes or primers for DNA sequencing or hybridization (Hyrup B. et al. (1996) supra; Perry-O'Keefe supra).

[1966] In another embodiment, PNAs of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 can be modified, (e.g., to enhance their stability or cellular uptake), by attaching lipophilic or other helper groups to PNA, by the formation of PNA-DNA chimeras, or by the use of liposomes or other techniques of drug delivery known in the art. For example, PNA-DNA chimeras of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid molecules can be generated which may combine the advantageous properties of PNA and DNA. Such chimeras allow DNA recognition enzymes, (e.g., RNase H and DNA polymerases), to interact with the DNA portion while the PNA portion would provide high binding affinity and specificity. PNA-DNA chimeras can be linked using linkers of appropriate lengths selected in terms of base stacking, number of bonds between the nucleobases, and orientation (Hyrup B. (1996) supra). The synthesis of PNA-DNA chimeras can be performed as described in Hyrup B. (1996) supra and Finn P. J. et al. (1996) Nucleic Acids Res. 24 (17): 3357-63. For example, a DNA chain can be synthesized on a solid support using standard phosphoramidite coupling chemistry and modified nucleoside analogs, e.g., 5′-(4-methoxytrityl) amino-5′-deoxy-thymidine phosphoramidite, can be used as a between the PNA and the 5′ end of DNA (Mag, M. et al. (1989) Nucleic Acid Res. 17: 5973-88). PNA monomers are then coupled in a stepwise manner to produce a chimeric molecule with a 5′ PNA segment and a 3′ DNA segment (Finn P. J. et al. (1996) supra). Alternatively, chimeric molecules can be synthesized with a 5′ DNA segment and a 3′ PNA segment (Peterser, K. H. et al. (1975) Bioorganic Med. Chem. Lett. 5: 1119-11124).

[1967] In other embodiments, the oligonucleotide may include other appended groups such as peptides (e.g., for targeting host cell receptors in vivo), or agents facilitating transport across the cell membrane (see, e.g., Letsinger et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6553-6556; Lemaitre et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:648-652; PCT Publication No. W088/09810) or the blood-brain barrier (see, e.g., PCT Publication No. W089/10134). In addition, oligonucleotides can be modified with hybridization-triggered cleavage agents (See, e.g., Krol et al. (1988) Bio-Techniques 6:958-976) or intercalating agents. (See, e.g., Zon (1988) Pharm. Res. 5:539-549). To this end, the oligonucleotide may be conjugated to another molecule, (e.g., a peptide, hybridization triggered cross-linking linking agent, transport agent, or hybridization-triggered cleavage agent).

[1968] Alternatively, the expression characteristics of an endogenous 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene within a cell line or microorganism may be modified by inserting a heterologous DNA regulatory element into the genome of a stable cell line or cloned microorganism such that the inserted regulatory element is operatively linked with the endogenous 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene. For example, an endogenous 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene which is normally “transcriptionally silent”, i.e., a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene which is normally not expressed, or is expressed only at very low levels in a cell line or microorganism, may be activated by inserting a regulatory element which is capable of promoting the expression of a normally expressed gene product in that cell line or microorganism. Alternatively, a transcriptionally silent, endogenous 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene may be activated by insertion of a promiscuous regulatory element that works across cell types.

[1969] A heterologous regulatory element may be inserted into a stable cell line or cloned microorganism, such that it is operatively linked with an endogenous 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene, using techniques, such as targeted homologous recombination, which are well known to those of skill in the art, and described, e.g., in Chappel, U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,071; PCT publication No. WO 91/06667, published May 16, 1991.

[1970] II. Isolated 67118, 67067, and 62092 Polypeptides and Anti-67118, 67067, and 62092 Antibodies

[1971] One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 or recombinant polypeptides and polypeptides, and biologically active portions thereof, as well as polypeptide fragments suitable for use as immunogens to raise anti-67118, 67067, and/or 62092 antibodies. In one embodiment, native 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides can be isolated from cells or tissue sources by an appropriate purification scheme using standard protein purification techniques. In another embodiment, 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides are produced by recombinant DNA techniques. Alternative to recombinant expression, a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or polypeptide can be synthesized chemically using standard peptide synthesis techniques.

[1972] An “isolated” or “purified” polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is substantially free of cellular material or other contaminating proteins from the cell or tissue source from which the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide is derived, or substantially free from chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized. The language “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide in which the polypeptide is separated from cellular components of the cells from which it is isolated or recombinantly produced. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide having less than about 30% (by dry weight) of non-67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide (also referred to herein as a “contaminating protein”), more preferably less than about 20% of non-67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, still more preferably less than about 10% of non-67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, and most preferably less than about 5% non-67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide. When the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is recombinantly produced, it is also preferably substantially free of culture medium, i.e., culture medium represents less than about 20%, more preferably less than about 10%, and most preferably less than about 5% of the volume of the protein preparation.

[1973] The language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide in which the polypeptide is separated from chemical precursors or other chemicals which are involved in the synthesis of the polypeptide. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide having less than about 30% (by dry weight) of chemical precursors or non-67118, 67067, and/or 62092 chemicals, more preferably less than about 20% chemical precursors or non-67118, 67067, and/or 62092 chemicals, still more preferably less than about 10% chemical precursors or non-67118, 67067, and/or 62092 chemicals, and most preferably less than about 5% chemical precursors or non-67118, 67067, and/or 62092 chemicals.

[1974] As used herein, a “biologically active portion” of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide includes a fragment of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide which participates in an interaction between a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 molecule and a non-67118, 67067, and/or 62092 molecule (e.g., a 67118 or 67067 substrate such as a phospholipid or ATP, or a 62092 substrate such as a nucleotide or a non-62092 protein). Biologically active portions of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide include peptides comprising amino acid sequences sufficiently identical to or derived from the amino acid sequence of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, e.g., the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40, which include less amino acids than the full length 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides, and exhibit at least one activity of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide.

[1975] Typically, biologically active portions of a 67118 or 67067 polypeptide comprise a domain or motif with at least one activity of the 67118 or 67067 polypeptide, e.g., the ability to interact with a 67118 or 67067 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid; ATP; a non-67118 or 67067 protein; or another 67118 or 67067 protein or subunit); the ability to transport a 67118 or 67067 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid) from one side of a cellular membrane to the other; the ability to be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated; the ability to adopt an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation; the ability to convert a 67118 or 67067 substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., the ability to hydrolyze ATP); the ability to interact with a second non-67118 or 67067 protein; the ability to modulate intra- or inter-cellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); the ability to modulate cellular growth, proliferation, differentiation, absorption, and/or secretion. A biologically active portion of a 67118 or 67067 polypeptide can be a polypeptide which is, for example, 10, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550 or more amino acids in length. Biologically active portions of a 67118 or 67067 polypeptide can be used as targets for developing agents which modulate a 67118 or 67067 mediated activity, e.g., modulating transport of biological molecules across membranes.

[1976] Moreover, biologically active portions of a 62092 protein typically comprise a domain or motif with at least one activity of the 62092 protein, e.g., 62092 activity, nucleotide-binding activity, ability to modulate intra- or inter-cellular signaling and/or gene expression, and/or ability to modulate cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, and/or apoptosis mechanisms. A biologically active portion of a 62092 protein can be a polypeptide which is, for example, 10, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150 or more amino acids in length. Biologically active portions of a 62092 protein can be used as targets for developing agents which modulate a 62092 mediated activity, e.g., 62092 activity, nucleotide-binding activity, ability to modulate intra- or inter-cellular signaling and/or gene expression, and/or ability to modulate cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, and/or apoptosis mechanisms.

[1977] In one embodiment, a biologically active portion of a 67118, or 67067 polypeptide comprises at least one at least one or more of the following domains, sites, or motifs: a transmembrane domain, an N-terminal large extramembrane domain, a C-terminal large extramembrane domain, an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif, and/or one or more phospholipid transporter specific amino acid resides. Moreover, other biologically active portions, in which other regions of the polypeptide are deleted, can be prepared by recombinant techniques and evaluated for one or more of the functional activities of a native 67118, or 67067 polypeptide.

[1978] In another embodiment, a biologically active portion of a 62092 protein comprises at least a 62092 family domain and/or a 62092 family signature motif. Moreover, other biologically active portions, in which other regions of the protein are deleted, can be prepared by recombinant techniques and evaluated for one or more of the functional activities of a native 62092 protein.

[1979] Another aspect of the invention features fragments of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40, for example, for use as immunogens. In one embodiment, a fragment comprises at least 5 amino acids (e.g., contiguous or consecutive amino acids) of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______, and/or ______. In another embodiment, a fragment comprises at least 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 or more amino acids (e.g., contiguous or consecutive amino acids) of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______ and/or ______.

[1980] In a preferred embodiment, a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide has an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40. In other embodiments, the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide is substantially identical to SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40, and retains the functional activity of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40, yet differs in amino acid sequence due to natural allelic variation or mutagenesis, as described in detail in subsection I above. In another embodiment, the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide is a polypeptide which comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40.

[1981] In another embodiment, the invention features a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or a complement thereof. This invention further features a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or a complement thereof.

[1982] To determine the percent identity of two amino acid sequences or of two nucleic acid sequences, the sequences are aligned for optimal comparison purposes (e.g., gaps can be introduced in one or both of a first and a second amino acid or nucleic acid sequence for optimal alignment and non-identical sequences can be disregarded for comparison purposes). In a preferred embodiment, the length of a reference sequence aligned for comparison purposes is at least 30%, preferably at least 40%, more preferably at least 50%, even more preferably at least 60%, and even more preferably at least 70%, 80%, or 90% of the length of the reference sequence (e.g., when aligning a second sequence to the 67118 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 34 having 1134 amino acid residues, at least 340, preferably at least 453, more preferably at least 567, more preferably at least 640, even more preferably at least 793, and even more preferably at least 907 or 1020 or more amino acid residues are aligned; when aligning a second sequence to the 67067 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 37 having 1588 amino acid residues, at least 476, preferably at least 635, more preferably at least 794, more preferably at least 952, even more preferably at least 1111, and even more preferably at least 1270 or 1429 or more amino acid residues are aligned; when aligning a second sequence to the 62092 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 40 having 163 amino acid residues, at least 48, preferably at least 65, more preferably at least 81, more preferably at least 97, even more preferably at least 114, and even more preferably at least 130 or 146 or more amino acid residues are aligned). In another preferred embodiment, the sequences being aligned for comparison purposes are globally aligned and percent identity is determined over the entire length of the sequences aligned. The amino acid residues or nucleotides at corresponding amino acid positions or nucleotide positions are then compared. When a position in the first sequence is occupied by the same amino acid residue or nucleotide as the corresponding position in the second sequence, then the molecules are identical at that position (as used herein amino acid or nucleic acid “identity” is equivalent to amino acid or nucleic acid “homology”). The percent identity between the two sequences is a function of the number of identical positions shared by the sequences, taking into account the number of gaps, and the length of each gap, which need to be introduced for optimal alignment of the two sequences.

[1983] The comparison of sequences and determination of percent identity between two sequences can be accomplished using a mathematical algorithm. In a preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid sequences is determined using the Needleman and Wunsch (J. Mol. Biol. (48):444-453 (1970)) algorithm which has been incorporated into the GAP program in the GCG software package (available online at the Genetics Computer Group website), using either a Blosum 62 matrix or a PAM250 matrix, and a gap weight of 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, or 4 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. In yet another preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two nucleotide sequences is determined using the GAP program in the GCG software package (available online through the Genetics Computer Group), using a NWSgapdna.CMP matrix and a gap weight of 40, 50, 60, 70, or 80 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. A preferred, non-limiting example of parameters to be used in conjunction with the GAP program include a Blosum 62 scoring matrix with a gap penalty of 12, a gap extend penalty of 4, and a frameshift gap penalty of 5.

[1984] In another embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid or nucleotide sequences is determined using the algorithm of E. Meyers and W. Miller (Comput. Appl. Biosci., 4:11-17 (1988)) which has been incorporated into the ALIGN program (version 2.0 or version 2.0U), using a PAM120 weight residue table, a gap length penalty of 12 and a gap penalty of 4.

[1985] The nucleic acid and polypeptide sequences of the present invention can further be used as a “query sequence” to perform a search against public databases to, for example, identify other family members or related sequences. Such searches can be performed using the NBLAST and XBLAST programs (version 2.0) of Altschul, et al. (1990) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-10. BLAST nucleotide searches can be performed with the NBLAST program, score=100, wordlength=12 to obtain nucleotide sequences homologous to 67118 and 67067 nucleic acid molecules of the invention. BLAST protein searches can be performed with the XBLAST program, score=100, wordlength=3, and a Blosum62 matrix to obtain amino acid sequences homologous to 67118 and 67067 polypeptide molecules of the invention. To obtain gapped alignments for comparison purposes, Gapped BLAST can be utilized as described in Altschul et al., (1997) Nucleic Acids Res. 25(17):3389-3402. When utilizing BLAST and Gapped BLAST programs, the default parameters of the respective programs (e.g., XBLAST and NBLAST) can be used. See the National Center for Biotechnology website.

[1986] The invention also provides 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 chimeric or fusion proteins. As used herein, a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 “chimeric protein” or “fusion protein” comprises a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide operatively linked to a non-67118, a non-67067, and/or a non-62092 polypeptide. A “67118 polypeptide,” a “67067 polypeptide,” and a “62092 polypeptide” refer to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to 67118, 67067, and 62092, respectively, whereas a “non-67118 polypeptide,” a “non-67067 polypeptide,” and a “non-62092 polypeptide” refers to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to a polypeptide which is not substantially homologous to the 67118, 67067, and 62092 polypeptides, respectively, e.g., a polypeptide which is different from the 67118, 67067, and 62092 polypeptide and which is derived from the same or a different organism. Within a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 fusion protein the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide can correspond to all or a portion of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide. In a preferred embodiment, a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 fusion protein comprises at least one biologically active portion of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide. In another preferred embodiment, a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 fusion protein comprises at least two biologically active portions of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide. Within the fusion protein, the term “operatively linked” is intended to indicate that the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide and the non-67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide are fused in-frame to each other. The non-67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide can be fused to the N-terminus or C-terminus of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide.

[1987] For example, in one embodiment, the fusion protein is a GST-67118, GST-67067, or GST-62092 fusion protein in which the 67118, 67067, or 62092 sequences are fused to the C-terminus of the GST sequences. Such fusion proteins can facilitate the purification of recombinant 67118, 67067, or 62092.

[1988] In another embodiment, the fusion protein is a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide containing a heterologous signal sequence at its N-terminus. In certain host cells (e.g., mammalian host cells), expression and/or secretion of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 can be increased through the use of a heterologous signal sequence.

[1989] The 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 fusion proteins of the invention can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions and administered to a subject in vivo. The 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 fusion proteins can be used to affect the bioavailability of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 substrate. Use of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 fusion proteins may be useful therapeutically for the treatment of disorders caused by, for example, (i) aberrant modification or mutation of a gene encoding a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide; (ii) mis-regulation of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene; and (iii) aberrant post-translational modification of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide.

[1990] Moreover, the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-fusion proteins of the invention can be used as immunogens to produce anti-67118 and/or anti-67067 antibodies in a subject, to purify 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 ligands and in screening assays to identify molecules which inhibit the interaction with or transport of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 with a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 substrate.

[1991] Preferably, a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 chimeric or fusion protein of the invention is produced by standard recombinant DNA techniques. For example, DNA fragments coding for the different polypeptide sequences are ligated together in-frame in accordance with conventional techniques, for example by employing blunt-ended or stagger-ended termini for ligation, restriction enzyme digestion to provide for appropriate termini, filling-in of cohesive ends as appropriate, alkaline phosphatase treatment to avoid undesirable joining, and enzymatic ligation. In another embodiment, the fusion gene can be synthesized by conventional techniques including automated DNA synthesizers. Alternatively, PCR amplification of gene fragments can be carried out using anchor primers which give rise to complementary overhangs between two consecutive gene fragments which can subsequently be annealed and reamplified to generate a chimeric gene sequence (see, for example, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, eds. Ausubel et al. John Wiley & Sons: 1992). Moreover, many expression vectors are commercially available that already encode a fusion moiety (e.g., a GST polypeptide). A 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-encoding nucleic acid can be cloned into such an expression vector such that the fusion moiety is linked in-frame to the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide.

[1992] The present invention also pertains to variants of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides which function as either 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 agonists (mimetics) or as 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 antagonists. Variants of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides can be generated by mutagenesis, e.g., discrete point mutation or truncation of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide. An agonist of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides can retain substantially the same, or a subset, of the biological activities of the naturally occurring form of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide. An antagonist of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide can inhibit one or more of the activities of the naturally occurring form of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide by, for example, competitively modulating a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-mediated activity of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide. Thus, specific biological effects can be elicited by treatment with a variant of limited function. In one embodiment, treatment of a subject with a variant having a subset of the biological activities of the naturally occurring form of the polypeptide has fewer side effects in a subject relative to treatment with the naturally occurring form of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide.

[1993] In one embodiment, variants of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide which function as either 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 agonists (mimetics) or as 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 antagonists can be identified by screening combinatorial libraries of mutants, e.g., truncation mutants, of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide for 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide agonist or antagonist activity. In one embodiment, a variegated library of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 variants is generated by combinatorial mutagenesis at the nucleic acid level and is encoded by a variegated gene library. A variegated library of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 variants can be produced by, for example, enzymatically ligating a mixture of synthetic oligonucleotides into gene sequences such that a degenerate set of potential 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequences is expressible as individual polypeptides, or alternatively, as a set of larger fusion proteins (e.g., for phage display) containing the set of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequences therein. There are a variety of methods which can be used to produce libraries of potential 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 variants from a degenerate oligonucleotide sequence. Chemical synthesis of a degenerate gene sequence can be performed in an automatic DNA synthesizer, and the synthetic gene then ligated into an appropriate expression vector. Use of a degenerate set of genes allows for the provision, in one mixture, of all of the sequences encoding the desired set of potential 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequences. Methods for synthesizing degenerate oligonucleotides are known in the art (see, e.g., Narang, S. A. (1983) Tetrahedron 39:3; Itakura et al. (1984) Annu. Rev. Biochem. 53:323; Itakura et al. (1984) Science 198:1056; Ike et al. (1983) Nucleic Acid Res. 11:477.

[1994] In addition, libraries of fragments of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide coding sequence can be used to generate a variegated population of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 fragments for screening and subsequent selection of variants of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide. In one embodiment, a library of coding sequence fragments can be generated by treating a double stranded PCR fragment of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 coding sequence with a nuclease under conditions wherein nicking occurs only about once per molecule, denaturing the double stranded DNA, renaturing the DNA to form double stranded DNA which can include sense/antisense pairs from different nicked products, removing single stranded portions from reformed duplexes by treatment with S1 nuclease, and ligating the resulting fragment library into an expression vector. By this method, an expression library can be derived which encodes N-terminal, C-terminal and internal fragments of various sizes of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide.

[1995] Several techniques are known in the art for screening gene products of combinatorial libraries made by point mutations or truncation, and for screening cDNA libraries for gene products having a selected property. Such techniques are adaptable for rapid screening of the gene libraries generated by the combinatorial mutagenesis of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides. The most widely used techniques, which are amenable to high through-put analysis, for screening large gene libraries typically include cloning the gene library into replicable expression vectors, transforming appropriate cells with the resulting library of vectors, and expressing the combinatorial genes under conditions in which detection of a desired activity facilitates isolation of the vector encoding the gene whose product was detected. Recursive ensemble mutagenesis (REM), a new technique which enhances the frequency of functional mutants in the libraries, can be used in combination with the screening assays to identify 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 variants (Arkin and Youvan (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:7811-7815; Delagrave et al. (1993) Protein Engineering 6(3):327-33 1).

[1996] In one embodiment, cell based assays can be exploited to analyze a variegated 67118 or 67067 library. For example, a library of expression vectors can be transfected into a cell line, which ordinarily responds to 67118 or 67067 in a particular 67118 or 67067 substrate-dependent manner. The transfected cells are then contacted with 67118 or 67067 and the effect of the expression of the mutant on signaling by the 67118 or 67067 substrate can be detected, e.g., the effect on phospholipid transport (e.g., by measuring phospholipid levels inside the cell or its various cellular compartments, within various cellular membranes, or in the extra-cellular medium), hydrolysis of ATP, phosphorylation or dephosphorylation of the HEAT protein, and/or gene transcription. Plasmid DNA can then be recovered from the cells which score for inhibition, or alternatively, potentiation of signaling by the HEAT substrate, or which score for increased or decreased levels of phospholipid transport or ATP hydrolysis, and the individual clones further characterized.

[1997] In another embodiment, cell based assays can be exploited to analyze a variegated 62092 library. For example, a library of expression vectors can be transfected into a cell line which ordinarily responds to 62092 in a particular 62092 substrate-dependent manner. The transfected cells are then contacted with 62092 and the effect of the expression of the mutant on signaling by the 62092 substrate can be detected, e.g., by measuring levels of free or 62092 bound nucleotides, cleaved nucleotides, gene transcription, and/or cell proliferation, growth, differentiation, or apoptosis. Plasmid DNA can then be recovered from the cells which score for inhibition, or alternatively, potentiation of signaling by the 62092 substrate, and the individual clones further characterized.

[1998] An isolated 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, or a portion or fragment thereof, can be used as an immunogen to generate antibodies that bind 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 using standard techniques for polyclonal and monoclonal antibody preparation. A full-length 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide can be used or, alternatively, the invention provides antigenic peptide fragments of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 for use as immunogens. The antigenic peptide of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 comprises at least 8 amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 34, 37, or 40 and encompasses an epitope of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 such that an antibody raised against the peptide forms a specific immune complex with 67118, 67067, and/or 62092. Preferably, the antigenic peptide comprises at least 10 amino acid residues, more preferably at least 15 amino acid residues, even more preferably at least 20 amino acid residues, and most preferably at least 30 amino acid residues.

[1999] Preferred epitopes encompassed by the antigenic peptide are regions of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 that are located on the surface of the polypeptide, e.g., hydrophilic regions, as well as regions with high antigenicity (see, for example, FIGS. 37, 40, and 43, respectively).

[2000] A 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 immunogen typically is used to prepare antibodies by immunizing a suitable subject, (e.g., rabbit, goat, mouse or other mammal) with the immunogen. An appropriate immunogenic preparation can contain, for example, recombinantly expressed 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or a chemically synthesized 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide. The preparation can further include an adjuvant, such as Freund's complete or incomplete adjuvant, or similar immunostimulatory agent. Immunization of a suitable subject with an immunogenic 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 preparation induces a polyclonal anti-67118, anti-67067, and/or anti-62092 antibody response.

[2001] Accordingly, another aspect of the invention pertains to anti-67118, anti-67067, and/or anti-62092 antibodies. The term “antibody” as used herein refers to immunoglobulin molecules and immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules, i.e., molecules that contain an antigen binding site which specifically binds (immunoreacts with) an antigen, such as 67118, 67067, and/or 62092. Examples of immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules include F(ab) and F(ab′)₂ fragments which can be generated by treating the antibody with an enzyme such as pepsin. The invention provides polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies that bind 67118, 67067, and/or 62092. The term “monoclonal antibody” or “monoclonal antibody composition”, as used herein, refers to a population of antibody molecules that contain only one species of an antigen binding site capable of immunoreacting with a particular epitope of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092. A monoclonal antibody composition thus typically displays a single binding affinity for a particular 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide with which it immunoreacts.

[2002] Polyclonal anti-67118, anti-67067, and/or anti-62092 antibodies can be prepared as described above by immunizing a suitable subject with a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 immunogen. The anti-67118, anti-67067, and/or anti-62092 antibody titer in the immunized subject can be monitored over time by standard techniques, such as with an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using immobilized 67118, 67067, and/or 62092. If desired, the antibody molecules directed against 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 can be isolated from the mammal (e.g., from the blood) and further purified by well known techniques, such as protein A chromatography to obtain the IgG fraction. At an appropriate time after immunization, e.g., when the anti-67118, anti-67067, and/or anti-62092 antibody titers are highest, antibody-producing cells can be obtained from the subject and used to prepare monoclonal antibodies by standard techniques, such as the hybridoma technique originally described by Kohler and Milstein (1975) Nature 256:495-497) (see also, Brown et al. (1981) J. Immunol. 127:539-46; Brown et al. (1980) J. Biol. Chem .255:4980-83; Yeh et al. (1976) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 76:2927-31; and Yeh et al. (1982) Int. J. Cancer 29:269-75), the more recent human B cell hybridoma technique (Kozbor et al. (1983) Immunol Today 4:72), the EBV-hybridoma technique (Cole et al. (1985), Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, Inc., pp. 77-96) or trioma techniques. The technology for producing monoclonal antibody hybridomas is well known (see generally R. H. Kenneth, in Monoclonal Antibodies: A New Dimension In Biological Analyses, Plenum Publishing Corp., New York, N.Y. (1980); E. A. Lemer (1981) Yale J. Biol. Med., 54:387-402; M. L. Gefter et al. (1977) Somatic Cell Genet. 3:231-36). Briefly, an immortal cell line (typically a myeloma) is fused to lymphocytes (typically splenocytes) from a mammal immunized with a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 immunogen as described above, and the culture supernatants of the resulting hybridoma cells are screened to identify a hybridoma producing a monoclonal antibody that binds 67118, 67067, and/or 62092.

[2003] Any of the many well known protocols used for fusing lymphocytes and immortalized cell lines can be applied for the purpose of generating an anti-67118, anti-67067, and/or anti-62092 monoclonal antibody (see, e.g., G. Galfre et al. (1977) Nature 266:55052; Gefter et al. Somatic Cell Genet., cited supra; Lemer, Yale J. Biol. Med., cited supra; Kenneth, Monoclonal Antibodies, cited supra). Moreover, the ordinarily skilled worker will appreciate that there are many variations of such methods which also would be useful. Typically, the immortal cell line (e.g., a myeloma cell line) is derived from the same mammalian species as the lymphocytes. For example, murine hybridomas can be made by fusing lymphocytes from a mouse immunized with an immunogenic preparation of the present invention with an immortalized mouse cell line. Preferred immortal cell lines are mouse myeloma cell lines that are sensitive to culture medium containing hypoxanthine, aminopterin and thymidine (“HAT medium”). Any of a number of myeloma cell lines can be used as a fusion partner according to standard techniques, e.g., the P3-NS1/1-Ag4-1, P3-x63-Ag8.653 or Sp2/O-Ag14 myeloma lines. These myeloma lines are available from ATCC. Typically, HAT-sensitive mouse myeloma cells are fused to mouse splenocytes using polyethylene glycol (“PEG”). Hybridoma cells resulting from the fusion are then selected using HAT medium, which kills unfused and unproductively fused myeloma cells (unfused splenocytes die after several days because they are not transformed). Hybridoma cells producing a monoclonal antibody of the invention are detected by screening the hybridoma culture supernatants for antibodies that bind 67118, 67067, and/or 62092, e.g., using a standard ELISA assay.

[2004] Alternative to preparing monoclonal antibody-secreting hybridomas, a monoclonal anti-67118, anti-67067, and/or anti-62092 antibody can be identified and isolated by screening a recombinant combinatorial immunoglobulin library (e.g., an antibody phage display library) with 67118, 67067, and 62092 to thereby isolate immunoglobulin library members that bind 67118, 67067, and 62092. Kits for generating and screening phage display libraries are commercially available (e.g., the Pharmacia Recombinant Phage Antibody System, Catalog No. 27-9400-01; and the Stratagene SurfZAP™ Phage Display Kit, Catalog No. 240612). Additionally, examples of methods and reagents particularly amenable for use in generating and screening antibody display library can be found in, for example, Ladner et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409; Kang et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/18619; Dower et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 91/17271; Winter et al. PCT International Publication WO 92/20791; Markland et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/15679; Breitling et al. PCT International Publication WO 93/01288; McCafferty et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/01047; Garrard et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/09690; Ladner et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 90/02809; Fuchs et al. (1991) Bio/Technology 9:1369-1372; Hay et al. (1992) Hum. Antibod. Hybridomas 3:81-85; Huse et al. (1989) Science 246:1275-1281; Griffiths et al. (1993) EMBO J 12:725-734; Hawkins et al. (1992) J. Mol. Biol. 226:889-896; Clackson et al. (1991) Nature 352:624-628; Gram et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:3576-3580; Garrard et al. (1991) Bio/Technology 9:1373-1377; Hoogenboom et al.(1991) Nuc. Acid Res. 19:4133-4137; Barbas et al. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:7978-7982; and McCafferty et al. Nature (1990) 348:552-554.

[2005] Additionally, recombinant anti-67118, anti-67067, and/or anti-62092 antibodies, such as chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies, comprising both human and non-human portions, which can be made using standard recombinant DNA techniques, are within the scope of the invention. Such chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies can be produced by recombinant DNA techniques known in the art, for example using methods described in Robinson et al. International Application No. PCT/US86/02269; Akira, et al. European Patent Application 184,187; Taniguchi, M., European Patent Application 171,496; Morrison et al. European Patent Application 173,494; Neuberger et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 86/01533; Cabilly et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,567; Cabilly et al. European Patent Application 125,023; Better et al.(1988) Science 240:1041-1043; Liu et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:3439-3443; Liu et al. (1987) J. Immunol. 139:3521-3526; Sun et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:214-218; Nishimura et al.(1987) Canc. Res. 47:999-1005; Wood et al.(1985) Nature 314:446-449; and Shaw et al. (1988) J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 80:1553-1559); Morrison, S. L. (1985) Science 229:1202-1207; Oi et al. (1986) BioTechniques 4:214; Winter U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,539; Jones et al. (1986) Nature 321:552-525; Verhoeyen et al. (1988) Science 239:1534; and Beidler et al.(1988) J. Immunol. 141:4053-4060.

[2006] An anti-67118, anti-67067, and/or anti-62092 antibody (e.g., monoclonal antibody) can be used to isolate 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 by standard techniques, such as affinity chromatography or immunoprecipitation. An anti-67118, anti-67067, and/or anti-62092 antibody can facilitate the purification of natural 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 from cells and of recombinantly produced 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expressed in host cells. Moreover, an anti-67118, anti-67067, and/or anti-62092 antibody can be used to detect 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides (e.g., in a cellular lysate or cell supernatant) in order to evaluate the abundance and pattern of expression of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide. Anti-67118, anti-67067, and/or anti-62092 antibodies can be used diagnostically to monitor polypeptide levels in tissue as part of a clinical testing procedure, e.g., to, for example, determine the efficacy of a given treatment regimen. Detection can be facilitated by coupling (i.e., physically linking) the antibody to a detectable substance. Examples of detectable substances include various enzymes, prosthetic groups, fluorescent materials, luminescent materials, bioluminescent materials, and radioactive materials. Examples of suitable enzymes include horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, β-galactosidase, or acetylcholinesterase; examples of suitable prosthetic group complexes include streptavidin/biotin and avidin/biotin; examples of suitable fluorescent materials include umbelliferone, fluorescein, fluorescein isothiocyanate, rhodamine, dichlorotriazinylamine fluorescein, dansyl chloride or phycoerythrin; an example of a luminescent material includes luminol; examples of bioluminescent materials include luciferase, luciferin, and aequorin, and examples of suitable radioactive material include ¹²⁵I, ¹³¹I, ³⁵S or ³H.

[2007] III. Recombinant Expression Vectors and Host Cells

[2008] Another aspect of the invention pertains to vectors, for example recombinant expression vectors, containing a nucleic acid containing a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid molecule or vectors containing a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide (or a portion thereof). As used herein, the term “vector” refers to a nucleic acid molecule capable of transporting another nucleic acid to which it has been linked. One type of vector is a “plasmid”, which refers to a circular double stranded DNA loop into which additional DNA segments can be ligated. Another type of vector is a viral vector, wherein additional DNA segments can be ligated into the viral genome. Certain vectors are capable of autonomous replication in a host cell into which they are introduced (e.g., bacterial vectors having a bacterial origin of replication and episomal mammalian vectors). Other vectors (e.g., non-episomal mammalian vectors) are integrated into the genome of a host cell upon introduction into the host cell, and thereby are replicated along with the host genome. Moreover, certain vectors are capable of directing the expression of genes to which they are operatively linked. Such vectors are referred to herein as “expression vectors”. In general, expression vectors of utility in recombinant DNA techniques are often in the form of plasmids. In the present specification, “plasmid” and “vector” can be used interchangeably as the plasmid is the most commonly used form of vector. However, the invention is intended to include such other forms of expression vectors, such as viral vectors (e.g., replication defective retroviruses, adenoviruses and adeno-associated viruses), which serve equivalent functions.

[2009] The recombinant expression vectors of the invention comprise a nucleic acid of the invention in a form suitable for expression of the nucleic acid in a host cell, which means that the recombinant expression vectors include one or more regulatory sequences, selected on the basis of the host cells to be used for expression, which is operatively linked to the nucleic acid sequence to be expressed. Within a recombinant expression vector, “operably linked” is intended to mean that the nucleotide sequence of interest is linked to the regulatory sequence(s) in a manner which allows for expression of the nucleotide sequence (e.g., in an in vitro transcription/translation system or in a host cell when the vector is introduced into the host cell). The term “regulatory sequence” is intended to include promoters, enhancers and other expression control elements (e.g., polyadenylation signals). Such regulatory sequences are described, for example, in Goeddel; Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990). Regulatory sequences include those which direct constitutive expression of a nucleotide sequence in many types of host cells and those which direct expression of the nucleotide sequence only in certain host cells (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory sequences). It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the design of the expression vector can depend on such factors as the choice of the host cell to be transformed, the level of expression of polypeptide desired, and the like. The expression vectors of the invention can be introduced into host cells to thereby produce proteins or peptides, including fusion proteins or peptides, encoded by nucleic acids as described herein (e.g., 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides, mutant forms of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides, fusion proteins, and the like).

[2010] Accordingly, an exemplary embodiment provides a method for producing a polypeptide, preferably a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, by culturing in a suitable medium a host cell of the invention (e.g., a mammalian host cell such as a non-human mammalian cell) containing a recombinant expression vector, such that the polypeptide is produced.

[2011] The recombinant expression vectors of the invention can be designed for expression of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides in prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells. For example, 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides can be expressed in bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells (using baculovirus expression vectors) yeast cells or mammalian cells. Suitable host cells are discussed further in Goeddel, Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990). Alternatively, the recombinant expression vector can be transcribed and translated in vitro, for example using T7 promoter regulatory sequences and T7 polymerase.

[2012] Expression of proteins in prokaryotes is most often carried out in E. coli with vectors containing constitutive or inducible promoters directing the expression of either fusion or non-fusion proteins. Fusion vectors add a number of amino acids to a protein encoded therein, usually to the amino terminus of the recombinant protein. Such fusion vectors typically serve three purposes: 1) to increase expression of recombinant protein; 2) to increase the solubility of the recombinant protein; and 3) to aid in the purification of the recombinant protein by acting as a ligand in affinity purification. Often, in fusion expression vectors, a proteolytic cleavage site is introduced at the junction of the fusion moiety and the recombinant protein to enable separation of the recombinant protein from the fusion moiety subsequent to purification of the fusion protein. Such enzymes, and their cognate recognition sequences, include Factor Xa, thrombin and enterokinase. Typical fusion expression vectors include pGEX (Pharmacia Biotech Inc; Smith, D. B. and Johnson, K. S. (1988) Gene 67:31-40), pMAL (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.) and pRIT5 (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.) which fuse glutathione S-transferase (GST), maltose E binding protein, or protein A, respectively, to the target recombinant protein.

[2013] Purified fusion proteins can be utilized in 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity assays, (e.g., direct assays or competitive assays described in detail below), or to generate antibodies specific for 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides, for example. In a preferred embodiment, a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 fusion protein expressed in a retroviral expression vector of the present invention can be utilized to infect bone marrow cells which are subsequently transplanted into irradiated recipients. The pathology of the subject recipient is then examined after sufficient time has passed (e.g., six (6) weeks).

[2014] Examples of suitable inducible non-fusion E. coli expression vectors include pTrc (Amann et al., (1988) Gene 69:301-315) and pET 11d (Studier et al., Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990) 60-89). Target gene expression from the pTrc vector relies on host RNA polymerase transcription from a hybrid trp-lac fusion promoter. Target gene expression from the pET 11d vector relies on transcription from a T7 gn10-lac fusion promoter mediated by a coexpressed viral RNA polymerase (T7 gn1). This viral polymerase is supplied by host strains BL21(DE3) or HMS174(DE3) from a resident prophage harboring a T7 gn1 gene under the transcriptional control of the lacUV 5 promoter.

[2015] One strategy to maximize recombinant protein expression in E. coli is to express the protein in a host bacteria with an impaired capacity to proteolytically cleave the recombinant protein (Gottesman, S., Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990) 119-128). Another strategy is to alter the nucleic acid sequence of the nucleic acid to be inserted into an expression vector so that the individual codons for each amino acid are those preferentially utilized in E. coli (Wada et al., (1992) Nucleic Acids Res. 20:2111-2118). Such alteration of nucleic acid sequences of the invention can be carried out by standard DNA synthesis techniques.

[2016] In another embodiment, the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression vector is a yeast expression vector. Examples of vectors for expression in yeast S. cerevisiae include pYepSec1 (Baldari, et al., (1987) EMBO J. 6:229-234), pMFa (Kuijan and Herskowitz, (1982) Cell 30:933-943), pJRY88 (Schultz et al., (1987) Gene 54:113-123), pYES2 (Invitrogen Corporation, San Diego, Calif.), and picZ (Invitrogen Corporation, San Diego, Calif.).

[2017] Alternatively, 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides can be expressed in insect cells using baculovirus expression vectors. Baculovirus vectors available for expression of proteins in cultured insect cells (e.g., Sf9 cells) include the pAc series (Smith et al. (1983) Mol. Cell Biol. 3:2156-2165) and the pVL series (Lucklow and Summers (1989) Virology 170:31-39).

[2018] In yet another embodiment, a nucleic acid of the invention is expressed in mammalian cells using a mammalian expression vector. Examples of mammalian expression vectors include pCDM8 (Seed, B. (1987) Nature 329:840) and pMT2PC (Kaufman et al. (1987) EMBO J. 6:187-195). When used in mammalian cells, the expression vector's control functions are often provided by viral regulatory elements. For example, commonly used promoters are derived from polyoma, Adenovirus 2, cytomegalovirus and Simian Virus 40. For other suitable expression systems for both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells see chapters 16 and 17 of Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989.

[2019] In another embodiment, the recombinant mammalian expression vector is capable of directing expression of the nucleic acid preferentially in a particular cell type (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory elements are used to express the nucleic acid). Tissue-specific regulatory elements are known in the art. Non-limiting examples of suitable tissue-specific promoters include the albumin promoter (liver-specific; Pinkert et al. (1987) Genes Dev. 1:268-277), lymphoid-specific promoters (Calame and Eaton (1988) Adv. Immunol. 43:235-275), in particular promoters of T cell receptors (Winoto and Baltimore (1989) EMBO J. 8:729-733) and immunoglobulins (Banerji et al. (1983) Cell 33:729-740; Queen and Baltimore (1983) Cell 33:741-748), neuron-specific promoters (e.g., the neurofilament promoter; Byrne and Ruddle (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:5473-5477), pancreas-specific promoters (Edlund et al. (1985) Science 230:912-916), and mammary gland-specific promoters (e.g., milk whey promoter; U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,316 and European Application Publication No. 264,166). Developmentally-regulated promoters are also encompassed, for example the murine hox promoters (Kessel and Gruss (1990) Science 249:374-379) and the α-fetoprotein promoter (Campes and Tilghman (1989) Genes Dev. 3:537-546).

[2020] The invention further provides a recombinant expression vector comprising a DNA molecule of the invention cloned into the expression vector in an antisense orientation. That is, the DNA molecule is operatively linked to a regulatory sequence in a manner which allows for expression (by transcription of the DNA molecule) of an RNA molecule which is antisense to 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA. Regulatory sequences operatively linked to a nucleic acid cloned in the antisense orientation can be chosen which direct the continuous expression of the antisense RNA molecule in a variety of cell types, for instance viral promoters and/or enhancers, or regulatory sequences can be chosen which direct constitutive, tissue specific or cell type specific expression of antisense RNA. The antisense expression vector can be in the form of a recombinant plasmid, phagemid or attenuated virus in which antisense nucleic acids are produced under the control of a high efficiency regulatory region, the activity of which can be determined by the cell type into which the vector is introduced. For a discussion of the regulation of gene expression using antisense genes see Weintraub, H. et al., Antisense RNA as a molecular tool for genetic analysis, Reviews—Trends in Genetics, Vol. 1(1) 1986.

[2021] Another aspect of the invention pertains to host cells into which a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid molecule of the invention is introduced, e.g., a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid molecule within a vector (e.g., a recombinant expression vector) or a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid molecule containing sequences which allow it to homologously recombine into a specific site of the host cell's genome. The terms “host cell” and “recombinant host cell” are used interchangeably herein. It is understood that such terms refer not only to the particular subject cell but to the progeny or potential progeny of such a cell. Because certain modifications may occur in succeeding generations due to either mutation or environmental influences, such progeny may not, in fact, be identical to the parent cell, but are still included within the scope of the term as used herein.

[2022] A host cell can be any prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell. For example, a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide can be expressed in bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells, yeast or mammalian cells (such as Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) or COS cells). Other suitable host cells are known to those skilled in the art.

[2023] Vector DNA can be introduced into prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells via conventional transformation or transfection techniques. As used herein, the terms “transformation” and “transfection” are intended to refer to a variety of art-recognized techniques for introducing foreign nucleic acid (e.g., DNA) into a host cell, including calcium phosphate or calcium chloride co-precipitation, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, lipofection, or electroporation. Suitable methods for transforming or transfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook, et al. (Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), and other laboratory manuals.

[2024] For stable transfection of mammalian cells, it is known that, depending upon the expression vector and transfection technique used, only a small fraction of cells may integrate the foreign DNA into their genome. In order to identify and select these integrants, a gene that encodes a selectable marker (e.g., resistance to antibiotics) is generally introduced into the host cells along with the gene of interest. Preferred selectable markers include those which confer resistance to drugs, such as G418, hygromycin and methotrexate. Nucleic acid encoding a selectable marker can be introduced into a host cell on the same vector as that encoding a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or can be introduced on a separate vector. Cells stably transfected with the introduced nucleic acid can be identified by drug selection (e.g., cells that have incorporated the selectable marker gene will survive, while the other cells die).

[2025] A host cell of the invention, such as a prokaryotic or eukaryotic host cell in culture, can be used to produce (i.e., express) a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide. Accordingly, the invention further provides methods for producing a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide using the host cells of the invention. In one embodiment, the method comprises culturing the host cell of the invention (into which a recombinant expression vector encoding a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide has been introduced) in a suitable medium such that a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide is produced. In another embodiment, the method further comprises isolating a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide from the medium or the host cell.

[2026] The host cells of the invention can also be used to produce non-human transgenic animals. For example, in one embodiment, a host cell of the invention is a fertilized oocyte or an embryonic stem cell into which 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-coding sequences have been introduced. Such host cells can then be used to create non-human transgenic animals in which exogenous 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequences have been introduced into their genome or homologous recombinant animals in which endogenous 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequences have been altered. Such animals are useful for studying the function and/or activity of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 and for identifying and/or evaluating modulators of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity. As used herein, a “transgenic animal” is a non-human animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a rodent such as a rat or mouse, in which one or more of the cells of the animal includes a transgene. Other examples of transgenic animals include non-human primates, sheep, dogs, cows, goats, chickens, amphibians, and the like. A transgene is exogenous DNA which is integrated into the genome of a cell from which a transgenic animal develops and which remains in the genome of the mature animal, thereby directing the expression of an encoded gene product in one or more cell types or tissues of the transgenic animal. As used herein, a “homologous recombinant animal” is a non-human animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a mouse, in which an endogenous 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene has been altered by homologous recombination between the endogenous gene and an exogenous DNA molecule introduced into a cell of the animal, e.g., an embryonic cell of the animal, prior to development of the animal.

[2027] A transgenic animal of the invention can be created by introducing a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-encoding nucleic acid into the male pronuclei of a fertilized oocyte, e.g., by microinjection, retroviral infection, and allowing the oocyte to develop in a pseudopregnant female foster animal. The 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33, 36, or 39 can be introduced as a transgene into the genome of a non-human animal. Alternatively, a nonhuman homologue of a human 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene, such as a mouse or rat 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene, can be used as a transgene. Alternatively, a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene homologue, such as another 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 family member, can be isolated based on hybridization to the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 cDNA sequences of SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______ and/or ______ (described further in subsection I above) and used as a transgene. Intronic sequences and polyadenylation signals can also be included in the transgene to increase the efficiency of expression of the transgene. A tissue-specific regulatory sequence(s) can be operably linked to a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 transgene to direct expression of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide to particular cells. Methods for generating transgenic animals via embryo manipulation and microinjection, particularly animals such as mice, have become conventional in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,736,866 and 4,870,009, both by Leder et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,191 by Wagner et al. and in Hogan, B., Manipulating the Mouse Embryo, (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1986). Similar methods are used for production of other transgenic animals. A transgenic founder animal can be identified based upon the presence of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 transgene in its genome and/or expression of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA in tissues or cells of the animals. A transgenic founder animal can then be used to breed additional animals carrying the transgene. Moreover, transgenic animals carrying a transgene encoding a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide can further be bred to other transgenic animals carrying other transgenes.

[2028] To create a homologous recombinant animal, a vector is prepared which contains at least a portion of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene into which a deletion, addition or substitution has been introduced to thereby alter, e.g., functionally disrupt, the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene. The 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene can be a human gene (e.g., the cDNA of SEQ ID NO: 33, 36, or 39, respectively), but more preferably, is a non-human homologue of a human 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene (e.g., a cDNA isolated by stringent hybridization with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33, 36, or 39). For is example, a mouse 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene can be used to construct a homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule, e.g., a vector, suitable for altering an endogenous 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene in the mouse genome. In a preferred embodiment, the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule is designed such that, upon homologous recombination, the endogenous 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene is functionally disrupted (i.e., no longer encodes a functional protein; also referred to as a “knock out” vector). Alternatively, the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule can be designed such that, upon homologous recombination, the endogenous 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene is mutated or otherwise altered but still encodes functional polypeptide (e.g., the upstream regulatory region can be altered to thereby alter the expression of the endogenous 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide). In the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule, the altered portion of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene is flanked at its 5′ and 3′ ends by additional nucleic acid sequence of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene to allow for homologous recombination to occur between the exogenous 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene carried by the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule and an endogenous 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene in a cell, e.g., an embryonic stem cell. The additional flanking 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid sequence is of sufficient length for successful homologous recombination with the endogenous gene. Typically, several kilobases of flanking DNA (both at the 5′ and 3′ ends) are included in the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule (see, e.g., Thomas, K. R. and Capecchi, M. R. (1987) Cell 51:503 for a description of homologous recombination vectors). The homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule is introduced into a cell, e.g., an embryonic stem cell line (e.g., by electroporation) and cells in which the introduced 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene has homologously recombined with the endogenous 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene are selected (see e.g., Li, E. et al. (1992) Cell 69:915). The selected cells can then injected into a blastocyst of an animal (e.g., a mouse) to form aggregation chimeras (see e.g., Bradley, A. in Teratocarcinomas and Embryonic Stem Cells: A Practical Approach, E. J. Robertson, ed. (IRL, Oxford, 1987) pp. 113-152). A chimeric embryo can then be implanted into a suitable pseudopregnant female foster animal and the embryo brought to term. Progeny harboring the homologously recombined DNA in their germ cells can be used to breed animals in which all cells of the animal contain the homologously recombined DNA by germline transmission of the transgene. Methods for constructing homologous recombination nucleic acid molecules, e.g., vectors, or homologous recombinant animals are described further in Bradley, A. (1991) Current Opinion in Biotechnology 2:823-829 and in PCT International Publication Nos.: WO 90/11354 by Le Mouellec et al.; WO 91/01140 by Smithies et al; WO 92/0968 by Zijlstra et al; and WO 93/04169 by Berns et al.

[2029] In another embodiment, transgenic non-human animals can be produced which contain selected systems which allow for regulated expression of the transgene. One example of such a system is the cre/loxP recombinase system of bacteriophage P1. For a description of the cre/loxP recombinase system, see, e.g., Lakso et al.(1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:6232-6236. Another example of a recombinase system is the FLP recombinase system of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (O'Gorman et al. (1991) Science 251:1351-1355. If a cre/loxP recombinase system is used to regulate expression of the transgene, animals containing transgenes encoding both the Cre recombinase and a selected protein are required. Such animals can be provided through the construction of “double” transgenic animals, e.g., by mating two transgenic animals, one containing a transgene encoding a selected protein and the other containing a transgene encoding a recombinase.

[2030] Clones of the non-human transgenic animals described herein can also be produced according to the methods described in Wilmut, I. et al. (1997) Nature 385:810-813 and PCT International Publication Nos. WO 97/07668 and WO 97/07669. In brief, a cell, e.g., a somatic cell, from the transgenic animal can be isolated and induced to exit the growth cycle and enter G_(O) phase. The quiescent cell can then be fused, e.g., through the use of electrical pulses, to an enucleated oocyte from an animal of the same species from which the quiescent cell is isolated. The reconstructed oocyte is then cultured such that it develops to morula or blastocyte and then transferred to pseudopregnant female foster animal. The offspring borne of this female foster animal will be a clone of the animal from which the cell, e.g., the somatic cell, is isolated.

[2031] IV. Pharmaceutical Compositions

[2032] The 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid molecules, fragments of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides, anti-67118, anti-67067, and/or anti-62092 antibodies, and or 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 modulators, (also referred to herein as “active compounds”) of the invention can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions suitable for administration. Such compositions typically comprise the nucleic acid molecule, polypeptide, or antibody and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. As used herein the language “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” is intended to include any and all solvents, dispersion media, coatings, antibacterial and antifungal agents, isotonic and absorption delaying agents, and the like, compatible with pharmaceutical administration. The use of such media and agents for pharmaceutically active substances is well known in the art. Except insofar as any conventional media or agent is incompatible with the active compound, use thereof in the compositions is contemplated. Supplementary active compounds can also be incorporated into the compositions.

[2033] A pharmaceutical composition of the invention is formulated to be compatible with its intended route of administration. Examples of routes of administration include parenteral, e.g., intravenous, intradermal, subcutaneous, oral (e.g., inhalation), transdermal (topical), transmucosal, and rectal administration. Solutions or suspensions used for parenteral, intradermal, or subcutaneous application can include the following components: a sterile diluent such as water for injection, saline solution, fixed oils, polyethylene glycols, glycerine, propylene glycol or other synthetic solvents; antibacterial agents such as benzyl alcohol or methyl parabens; antioxidants such as ascorbic acid or sodium bisulfite; chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; buffers such as acetates, citrates or phosphates and agents for the adjustment of tonicity such as sodium chloride or dextrose. pH can be adjusted with acids or bases, such as hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide. The parenteral preparation can be enclosed in ampoules, disposable syringes or multiple dose vials made of glass or plastic.

[2034] Pharmaceutical compositions suitable for injectable use include sterile aqueous solutions (where water soluble) or dispersions and sterile powders for the extemporaneous preparation of sterile injectable solutions or dispersion. For intravenous administration, suitable carriers include physiological saline, bacteriostatic water, Cremophor EL™ (BASF, Parsippany, N.J.) or phosphate buffered saline (PBS). In all cases, the composition must be sterile and should be fluid to the extent that easy syringeability exists. It must be stable under the conditions of manufacture and storage and must be preserved against the contaminating action of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. The carrier can be a solvent or dispersion medium containing, for example, water, ethanol, polyol (for example, glycerol, propylene glycol, and liquid polyetheylene glycol, and the like), and suitable mixtures thereof. The proper fluidity can be maintained, for example, by the use of a coating such as lecithin, by the maintenance of the required particle size in the case of dispersion and by the use of surfactants. Prevention of the action of microorganisms can be achieved by various antibacterial and antifungal agents, for example, parabens, chlorobutanol, phenol, ascorbic acid, thimerosal, and the like. In many cases, it will be preferable to include isotonic agents, for example, sugars, polyalcohols such as manitol, sorbitol, sodium chloride in the composition. Prolonged absorption of the injectable compositions can be brought about by including in the composition an agent which delays absorption, for example, aluminum monostearate and gelatin.

[2035] Sterile injectable solutions can be prepared by incorporating the active compound (e.g., a fragment of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or an anti-67 118 and/or anti-67067 antibody) in the required amount in an appropriate solvent with one or a combination of ingredients enumerated above, as required, followed by filtered sterilization. Generally, dispersions are prepared by incorporating the active compound into a sterile vehicle which contains a basic dispersion medium and the required other ingredients from those enumerated above. In the case of sterile powders for the preparation of sterile injectable solutions, the preferred methods of preparation are vacuum drying and freeze-drying which yields a powder of the active ingredient plus any additional desired ingredient from a previously sterile-filtered solution thereof.

[2036] Oral compositions generally include an inert diluent or an edible carrier. They can be enclosed in gelatin capsules or compressed into tablets. For the purpose of oral therapeutic administration, the active compound can be incorporated with excipients and used in the form of tablets, troches, or capsules. Oral compositions can also be prepared using a fluid carrier for use as a mouthwash, wherein the compound in the fluid carrier is applied orally and swished and expectorated or swallowed. Pharmaceutically compatible binding agents, and/or adjuvant materials can be included as part of the composition. The tablets, pills, capsules, troches and the like can contain any of the following ingredients, or compounds of a similar nature: a binder such as microcrystalline cellulose, gum tragacanth or gelatin; an excipient such as starch or lactose, a disintegrating agent such as alginic acid, Primogel, or corn starch; a lubricant such as magnesium stearate or Sterotes; a glidant such as colloidal silicon dioxide; a sweetening agent such as sucrose or saccharin; or a flavoring agent such as peppermint, methyl salicylate, or orange flavoring.

[2037] For administration by inhalation, the compounds are delivered in the form of an aerosol spray from pressured container or dispenser which contains a suitable propellant, e.g., a gas such as carbon dioxide, or a nebulizer.

[2038] Systemic administration can also be by transmucosal or transdermal means. For transmucosal or transdermal administration, penetrants appropriate to the barrier to be permeated are used in the formulation. Such penetrants are generally known in the art, and include, for example, for transmucosal administration, detergents, bile salts, and fusidic acid derivatives. Transmucosal administration can be accomplished through the use of nasal sprays or suppositories. For transdermal administration, the active compounds are formulated into ointments, salves, gels, or creams as generally known in the art.

[2039] The compounds can also be prepared in the form of suppositories (e.g., with conventional suppository bases such as cocoa butter and other glycerides) or retention enemas for rectal delivery.

[2040] In one embodiment, the active compounds are prepared with carriers that will protect the compound against rapid elimination from the body, such as a controlled release formulation, including implants and microencapsulated delivery systems. Biodegradable, biocompatible polymers can be used, such as ethylene vinyl acetate, polyanhydrides, polyglycolic acid, collagen, polyorthoesters, and polylactic acid. Methods for preparation of such formulations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The materials can also be obtained commercially from Alza Corporation and Nova Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Liposomal suspensions (including liposomes targeted to infected cells with monoclonal antibodies to viral antigens) can also be used as pharmaceutically acceptable carriers. These can be prepared according to methods known to those skilled in the art, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,811.

[2041] It is especially advantageous to formulate oral or parenteral compositions in dosage unit form for ease of administration and uniformity of dosage. Dosage unit form as used herein refers to physically discrete units suited as unitary dosages for the subject to be treated; each unit containing a predetermined quantity of active compound calculated to produce the desired therapeutic effect in association with the required pharmaceutical carrier. The specification for the dosage unit forms of the invention are dictated by and directly dependent on the unique characteristics of the active compound and the particular therapeutic effect to be achieved, and the limitations inherent in the art of compounding such an active compound for the treatment of individuals.

[2042] Toxicity and therapeutic efficacy of such compounds can be determined by standard pharmaceutical procedures in cell cultures or experimental animals, e.g., for determining the LD50 (the dose lethal to 50% of the population) and the ED50 (the dose therapeutically effective in 50% of the population). The dose ratio between toxic and therapeutic effects is the therapeutic index and it can be expressed as the ratio LD50/ED50. Compounds which exhibit large therapeutic indices are preferred. While compounds that exhibit toxic side effects may be used, care should be taken to design a delivery system that targets such compounds to the site of affected tissue in order to minimize potential damage to uninfected cells and, thereby, reduce side effects.

[2043] The data obtained from the cell culture assays and animal studies can be used in formulating a range of dosage for use in humans. The dosage of such compounds lies preferably within a range of circulating concentrations that include the ED50 with little or no toxicity. The dosage may vary within this range depending upon the dosage form employed and the route of administration utilized. For any compound used in the method of the invention, the therapeutically effective dose can be estimated initially from cell culture assays. A dose may be formulated in animal models to achieve a circulating plasma concentration range that includes the IC50 (i.e., the concentration of the test compound which achieves a half-maximal inhibition of symptoms) as determined in cell culture. Such information can be used to more accurately determine useful doses in humans. Levels in plasma may be measured, for example, by high performance liquid chromatography.

[2044] As defined herein, a therapeutically effective amount of polypeptide (i.e., an effective dosage) ranges from about 0.001 to 30 mg/kg body weight, preferably about 0.01 to 25 mg/kg body weight, more preferably about 0.1 to 20 mg/kg body weight, and even more preferably about 1 to 10 mg/kg, 2 to 9 mg/kg, 3 to 8 mg/kg, 4 to 7 mg/kg, or 5 to 6 mg/kg body weight. The skilled artisan will appreciate that certain factors may influence the dosage required to effectively treat a subject, including but not limited to the severity of the disease or disorder, previous treatments, the general health and/or age of the subject, and other diseases present. Moreover, treatment of a subject with a therapeutically effective amount of a polypeptide or antibody can include a single treatment or, preferably, can include a series of treatments.

[2045] In a preferred example, a subject is treated with antibody or polypeptide in the range of between about 0.1 to 20 mg/kg body weight, one time per week for between about 1 to 10 weeks, preferably between 2 to 8 weeks, more preferably between about 3 to 7 weeks, and even more preferably for about 4, 5, or 6 weeks. It will also be appreciated that the effective dosage of antibody or polypeptide used for treatment may increase or decrease over the course of a particular treatment. Changes in dosage may result and become apparent from the results of diagnostic assays as described herein.

[2046] The present invention encompasses agents which modulate expression or activity. An agent may, for example, be a small molecule. For example, such small molecules include, but are not limited to, peptides, peptidomimetics, amino acids, amino acid analogs, polynucleotides, polynucleotide analogs, nucleotides, nucleotide analogs, organic or inorganic compounds (i.e.,. including heteroorganic and organometallic compounds) having a molecular weight less than about 10,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 5,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 1,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 500 grams per mole, and salts, esters, and other pharmaceutically acceptable forms of such compounds. It is understood that appropriate doses of small molecule agents depends upon a number of factors within the ken of the ordinarily skilled physician, veterinarian, or researcher. The dose(s) of the small molecule will vary, for example, depending upon the identity, size, and condition of the subject or sample being treated, further depending upon the route by which the composition is to be administered, if applicable, and the effect which the practitioner desires the small molecule to have upon the nucleic acid or polypeptide of the invention.

[2047] Exemplary doses include milligram or microgram amounts of the small molecule per kilogram of subject or sample weight (e.g., about 1 microgram per kilogram to about 500 milligrams per kilogram, about 100 micrograms per kilogram to about 5 milligrams per kilogram, or about 1 microgram per kilogram to about 50 micrograms per kilogram. It is furthermore understood that appropriate doses of a small molecule depend upon the potency of the small molecule with respect to the expression or activity to be modulated. Such appropriate doses may be determined using the assays described herein. When one or more of these small molecules is to be administered to an animal (e.g., a human) in order to modulate expression or activity of a polypeptide or nucleic acid of the invention, a physician, veterinarian, or researcher may, for example, prescribe a relatively low dose at first, subsequently increasing the dose until an appropriate response is obtained. In addition, it is understood that the specific dose level for any particular animal subject will depend upon a variety of factors including the activity of the specific compound employed, the age, body weight, general health, gender, and diet of the subject, the time of administration, the route of administration, the rate of excretion, any drug combination, and the degree of expression or activity to be modulated.

[2048] Further, an antibody (or fragment thereof) may be conjugated to a therapeutic moiety such as a cytotoxin, a therapeutic agent or a radioactive metal ion. A cytotoxin or cytotoxic agent includes any agent that is detrimental to cells. Examples include taxol, cytochalasin B, gramicidin D, ethidium bromide, emetine, mitomycin, etoposide, tenoposide, vincristine, vinblastine, colchicin, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, dihydroxy anthracin dione, mitoxantrone, mithramycin, actinomycin D, 1-dehydrotestosterone, glucocorticoids, procaine, tetracaine, lidocaine, propranolol, and puromycin and analogs or homologues thereof. Therapeutic agents include, but are not limited to, antimetabolites (e.g., methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, cytarabine, 5-fluorouracil decarbazine), alkylating agents (e.g., mechlorethamine, thioepa chlorambucil, melphalan, carmustine (BSNU) and lomustine (CCNU), cyclothosphamide, busulfan, dibromomannitol, streptozotocin, mitomycin C, and cis-dichlorodiaamine platinum (II) (DDP) cisplatin), anthracyclines (e.g., daunorubicin (formerly daunomycin) and doxorubicin), antibiotics (e.g., dactinomycin (formerly actinomycin), bleomycin, mithramycin, and anthramycin (AMC)), and anti-mitotic agents (e.g., vincristine and vinblastine).

[2049] The conjugates of the invention can be used for modifying a given biological response, the drug moiety is not to be construed as limited to classical chemical therapeutic agents. For example, the drug moiety may be a protein or polypeptide possessing a desired biological activity. Such proteins may include, for example, a toxin such as abrin, ricin A, pseudomonas exotoxin, or diphtheria toxin; a protein such as tumor necrosis factor, alpha-interferon, beta-interferon, nerve growth factor, platelet derived growth factor, tissue plasminogen activator; or, biological response modifiers such as, for example, lymphokines, interleukin-1 (“IL-1”), interleukin-2 (“IL-2”), interleukin-6 (“IL-6”), granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (“GM-CSF”), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (“G-CSF”), or other growth factors.

[2050] Techniques for conjugating such therapeutic moiety to antibodies are well known, see, e.g., Arnon et al., “Monoclonal Antibodies For Immunotargeting Of Drugs In Cancer Therapy”, in Monoclonal Antibodies And Cancer Therapy, Reisfeld et al. (eds.), pp. 243-56 (Alan R. Liss, Inc. 1985); Hellstrom et al., “Antibodies For Drug Delivery”, in Controlled Drug Delivery (2nd Ed.), Robinson et al. (eds.), pp. 623-53 (Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1987); Thorpe, “Antibody Carriers Of Cytotoxic Agents In Cancer Therapy: A Review”, in Monoclonal Antibodies '84: Biological And Clinical Applications, Pinchera et al. (eds.), pp. 475-506 (1985); “Analysis, Results, And Future Prospective Of The Therapeutic Use Of Radiolabeled Antibody In Cancer Therapy”, in Monoclonal Antibodies For Cancer Detection And Therapy, Baldwin et al.(eds.), pp. 303-16 (Academic Press 1985), and Thorpe et al., “The Preparation And Cytotoxic Properties Of Antibody-Toxin Conjugates”, Immunol. Rev., 62:119-58 (1982). Alternatively, an antibody can be conjugated to a second antibody to form an antibody heteroconjugate as described by Segal in U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,980.

[2051] The nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be inserted into vectors and used as gene therapy vectors. Gene therapy vectors can be delivered to a subject by, for example, intravenous injection, local administration (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,470) or by stereotactic injection (see e.g., Chen et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:3054-3057). The pharmaceutical preparation of the gene therapy vector can include the gene therapy vector in an acceptable diluent, or can comprise a slow release matrix in which the gene delivery vehicle is imbedded. Alternatively, where the complete gene delivery vector can be produced intact from recombinant cells, e.g., retroviral vectors, the pharmaceutical preparation can include one or more cells which produce the gene delivery system.

[2052] The pharmaceutical compositions can be included in a container, pack, or dispenser together with instructions for administration.

[2053] V. Uses and Methods of the Invention

[2054] The nucleic acid molecules, proteins, protein homologues, antibodies, and modulators described herein can be used in one or more of the following methods: a) screening assays; b) predictive medicine (e.g., diagnostic assays, prognostic assays, monitoring clinical trials, and pharmacogenctics); and c) methods of treatment (e.g., therapeutic and prophylactic). The term “treatment”, as used herein, is defined as the application or administration of a therapeutic agent to a patient, or application or administration of a therapeutic agent to an isolated tissue or cell line from a patient, who has a disease or disorder, a symptom of a disease or disorder, or a predisposition toward a disease or disorder, with the purpose to cure, heal, alleviate, relieve, alter, remedy, ameliorate, improve or affect the disease or disorder, the symptoms of the disease or disorder, or the predisposition toward a disease or disorder, e.g., the cellular proliferation disorder. A therapeutic agent includes, but is not limited to, small molecules, peptides, antibodies, ribozymes and antisense oligonucleotides.

[2055] As described herein, a 67118 or 67067 polypeptide of the invention has one or more of the following activities: (i) interaction with a 67118 or 67067 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid, ATP, or a non-67118 or 67067 protein); (ii) transport of a 67118 or 67067 substrate or target molecule (e.g., an aminophospholipid such as phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylethanolamine) from one side of a cellular membrane to the other; (iii) the ability to be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated; (iv) adoption of an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation; (v) conversion of a 67118 or 67067 substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., hydrolysis of ATP); (vi) interaction with a second non-67118 or 67067 protein; (vii) modulation of substrate or target molecule location (e.g., modulation of phospholipid location within a cell and/or location with respect to a cellular membrane); (viii) maintenance of aminophospholipid gradients; (ix) modulation of intra- or intercellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); and/or (x) modulation of cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, apoptosis, absorption, or secretion.

[2056] The isolated nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be used, for example, to express 67118 or 67067 polypeptides (e.g., via a recombinant expression vector in a host cell in gene therapy applications), to detect 67118 or 67067 mRNA (e.g., in a biological sample) or a genetic alteration in a 67118 or 67067 gene, and to modulate 67118 or 67067 activity, as described further below. The 67118 or 67067 polypeptides can be used to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive production of a 67118 or 67067 substrate or production or transport of 67118 or 67067 inhibitors, for example, 67118 or 67067 associated disorders.

[2057] As described herein, a 62092 protein of the invention has one or more of the following activities: (i) interaction with a 62092 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a nucleotide such as a purine mononucleotide or a dinucleoside polyphosphate, or a non-62092 protein); (ii) conversion of a 62092 substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., cleavage of a nucleoside polyphosphate); (iii) interaction with a second non-62092 protein; (iv) sensation of cellular stress signals; (v) regulation of substrate or target molecule availability or activity; (vi) modulation of intra- or intercellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); and/or (vii) modulation of cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or apoptosis.

[2058] The isolated nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be used, for example, to express 62092 protein (e.g., via a recombinant expression vector in a host cell in gene therapy applications), to detect 62092 mRNA (e.g., in a biological sample) or a genetic alteration in a 62092 gene, and to modulate 62092 activity, as described further below. The 62092 proteins can be used to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive production of a 62092 substrate or production of 62092 inhibitors, for example, histidine triad family associated disorders.

[2059] As used interchangeably herein, a “phospholipid transporter associated disorder” or a “67118 or 67067 associated disorder” includes a disorder, disease or condition which is caused or characterized by a misregulation (e.g., downregulation or upregulation) of 67118 or 67067 activity. 67118 or 67067 associated disorders can detrimentally affect cellular functions such as cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, inter- or intra-cellular communication; tissue function, such as cardiac function or musculoskeletal function; systemic responses in an organism, such as nervous system responses, hormonal responses (e.g., insulin response), or immune responses; and protection of cells from toxic compounds (e.g., carcinogens, toxins, or mutagens). Examples of 67118 or 67067 associated disorders include CNS disorders such as cognitive and neurodegenerative disorders, examples of which include, but are not limited to, Alzheimer's disease, dementias related to Alzheimer's disease (such as Pick's disease), Parkinson's and other Lewy diffuse body diseases, senile dementia, Huntington's disease, Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive supranuclear palsy, epilepsy, seizure disorders, and Jakob-Creutzfieldt disease; autonomic function disorders such as hypertension and sleep disorders, and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, korsakoff's psychosis, mania, anxiety disorders, or phobic disorders; learning or memory disorders, e.g., amnesia or age-related memory loss, attention deficit disorder, dysthymic disorder, major depressive disorder, mania, obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychoactive substance use disorders, anxiety, phobias, panic disorder, as well as bipolar affective disorder, e.g., severe bipolar affective (mood) disorder (BP-1), and bipolar affective neurological disorders, e.g., migraine and obesity. Further CNS-related disorders include, for example, those listed in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the most current version of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[2060] Further examples of 67118 or 67067 associated disorders include cardiac-related disorders. Cardiovascular system disorders in which the 67118 or 67067 molecules of the invention may be directly or indirectly involved include arteriosclerosis, ischemia reperfusion injury, restenosis, arterial inflammation, vascular wall remodeling, ventricular remodeling, rapid ventricular pacing, coronary microembolism, tachycardia, bradycardia, pressure overload, aortic bending, coronary artery ligation, vascular heart disease, atrial fibrilation, Jervell syndrome, Lange-Nielsen syndrome, long-QT syndrome, congestive heart failure, sinus node dysfunction, angina, heart failure, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, dilated cardiomyopathy, idiopathic cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, coronary artery spasm, and arrhythmia. 67118 or 67067 associated disorders also include disorders of the musculoskeletal system such as paralysis and muscle weakness, e.g., ataxia, myotonia, and myokymia.

[2061] 67118 or 67067 associated disorders also include cellular proliferation, growth, or differentiation disorders. Cellular proliferation, growth, or differentiation disorders include those disorders that affect cell proliferation, growth, or differentiation processes. As used herein, a “cellular proliferation, growth, or differentiation process” is a process by which a cell increases in number, size or content, or by which a cell develops a specialized set of characteristics which differ from that of other cells. The 67118 or 67067 molecules of the present invention are involved in phospholipid transport mechanisms, which are known to be involved in cellular growth, proliferation, and differentiation processes. Thus, the 67118 or 67067 molecules may modulate cellular growth, proliferation, or differentiation, and may play a role in disorders characterized by aberrantly regulated growth, proliferation, or differentiation. Such disorders include cancer, e.g., carcinoma, sarcoma, or leukemia; tumor angiogenesis and metastasis; skeletal dysplasia; hepatic disorders; and hematopoietic and/or myeloproliferative disorders.

[2062] 67118 or 67067 associated or related disorders also include hormonal disorders, such as conditions or diseases in which the production and/or regulation of hormones in an organism is aberrant. Examples of such disorders and diseases include type I and type II diabetes mellitus, pituitary disorders (e.g., growth disorders), thyroid disorders (e.g., hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism), and reproductive or fertility disorders (e.g., disorders which affect the organs of the reproductive system, e.g., the prostate gland, the uterus, or the vagina; disorders which involve an imbalance in the levels of a reproductive hormone in a subject; disorders affecting the ability of a subject to reproduce; and disorders affecting secondary sex characteristic development, e.g., adrenal hyperplasia).

[2063] 67118 or 67067 associated or related disorders also include immune disorders, such as autoimmune disorders or immune deficiency disorders, e.g., congenital X-linked infantile hypogammaglobulinemia, transient hypogammaglobulinemia, common variable immunodeficiency, selective IgA deficiency, chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, or severe combined immunodeficiency.

[2064] 67118 or 67067 associated or related disorders also include disorders affecting tissues in which 67118 or 67067 protein is expressed.

[2065] As used interchangeably herein, a “histidine triad family associated disorder” or a “62092-associated disorder” includes a disorder, disease or condition which is caused or characterized by a misregulation (e.g., downregulation or upregulation) of 62092 activity. 62092 associated disorders can detrimentally affect cellular functions such as cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, inter- or intra-cellular communication; tissue function, such as cardiac function or musculoskeletal function; systemic responses in an organism, such as nervous system responses, hormonal responses (e.g., insulin response), or immune responses; and protection of cells from toxic compounds (e.g., carcinogens, toxins, or mutagens).

[2066] In a preferred embodiment, 62092 associated disorders include cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or apoptosis disorders. Cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or apoptosis disorders include those disorders that affect cell proliferation, growth, differentiation, or apoptosis processes. As used herein, a “cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or apoptosis process” is a process by which a cell increases in number, size or content, by which a cell develops a specialized set of characteristics which differ from that of other cells, or by which a cell undergoes programmed cell death. The 62092 molecules of the present invention are involved in nucleotide binding, which are known to be involved in cellular growth, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis processes. Thus, the 62092 molecules may modulate cellular growth, proliferation, differentiation, or apoptosis, and may play a role in disorders characterized by aberrantly regulated growth, proliferation, differentiation, or apoptosis. Such disorders include cancer, e.g., carcinoma, sarcoma, or leukemia; tumor angiogenesis and metastasis; skeletal dysplasia; hepatic disorders; and hematopoietic and/or myeloproliferative disorders.

[2067] 62092 associated disorders also include CNS disorders.

[2068] Further examples of 62092 associated disorders include cardiac-related disorders, hormonal disorders, and autoimmune disorders or immune deficiency disorders, as defined herein.

[2069] 62092 associated or related disorders also include disorders affecting tissues in which 62092 protein is expressed.

[2070] In addition, the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides can be used to screen for naturally occurring 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 substrates, to screen for drugs or compounds which modulate 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity, as well as to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive production of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or production of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide forms which have decreased, aberrant or unwanted activity compared to 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 wild type polypeptide (e.g., phospholipid transporter-associated disorders). Moreover, the anti-67118 and/or anti-67067 antibodies of the invention can be used to detect and isolate 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides, to regulate the bioavailability of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides, and modulate 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity.

[2071] A. Screening Assays

[2072] The invention provides a method (also referred to herein as a “screening assay”) for identifying modulators, i.e., candidate or test compounds or agents (e.g., peptides, peptidomimetics, small molecules or other drugs) which bind to 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides, have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on, for example, 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression or 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity, or have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on, for example, the expression or activity of a 67118 and/or a 67067 substrate.

[2073] In one embodiment, the invention provides assays for screening candidate or test compounds which are substrates of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof. In another embodiment, the invention provides assays for screening candidate or test compounds which bind to or modulate the activity of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof. The test compounds of the present invention can be obtained using any of the numerous approaches in combinatorial library methods known in the art, including: biological libraries; spatially addressable parallel solid phase or solution phase libraries; synthetic library methods requiring deconvolution; the ‘one-bead one-compound’ library method; and synthetic library methods using affinity chromatography selection. The biological library approach is limited to peptide libraries, while the other four approaches are applicable to peptide, non-peptide oligomer or small molecule libraries of compounds (Lam, K. S. (1997) Anticancer Drug Des. 12:145).

[2074] Examples of methods for the synthesis of molecular libraries can be found in the art, for example in: DeWitt et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90:6909; Erb et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:11422; Zuckermann et al. (1994). J. Med. Chem. 37:2678; Cho et al.(1993) Science 261:1303; Carrell et al. (1994) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 33:2059; Carell et al. (1994) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 33:2061; and in Gallop et al. (1994) J. Med. Chem. 37:1233.

[2075] Libraries of compounds may be presented in solution (e.g., Houghten (1992) Biotechniques 13:412-421), or on beads (Lam (1991) Nature 354:82-84), chips (Fodor (1993) Nature 364:555-556), bacteria (Ladner U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409), spores (Ladner USP '409), plasmids (Cull et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:1865-1869) or on phage (Scott and Smith (1990) Science 249:386-390); (Devlin (1990) Science 249:404-406); (Cwirla et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 87:6378-6382); (Felici (1991) J. Mol. Biol. 222:301-310); (Ladner supra.).

[2076] In one embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay in which a cell which expresses a 67118 and/or 67067 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate 67118 and/or 67067 activity is determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate 67118 and/or 67067 activity can be accomplished by monitoring, for example, (i) interaction of 67118 and/or 67067 with a 67118 and/or 67067 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid, ATP, or a non-67118 and/or 670672 protein); (ii) transport of a 67118 and/or 67067 substrate or target molecule (e.g., an aminophospholipid such as phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylethanolamine) from one side of a cellular membrane to the other; (iii) the ability of 67118 and/or 67067 to be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated; (iv) adoption by 67118 and/or 67067 of an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation; (v) conversion of a 67118 and/or 67067 substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., hydrolysis of ATP); (vi) interaction of 67118 and/or 67067 with a second non-67118 and/or 67067 protein; (vii) modulation of substrate or target molecule location (e.g., modulation of phospholipid location within a cell and/or location with respect to a cellular membrane); (viii) maintenance of aminophospholipid gradients; (ix) modulation of intra- or intercellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); and/or (x) modulation of cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, apoptosis, absorption, and/or secretion.

[2077] In another embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay in which a cell which expresses a 62092 protein or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate 62092 activity is determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate 62092 activity can be accomplished by monitoring, for example: (i) interaction with a 62092 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a nucleotide such as a purine mononucleotide or a dinucleoside polyphosphate, or a non-62092 protein); (ii) conversion of a 62092 substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., cleavage of a nucleoside polyphosphate); (iii) interaction with a second non-62092 protein; (iv) sensation of cellular stress signals; (v) regulation of substrate or target molecule availability or activity; (vi) modulation of intra- or intercellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); and/or (vii) modulation of cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and/or apoptosis.

[2078] The ability of the test compound to modulate 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 binding to a substrate or to bind to 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 can also be determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 binding to a substrate can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 substrate with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 substrate to 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 can be determined by detecting the labeled 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 substrate in a complex. Alternatively, 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 could be coupled with a radioisotope or enzymatic label to monitor the ability of a test compound to modulate 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 binding to a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 substrate in a complex. Determining the ability of the test compound to bind 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 substrate with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 substrate to 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 can be determined by detecting the labeled 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 substrate in a complex. Alternatively, 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 could be coupled with a radioisotope or enzymatic label to monitor the ability of a test compound to modulate 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 binding to a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 substrate in a complex. Determining the ability of the test compound to bind 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the compound with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the compound to 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 can be determined by detecting the labeled 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 compound in a complex. For example, compounds (e.g., 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 substrates) can be labeled with ¹²⁵I, ³⁵S, ¹⁴C, or ³H, either directly or indirectly, and the radioisotope detected by direct counting of radioemission or by scintillation counting. Alternatively, compounds can be enzymatically labeled with, for example, horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, or luciferase, and the enzymatic label detected by determination of conversion of an appropriate substrate to product.

[2079] It is also within the scope of this invention to determine the ability of a compound (e.g., a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 substrate) to interact with 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 without the labeling of any of the interactants. For example, a microphysiometer can be used to detect the interaction of a compound with 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 without the labeling of either the compound or the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092. McConnell, H. M. et al. (1992) Science 257:1906-1912. As used herein, a “microphysiometer” (e.g., Cytosensor) is an analytical instrument that measures the rate at which a cell acidifies its environment using a light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS). Changes in this acidification rate can be used as an indicator of the interaction between a compound and 67118, 67067, and/or 62092.

[2080] In another embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay comprising contacting a cell expressing a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 target molecule (e.g., a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 substrate) with a test compound and determining the ability of the test compound to modulate (e.g., stimulate or inhibit) the activity of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 target molecule. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 target molecule can be accomplished, for example, by determining the cellular location of the target molecule, or by determining whether the target molecule (e.g., a 67118 or 67067 target molecule such as ATP, or a 62092 target molecule) has been hydrolyzed.

[2081] Determining the ability of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, or a biologically active fragment thereof, to bind to or interact with a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 target molecule can be accomplished by one of the methods described above for determining direct binding. In a preferred embodiment, determining the ability of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide to bind to or interact with a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 target molecule can be accomplished by determining the activity of the target molecule. For example, the activity of the target molecule can be determined by detecting the cellular location of target molecule, detecting catalytic/enzymatic activity of the target molecule upon an appropriate substrate, detecting induction of a metabolite of the target molecule (e.g., detecting the products of ATP hydrolysis) detecting the induction of a reporter gene (comprising a target-responsive regulatory element operatively linked to a nucleic acid encoding a detectable marker, e.g., luciferase), or detecting a target-regulated cellular response (i.e., cell growth or differentiation).

[2082] In yet another embodiment, an assay of the present invention is a cell-free assay in which a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to bind to the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is determined. Preferred biologically active portions of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides to be used in assays of the present invention include fragments which participate in interactions with non-67118, non-67067, and/or non-62092 molecules, e.g., fragments with high surface probability scores (see, for example, FIGS. 37, 40, and 43). Binding of the test compound to the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide can be determined either directly or indirectly as described above. In a preferred embodiment, the assay includes contacting the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof with a known compound which binds 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 to form an assay mixture, contacting the assay mixture with a test compound, and determining the ability of the test compound to interact with a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, wherein determining the ability of the test compound to interact with a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide comprises determining the ability of the test compound to preferentially bind to 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 or biologically active portion thereof as compared to the known compound.

[2083] In another embodiment, the assay is a cell-free assay in which a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate (e.g., stimulate or inhibit) the activity of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide can be accomplished, for example, by determining the ability of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide to bind to a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 target molecule by one of the methods described above for determining direct binding. Determining the ability of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide to bind to a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 target molecule can also be accomplished using a technology such as real-time Biomolecular Interaction Analysis (BIA). Sjolander, S. and Urbaniczky, C. (1991) Anal.Chem. 63:2338-2345 and Szabo et al. (1995) Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol. 5:699-705. As used herein, “BIA” is a technology for studying biospecific interactions in real time, without labeling any of the interactants (e.g., BIAcore). Changes in the optical phenomenon of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) can be used as an indication of real-time reactions between biological molecules.

[2084] In an alternative embodiment, determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide can be accomplished by determining the ability of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide to further modulate the activity of a downstream effector of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 target molecule. For example, the activity of the effector molecule on an appropriate target can be determined or the binding of the effector to an appropriate target can be determined as previously described.

[2085] In yet another embodiment, the cell-free assay involves contacting a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof with a known compound which binds the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide to form an assay mixture, contacting the assay mixture with a test compound, and determining the ability of the test compound to interact with the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, wherein determining the ability of the test compound to interact with the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide comprises determining the ability of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide to preferentially bind to or modulate the activity of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 target molecule.

[2086] The cell-free assays of the present invention are amenable to use of both soluble and/or membrane-bound forms of isolated proteins (e.g., 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 proteins or biologically active portions thereof ). In the case of cell-free assays in which a membrane-bound form of an isolated protein is used it may be desirable to utilize a solubilizing agent such that the membrane-bound form of the isolated protein is maintained in solution. Examples of such solubilizing agents include non-ionic detergents such as n-octylglucoside, n-dodecylglucoside, n-dodecylmaltoside, octanoyl-N-methylglucamide, decanoyl-N-methylglucamide, Triton® X-100, Triton® X-114, Thesit®, Isotridecypoly(ethylene glycol ether)_(n), 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylamminio]-1-propane sulfonate (CHAPS), 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylamminio]-2-hydroxy-1-propane sulfonate (CHAPSO), or N-dodecyl=N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propane sulfonate.

[2087] In more than one embodiment of the above assay methods of the present invention, it may be desirable to immobilize either 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 or its target molecule to facilitate separation of complexed from uncomplexed forms of one or both of the proteins, as well as to accommodate automation of the assay. Binding of a test compound to a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, or interaction of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide with a target molecule in the presence and absence of a candidate compound, can be accomplished in any vessel suitable for containing the reactants. Examples of such vessels include microtiter plates, test tubes, and micro-centrifuge tubes. In one embodiment, a fusion protein can be provided which adds a domain that allows one or both of the proteins to be bound to a matrix. For example, glutathione-S-transferase/67118, 67067, and/or 62092 fusion proteins or glutathione-S-transferase/target fusion proteins can be adsorbed onto glutathione sepharose beads (Sigma Chemical, St. Louis, Mo.) or glutathione derivatized micrometer plates, which are then combined with the test compound or the test compound and either the non-adsorbed target protein or 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, and the mixture incubated under conditions conducive to complex formation (e.g., at physiological conditions for salt and pH). Following incubation, the beads or micrometer plate wells are washed to remove any unbound components, the matrix immobilized in the case of beads, complex determined either directly or indirectly, for example, as described above. Alternatively, the complexes can be dissociated from the matrix, and the level of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 binding or activity determined using standard techniques.

[2088] Other techniques for immobilizing proteins on matrices can also be used in the screening assays of the invention. For example, either a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 target molecule can be immobilized utilizing conjugation of biotin and streptavidin. Biotinylated 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, substrate, or target molecules can be prepared from biotin-NHS (N-hydroxy-succinimide) using techniques known in the art (e.g., biotinylation kit, Pierce Chemicals, Rockford, Ill.), and immobilized in the wells of streptavidin-coated 96 well plates (Pierce Chemical). Alternatively, antibodies reactive with 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or target molecules but which do not interfere with binding of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide to its target molecule can be derivatized to the wells of the plate, and unbound target or 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide trapped in the wells by antibody conjugation. Methods for detecting such complexes, in addition to those described above for the GST-immobilized complexes, include immunodetection of complexes using antibodies reactive with the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or target molecule, as well as enzyme-linked assays which rely on detecting an enzymatic activity associated with the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or target molecule.

[2089] In another embodiment, modulators of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression are identified in a method wherein a cell is contacted with a candidate compound and the expression of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA or polypeptide in the cell is determined. The level of expression of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA or polypeptide in the presence of the candidate compound is compared to the level of expression of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA or polypeptide in the absence of the candidate compound. The candidate compound can then be identified as a modulator of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression based on this comparison. For example, when expression of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA or polypeptide is greater (statistically significantly greater) in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as a stimulator of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA or polypeptide expression. Alternatively, when expression of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA or polypeptide is less (statistically significantly less) in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as an inhibitor of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA or polypeptide expression. The level of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA or polypeptide expression in the cells can be determined by methods described herein for detecting 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA or polypeptide.

[2090] In yet another aspect of the invention, the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides can be used as “bait proteins” in a two-hybrid assay or three-hybrid assay (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,317; Zervos et al. (1993) Cell 72:223-232; Madura et al. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268:12046-12054; Bartel et al. (1993) Biotechniques 14:920-924; Iwabuchi et al. (1993) Oncogene 8:1693-1696; and Brent WO94/10300), to identify other proteins, which bind to or interact with 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 (“67118-binding proteins” and “67067-binding proteins,” or “67118-bp” “67067-bp”) and are involved in 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity. Such 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-binding proteins are also likely to be involved in the propagation of signals by the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptides or 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 targets as, for example, downstream elements of a 67118- and/or 67067-mediated signaling pathway. Alternatively, such 67118- and/or 67067-binding proteins are likely to be 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 inhibitors.

[2091] The two-hybrid system is based on the modular nature of most transcription factors, which consist of separable DNA-binding and activation domains. Briefly, the assay utilizes two different DNA constructs. In one construct, the gene that codes for a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide is fused to a gene encoding the DNA binding domain of a known transcription factor (e.g., GAL-4). In the other construct, a DNA sequence, from a library of DNA sequences, that encodes an unidentified protein (“prey” or “sample”) is fused to a gene that codes for the activation domain of the known transcription factor. If the “bait” and the “prey” proteins are able to interact, in vivo, forming a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-dependent complex, the DNA-binding and activation domains of the transcription factor are brought into close proximity. This proximity allows transcription of a reporter gene (e.g., LacZ) which is operably linked to a transcriptional regulatory site responsive to the transcription factor. Expression of the reporter gene can be detected and cell colonies containing the functional transcription factor can be isolated and used to obtain the cloned gene which encodes the protein which interacts with the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide.

[2092] In another aspect, the invention pertains to a combination of two or more of the assays described herein. For example, a modulating agent can be identified using a cell-based or a cell free assay, and the ability of the agent to modulate the activity of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide can be confirmed in vivo, e.g., in an animal such as an animal model for cellular transformation and/or tumorigenesis, such as animal models for colon cancer or lung cancer. Animal based models for studying tumorigenesis in vivo are well known in the art (reviewed in Animal Models of Cancer Predisposition Syndromes, Hiai, H and Hino, O (eds.) 1999, Progress in Experimental Tumor Research, Vol. 35; Clarke A R Carcinogenesis (2000) 21:435-41) and include, for example, carcinogen-induced tumors (Rithidech, K et al. Mutat. Res. (1999) 428:33-39; Miller, M. L. et al. Environ Mol Mutagen (2000) 35:319-327), injection and/or transplantation of tumor cells into an animal, as well as animals bearing mutations in growth regulatory genes, for example, oncogenes (e.g., ras) (Arbeit, J M et al. Am J Pathol (1993) 142:1187-1197; Sinn, E et al. Cell (1987) 49:465-475; Thorgeirsson, S S et al. Toxicol Lett (2000) 112-113:553-555) and tumor suppressor genes (e.g., p53) (Vooijs, M et al. Oncogene (1999) 18:5293-5303; Clark A R Cancer Metast Rev (1995) 14:125-148; Kumar, T R et al. J. Intern Med (1995) 238:233-238; Donehower, L A et al. (1992) Nature 356215-221). Furthermore, experimental model systems are available for the study of, for example, ovarian cancer (Hamilton, T C et al. Semin Oncol (1984) 11:285-298; Rahman, N A et al. Mol Cell Endocrinol (1998) 145:167-174; Beamer, W G et al. Toxicol Pathol (1998) 26:704-710), gastric cancer (Thompson, J et al. (2000) Int. J. Cancer 86:863-869; Fodde, R et al. Cytogenet Cell Genet (1999) 86:105-111), breast cancer (Li, M et al. Oncogene (2000) 19:1010-1019; Green, J E et al. Oncogene (2000) 19:1020-1027), melanoma (Satyamoorthy, K et al. Cancer Metast Rev (1999) 18:401-405), and prostate cancer (Shirai, T et al. Mutat. Res. (2000) 462:219-226; Bostwick, D G et al. Prostate (2000) 43:286-294).

[2093] This invention further pertains to novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays. Accordingly, it is within the scope of this invention to further use an agent identified as described herein in an appropriate animal model. For example, an agent identified as described herein (e.g., a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 modulating agent, an antisense 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid molecule, a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-specific antibody, or a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-binding partner) can be used in an animal model to determine the efficacy, toxicity, or side effects of treatment with such an agent. Alternatively, an agent identified as described herein can be used in an animal model to determine the mechanism of action of such an agent. Furthermore, this invention pertains to uses of novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays for treatments as described herein.

[2094] B. Detection Assays

[2095] Portions or fragments of the cDNA sequences identified herein (and the corresponding complete gene sequences) can be used in numerous ways as polynucleotide reagents. For example, these sequences can be used to: (i) map their respective genes on a chromosome; and, thus, locate gene regions associated with genetic disease; (ii) identify an individual from a minute biological sample (tissue typing); and (iii) aid in forensic identification of a biological sample. These applications are described in the subsections below.

[2096] 1. Chromosome Mapping

[2097] Once the sequence (or a portion of the sequence) of a gene has been isolated, this sequence can be used to map the location of the gene on a chromosome. This process is called chromosome mapping. Accordingly, portions or fragments of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleotide sequences, described herein, can be used to map the location of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 genes on a chromosome. The mapping of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequences to chromosomes is an important first step in correlating these sequences with genes associated with disease.

[2098] Briefly, 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 genes can be mapped to chromosomes by preparing PCR primers (preferably 15-25 bp in length) from the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleotide sequences. Computer analysis of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequences can be used to predict primers that do not span more than one exon in the genomic DNA, thus complicating the amplification process. These primers can then be used for PCR screening of somatic cell hybrids containing individual human chromosomes. Only those hybrids containing the human gene corresponding to the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequences will yield an amplified fragment.

[2099] Somatic cell hybrids are prepared by fusing somatic cells from different mammals (e.g., human and mouse cells). As hybrids of human and mouse cells grow and divide, they gradually lose human chromosomes in random order, but retain the mouse chromosomes. By using media in which mouse cells cannot grow, because they lack a particular enzyme, but human cells can, the one human chromosome that contains the gene encoding the needed enzyme, will be retained. By using various media, panels of hybrid cell lines can be established. Each cell line in a panel contains either a single human chromosome or a small number of human chromosomes, and a full set of mouse chromosomes, allowing easy mapping of individual genes to specific human chromosomes (D'Eustachio P. et al. (1983) Science 220:919-924). Somatic cell hybrids containing only fragments of human chromosomes can also be produced by using human chromosomes with translocations and deletions.

[2100] PCR mapping of somatic cell hybrids is a rapid procedure for assigning a particular sequence to a particular chromosome. Three or more sequences can be assigned per day using a single thermal cycler. Using the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleotide sequences to design oligonucleotide primers, sublocalization can be achieved with panels of fragments from specific chromosomes. Other mapping strategies which can similarly be used to map a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequence to its chromosome include in situ hybridization (described in Fan, Y. et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 87:6223-27), pre-screening with labeled flow-sorted chromosomes, and pre-selection by hybridization to chromosome specific cDNA libraries.

[2101] Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of a DNA sequence to a metaphase chromosomal spread can further be used to provide a precise chromosomal location in one step. Chromosome spreads can be made using cells whose division has been blocked in metaphase by a chemical such as colcemid that disrupts the mitotic spindle. The chromosomes can be treated briefly with trypsin, and then stained with Giemsa. A pattern of light and dark bands develops on each chromosome, so that the chromosomes can be identified individually. The FISH technique can be used with a DNA sequence as short as 500 or 600 bases. However, clones larger than 1,000 bases have a higher likelihood of binding to a unique chromosomal location with sufficient signal intensity for simple detection. Preferably 1,000 bases, and more preferably 2,000 bases will suffice to get good results at a reasonable amount of time. For a review of this technique, see Verma et al., Human Chromosomes: A Manual of Basic Techniques (Pergamon Press, New York 1988).

[2102] Reagents for chromosome mapping can be used individually to mark a single chromosome or a single site on that chromosome, or panels of reagents can be used for marking multiple sites and/or multiple chromosomes. Reagents corresponding to noncoding regions of the genes actually are preferred for mapping purposes. Coding sequences are more likely to be conserved within gene families, thus increasing the chance of cross hybridizations during chromosomal mapping.

[2103] Once a sequence has been mapped to a precise chromosomal location, the physical position of the sequence on the chromosome can be correlated with genetic map data. (Such data are found, for example, in V. McKusick, Mendelian Inheritance in Man, available on-line through Johns Hopkins University Welch Medical Library). The relationship between a gene and a disease, mapped to the same chromosomal region, can then be identified through linkage analysis (co-inheritance of physically adjacent genes), described in, for example, Egeland, J. et al. (1987) Nature, 325:783-787.

[2104] Moreover, differences in the DNA sequences between individuals affected and unaffected with a disease associated with the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene, can be determined. If a mutation is observed in some or all of the affected individuals but not in any unaffected individuals, then the mutation is likely to be the causative agent of the particular disease. Comparison of affected and unaffected individuals generally involves first looking for structural alterations in the chromosomes, such as deletions or translocations that are visible from chromosome spreads or detectable using PCR based on that DNA sequence. Ultimately, complete sequencing of genes from several individuals can be performed to confirm the presence of a mutation and to distinguish mutations from polymorphisms.

[2105] 2. Tissue Typing

[2106] The 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequences of the present invention can also be used to identify individuals from minute biological samples. The United States military, for example, is considering the use of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) for identification of its personnel. In this technique, an individual's genomic DNA is digested with one or more restriction enzymes, and probed on a Southern blot to yield unique bands for identification. This method does not suffer from the current limitations of “Dog Tags” which can be lost, switched, or stolen, making positive identification difficult. The sequences of the present invention are useful as additional DNA markers for RFLP (described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,057).

[2107] Furthermore, the sequences of the present invention can be used to provide an alternative technique which determines the actual base-by-base DNA sequence of selected portions of an individual's genome. Thus, the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleotide sequences described herein can be used to prepare two PCR primers from the 5′ and 3′ ends of the sequences. These primers can then be used to amplify an individual's DNA and subsequently sequence it.

[2108] Panels of corresponding DNA sequences from individuals, prepared in this manner, can provide unique individual identifications, as each individual will have a unique set of such DNA sequences due to allelic differences. The sequences of the present invention can be used to obtain such identification sequences from individuals and from tissue. The 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleotide sequences of the invention uniquely represent portions of the human genome. Allelic variation occurs to some degree in the coding regions of these sequences, and to a greater degree in the noncoding regions. It is estimated that allelic variation between individual humans occurs with a frequency of about once per each 500 bases. Each of the sequences described herein can, to some degree, be used as a standard against which DNA from an individual can be compared for identification purposes. Because greater numbers of polymorphisms occur in the noncoding regions, fewer sequences are necessary to differentiate individuals. The noncoding sequences of SEQ ID NO: 33, 36, or 39 can comfortably provide positive individual identification with a panel of perhaps 10 to 1,000 primers which each yield a noncoding amplified sequence of 100 bases. If predicted coding sequences, such as those in SEQ ID NO: 35, 38, or 41 are used, a more appropriate number of primers for positive individual identification would be 500-2,000.

[2109] If a panel of reagents from 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleotide sequences described herein is used to generate a unique identification database for an individual, those same reagents can later be used to identify tissue from that individual. Using the unique identification database, positive identification of the individual, living or dead, can be made from extremely small tissue samples.

[2110] 3. Use of 67118, 67067, and 62092 Sequences in Forensic Biology

[2111] DNA-based identification techniques can also be used in forensic biology. Forensic biology is a scientific field employing genetic typing of biological evidence found at a crime scene as a means for positively identifying, for example, a perpetrator of a crime. To make such an identification, PCR technology can be used to amplify DNA sequences taken from very small biological samples such as tissues, e.g., hair or skin, or body fluids, e.g., blood, saliva, or semen found at a crime scene. The amplified sequence can then be compared to a standard, thereby allowing identification of the origin of the biological sample.

[2112] The sequences of the present invention can be used to provide polynucleotide reagents, e.g., PCR primers, targeted to specific loci in the human genome, which can enhance the reliability of DNA-based forensic identifications by, for example, providing another “identification marker” (i.e. another DNA sequence that is unique to a particular individual). As mentioned above, actual base sequence information can be used for identification as an accurate alternative to patterns formed by restriction enzyme generated fragments. Sequences targeted to noncoding regions of SEQ ID NO: 33, 36, or 39 are particularly appropriate for this use as greater numbers of polymorphisms occur in the noncoding regions, making it easier to differentiate individuals using this technique. Examples of polynucleotide reagents include the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleotide sequences or portions thereof, e.g., fragments derived from the noncoding regions of SEQ ID NO: 33, 36, or 39 having a length of at least 20 bases, preferably at least 30 bases.

[2113] The 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleotide sequences described herein can further be used to provide polynucleotide reagents, e.g., labeled or labelable probes which can be used in, for example, an in situ hybridization technique, to identify a specific tissue, e.g., brain tissue. This can be very useful in cases where a forensic pathologist is presented with a tissue of unknown origin. Panels of such 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 probes can be used to identify tissue by species and/or by organ type.

[2114] In a similar fashion, these reagents, e.g., 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 primers or probes can be used to screen tissue culture for contamination (i.e. screen for the presence of a mixture of different types of cells in a culture).

[2115] C. Predictive Medicine:

[2116] The present invention also pertains to the field of predictive medicine in which diagnostic assays, prognostic assays, and monitoring clinical trials are used for prognostic (predictive) purposes to thereby treat an individual prophylactically. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention relates to diagnostic assays for determining 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide and/or nucleic acid expression as well as 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity, in the context of a biological sample (e.g., blood, serum, cells, tissue) to thereby determine whether an individual is afflicted with a disease or disorder, or is at risk of developing a disorder, associated with aberrant or unwanted 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression or activity. The invention also provides for prognostic (or predictive) assays for determining whether an individual is at risk of developing a disorder associated with 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, nucleic acid expression or activity. For example, mutations in a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene can be assayed in a biological sample. Such assays can be used for prognostic or predictive purpose to thereby prophylactically treat an individual prior to the onset of a disorder characterized by or associated with 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, nucleic acid expression or activity.

[2117] Another aspect of the invention pertains to monitoring the influence of agents (e.g., drugs, compounds) on the expression or activity of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 in clinical trials.

[2118] These and other agents are described in further detail in the following sections.

[2119] 1. Diagnostic Assays

[2120] An exemplary method for detecting the presence or absence of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or nucleic acid in a biological sample involves obtaining a biological sample from a test subject and contacting the biological sample with a compound or an agent capable of detecting 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA, or genomic DNA) that encodes 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide such that the presence of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or nucleic acid is detected in the biological sample. In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for detecting the presence of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity in a biological sample by contacting the biological sample with an agent capable of detecting an indicator of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity such that the presence of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity is detected in the biological sample. A preferred agent for detecting 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA or genomic DNA is a labeled nucleic acid probe capable of hybridizing to 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA or genomic DNA. The nucleic acid probe can be, for example, the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid set forth in SEQ ID NO: 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, or 41, or the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______ and/or ______, or a portion thereof, such as an oligonucleotide of at least 15, 30, 50, 100, 250 or 500 nucleotides in length and sufficient to specifically hybridize under stringent conditions to 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA or genomic DNA. Other suitable probes for use in the diagnostic assays of the invention are described herein.

[2121] A preferred agent for detecting 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide is an antibody capable of binding to 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, preferably an antibody with a detectable label. Antibodies can be polyclonal, or more preferably, monoclonal. An intact antibody, or a fragment thereof (e.g., Fab or F(ab′)2) can be used. The term “labeled”, with regard to the probe or antibody, is intended to encompass direct labeling of the probe or antibody by coupling (i.e., physically linking) a detectable substance to the probe or antibody, as well as indirect labeling of the probe or antibody by reactivity with another reagent that is directly labeled. Examples of indirect labeling include detection of a primary antibody using a fluorescently labeled secondary antibody and end-labeling of a DNA probe with biotin such that it can be detected with fluorescently labeled streptavidin. The term “biological sample” is intended to include tissues, cells and biological fluids isolated from a subject, as well as tissues, cells and fluids present within a subject. That is, the detection method of the invention can be used to detect 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA, polypeptide, or genomic DNA in a biological sample in vitro as well as in vivo. For example, in vitro techniques for detection of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA include Northern hybridizations and in situ hybridizations. In vitro techniques for detection of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide include enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), Western blots, immunoprecipitations and immunofluorescence. In vitro techniques for detection of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 genomic DNA include Southern hybridizations. Furthermore, in vivo techniques for detection of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide include introducing into a subject a labeled anti-67118, anti-67067 and/or anti-62092 antibody. For example, the antibody can be labeled with a radioactive marker whose presence and location in a subject can be detected by standard imaging techniques.

[2122] The present invention also provides diagnostic assays for identifying the presence or absence of a genetic alteration characterized by at least one of (i) aberrant modification or mutation of a gene encoding a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide; (ii) aberrant expression of a gene encoding a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide; (iii) mis-regulation of the gene; and (iii) aberrant post-translational modification of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, wherein a wild-type form of the gene encodes a polypeptide with a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity. “Misexpression or aberrant expression”, as used herein, refers to a non-wild type pattern of gene expression, at the RNA or protein level. It includes, but is not limited to, expression at non-wild type levels (e.g., over or under expression); a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the time or stage at which the gene is expressed (e.g., increased or decreased expression (as compared with wild type) at a predetermined developmental period or stage); a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of decreased expression (as compared with wild type) in a predetermined cell type or tissue type; a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the splicing size, amino acid sequence, post-transitional modification, or biological activity of the expressed polypeptide; a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the effect of an environmental stimulus or extracellular stimulus on expression of the gene (e.g., a pattern of increased or decreased expression (as compared with wild type) in the presence of an increase or decrease in the strength of the stimulus).

[2123] In one embodiment, the biological sample contains protein molecules from the test subject. Alternatively, the biological sample can contain mRNA molecules from the test subject or genomic DNA molecules from the test subject. A preferred biological sample is a serum sample isolated by conventional means from a subject, or a tumor sample, such as a colon tumor sample or a lung tumor sample.

[2124] In another embodiment, the methods further involve obtaining a control biological sample from a control subject, contacting the control sample with a compound or agent capable of detecting 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA, such that the presence of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, mRNA or genomic DNA is detected in the biological sample, and comparing the presence of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, mRNA or genomic DNA in the control sample with the presence of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, mRNA or genomic DNA in the test sample.

[2125] The invention also encompasses kits for detecting the presence of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 in a biological sample. For example, the kit can comprise a labeled compound or agent capable of detecting 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or mRNA in a biological sample; means for determining the amount of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 in the sample; and means for comparing the amount of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 in the sample with a standard. The compound or agent can be packaged in a suitable container. The kit can further comprise instructions for using the kit to detect 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or nucleic acid.

[2126] 2. Prognostic Assays

[2127] The diagnostic methods described herein can furthermore be utilized to identify subjects having or at risk of developing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression or activity. As used herein, the term “aberrant” includes a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression or activity which deviates from the wild type 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression or activity. Aberrant expression or activity includes increased or decreased expression or activity, as well as expression or activity which does not follow the wild type developmental pattern of expression or the subcellular pattern of expression. For example, aberrant 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression or activity is intended to include the cases in which a mutation in the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene causes the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene to be under-expressed or over-expressed and situations in which such mutations result in a non-functional 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or a polypeptide which does not function in a wild-type fashion, e.g., a protein which does not interact with or transport a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 substrate, or one which interacts with or transports a non-67118, 67067, and/or 62092 substrate. As used herein, the term “unwanted” includes an unwanted phenomenon involved in a biological response such as deregulated cell proliferation. For example, the term unwanted includes a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression or activity which is undesirable in a subject.

[2128] The assays described herein, such as the preceding diagnostic assays or the following assays, can be utilized to identify a subject having or at risk of developing a disorder associated with a misregulation in 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a as a cell growth, proliferation and/or differentiation disorder, e.g., cancer, including, but not limited to colon cancer or lung cancer. Alternatively, the prognostic assays can be utilized to identify a subject having or at risk for developing a disorder associated with a misregulation in 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a cell growth, proliferation and/or differentiation disorder. Thus, the present invention provides a method for identifying a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression or activity in which a test sample is obtained from a subject and 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA or genomic DNA) is detected, wherein the presence of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or nucleic acid is diagnostic for a subject having or at risk of developing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression or activity. As used herein, a “test sample” refers to a biological sample obtained from a subject of interest. For example, a test sample can be a biological fluid (e.g., serum), cell sample, or tissue, e.g., a colon tumor sample or a lung tumor sample.

[2129] Furthermore, the prognostic assays described herein can be used to determine whether a subject can be administered an agent (e.g., an agonist, antagonist, peptidomimetic, protein, peptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or other drug candidate) to treat a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression or activity. For example, such methods can be used to determine whether a subject can be effectively treated with an agent for a transporter-associated disorder. Thus, the present invention provides methods for determining whether a subject can be effectively treated with an agent for a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression or activity in which a test sample is obtained and 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or nucleic acid expression or activity is detected (e.g., wherein the abundance of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or nucleic acid expression or activity is diagnostic for a subject that can be administered the agent to treat a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression or activity).

[2130] The methods of the invention can also be used to detect genetic alterations in a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene, thereby determining if a subject with the altered gene is at risk for a disorder characterized by misregulation in 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a cell growth, proliferation and/or differentiation disorder. In preferred embodiments, the methods include detecting, in a sample of cells from the subject, the presence or absence of a genetic alteration characterized by at least one of an alteration affecting the integrity of a gene encoding a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-polypeptide, or the mis-expression of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene. For example, such genetic alterations can be detected by ascertaining the existence of at least one of 1) a deletion of one or more nucleotides from a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene; 2) an addition of one or more nucleotides to a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene; 3) a substitution of one or more nucleotides of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene, 4) a chromosomal rearrangement of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene; 5) an alteration in the level of a messenger RNA transcript of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene, 6) aberrant modification of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene, such as of the methylation pattern of the genomic DNA, 7) the presence of a non-wild type splicing pattern of a messenger RNA transcript of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene, 8) a non-wild type level of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-polypeptide, 9) allelic loss of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene, and 10) inappropriate post-translational modification of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-polypeptide. As described herein, there are a large number of assays known in the art which can be used for detecting alterations in a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene. A preferred biological sample is a tissue or serum sample isolated by conventional means from a subject.

[2131] In certain embodiments, detection of the alteration involves the use of a probe/primer in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195 and 4,683,202), such as anchor PCR or RACE PCR, or, alternatively, in a ligation chain reaction (LCR) (see, e.g., Landegran et al. (1988) Science 241:1077-1080; and Nakazawa et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:360-364), the latter of which can be particularly useful for detecting point mutations in the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene (see Abravaya et al. (1995) Nucleic Acids Res. 23:675-682). This method can include the steps of collecting a sample of cells from a subject, isolating nucleic acid (e.g., genomic, mRNA or both) from the cells of the sample, contacting the nucleic acid sample with one or more primers which specifically hybridize to a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene under conditions such that hybridization and amplification of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene (if present) occurs, and detecting the presence or absence of an amplification product, or detecting the size of the amplification product and comparing the length to a control sample. It is anticipated that PCR and/or LCR may be desirable to use as a preliminary amplification step in conjunction with any of the techniques used for detecting mutations described herein.

[2132] Alternative amplification methods include: self sustained sequence replication (Guatelli, J. C. et al., (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:1874-1878), transcriptional amplification system (Kwoh, D. Y. et al., (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:1173-1177), Q-Beta Replicase (Lizardi, P. M. et al. (1988) Bio-Technology 6:1197), or any other nucleic acid amplification method, followed by the detection of the amplified molecules using techniques well known to those of skill in the art. These detection schemes are especially useful for the detection of nucleic acid molecules if such molecules are present in very low numbers.

[2133] In an alternative embodiment, mutations in a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene from a sample cell can be identified by alterations in restriction enzyme cleavage patterns. For example, sample and control DNA is isolated, amplified (optionally), digested with one or more restriction endonucleases, and fragment length sizes are determined by gel electrophoresis and compared. Differences in fragment length sizes between sample and control DNA indicates mutations in the sample DNA. Moreover, the use of sequence specific ribozymes (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,531) can be used to score for the presence of specific mutations by development or loss of a ribozyme cleavage site.

[2134] In other embodiments, genetic mutations in 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 can be identified by hybridizing a sample and control nucleic acids, e.g., DNA or RNA, to high density arrays containing hundreds or thousands of oligonucleotides probes (Cronin, M. T. et al. (1996) Human Mutation 7: 244-255; Kozal, M. J. et al. (1996) Nature Medicine 2: 753-759). For example, genetic mutations in 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 can be identified in two dimensional arrays containing light-generated DNA probes as described in Cronin, M. T. et al. supra. Briefly, a first hybridization array of probes can be used to scan through long stretches of DNA in a sample and control to identify base changes between the sequences by making linear arrays of sequential overlapping probes. This step allows the identification of point mutations. This step is followed by a second hybridization array that allows the characterization of specific mutations by using smaller, specialized probe arrays complementary to all variants or mutations detected. Each mutation array is composed of parallel probe sets, one complementary to the wild-type gene and the other complementary to the mutant gene.

[2135] In yet another embodiment, any of a variety of sequencing reactions known in the art can be used to directly sequence the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene and detect mutations by comparing the sequence of the sample 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 with the corresponding wild-type (control) sequence. Examples of sequencing reactions include those based on techniques developed by Maxam and Gilbert ((1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:560) or Sanger ((1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:5463). It is also contemplated that any of a variety of automated sequencing procedures can be utilized when performing the diagnostic assays ((1995) Biotechniques 19:448), including sequencing by mass spectrometry (see, e.g., PCT International Publication No. WO 94/16101; Cohen et al. (1996) Adv. Chromatogr. 36:127-162; and Griffin et al.(1993) Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 38:147-159).

[2136] Other methods for detecting mutations in the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene include methods in which protection from cleavage agents is used to detect mismatched bases in RNA/RNA or RNA/DNA heteroduplexes (Myers et al. (1985) Science 230:1242). In general, the art technique of “mismatch cleavage” starts by providing heteroduplexes of formed by hybridizing (labeled) RNA or DNA containing the wild-type 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequence with potentially mutant RNA or DNA obtained from a tissue sample. The double-stranded duplexes are treated with an agent which cleaves single-stranded regions of the duplex such as which will exist due to basepair mismatches between the control and sample strands. For instance, RNA/DNA duplexes can be treated with RNase and DNA/DNA hybrids treated with S1 nuclease to enzymatically digesting the mismatched regions. In other embodiments, either DNA/DNA or RNA/DNA duplexes can be treated with hydroxylamine or osmium tetroxide and with piperidine in order to digest mismatched regions. After digestion of the mismatched regions, the resulting material is then separated by size on denaturing polyacrylamide gels to determine the site of mutation. See, for example, Cotton et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:4397; Saleeba et al. (1992) Methods Enzymol. 217:286-295. In a preferred embodiment, the control DNA or RNA can be labeled for detection.

[2137] In still another embodiment, the mismatch cleavage reaction employs one or more proteins that recognize mismatched base pairs in double-stranded DNA (so called “DNA mismatch repair” enzymes) in defined systems for detecting and mapping point mutations in 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 cDNAs obtained from samples of cells. For example, the mutY enzyme of E. coli cleaves A at G/A mismatches and the thymidine DNA glycosylase from HeLa cells cleaves T at G/T mismatches (Hsu et al. (1994) Carcinogenesis 15:1657-1662). According to an exemplary embodiment, a probe based on a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequence, e.g., a wild-type 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequence, is hybridized to a cDNA or other DNA product from a test cell(s). The duplex is treated with a DNA mismatch repair enzyme, and the cleavage products, if any, can be detected from electrophoresis protocols or the like. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,039.

[2138] In other embodiments, alterations in electrophoretic mobility will be used to identify mutations in 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 genes. For example, single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) may be used to detect differences in electrophoretic mobility between mutant and wild type nucleic acids (Orita et al. (1989) Proc Natl. Acad. Sci USA: 86:2766, see also Cotton (1993) Mutat. Res. 285:125-144; and Hayashi (1992) Genet. Anal. Tech. Appl. 9:73-79). Single-stranded DNA fragments of sample and control 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acids will be denatured and allowed to renature. The secondary structure of single-stranded nucleic acids varies according to sequence, the resulting alteration in electrophoretic mobility enables the detection of even a single base change. The DNA fragments may be labeled or detected with labeled probes. The sensitivity of the assay may be enhanced by using RNA (rather than DNA), in which the secondary structure is more sensitive to a change in sequence. In a preferred embodiment, the subject method utilizes heteroduplex analysis to separate double stranded heteroduplex molecules on the basis of changes in electrophoretic mobility (Keen et al. (1991) Trends Genet 7:5).

[2139] In yet another embodiment the movement of mutant or wild-type fragments in polyacrylamide gels containing a gradient of denaturant is assayed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) (Myers et al. (1985) Nature 313:495). When DGGE is used as the method of analysis, DNA will be modified to insure that it does not completely denature, for example by adding a GC clamp of approximately 40 bp of high-melting GC-rich DNA by PCR. In a further embodiment, a temperature gradient is used in place of a denaturing gradient to identify differences in the mobility of control and sample DNA (Rosenbaum and Reissner (1987) Biophys Chem 265:12753).

[2140] Examples of other techniques for detecting point mutations include, but are not limited to, selective oligonucleotide hybridization, selective amplification, or selective primer extension. For example, oligonucleotide primers may be prepared in which the known mutation is placed centrally and then hybridized to target DNA under conditions which permit hybridization only if a perfect match is found (Saiki et al. (1986) Nature 324:163); Saiki et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6230). Such allele specific oligonucleotides are hybridized to PCR amplified target DNA or a number of different mutations when the oligonucleotides are attached to the hybridizing membrane and hybridized with labeled target DNA.

[2141] Alternatively, allele specific amplification technology which depends on selective PCR amplification may be used in conjunction with the instant invention. Oligonucleotides used as primers for specific amplification may carry the mutation of interest in the center of the molecule (so that amplification depends on differential hybridization) (Gibbs et al. (1989) Nucleic Acids Res. 17:2437-2448) or at the extreme 3′ end of one primer where, under appropriate conditions, mismatch can prevent, or reduce polymerase extension (Prossner (1993) Tibtech 11:238). In addition it may be desirable to introduce a novel restriction site in the region of the mutation to create cleavage-based detection (Gasparini et al.(1992) Mol. Cell Probes 6:1). It is anticipated that in certain embodiments amplification may also be performed using Taq ligase for amplification (Barany (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 88:189). In such cases, ligation will occur only if there is a perfect match at the 3′ end of the 5′ sequence making it possible to detect the presence of a known mutation at a specific site by looking for the presence or absence of amplification.

[2142] The methods described herein may be performed, for example, by utilizing pre-packaged diagnostic kits comprising at least one probe nucleic acid or antibody reagent described herein, which may be conveniently used, e.g., in clinical settings to diagnose patients exhibiting symptoms or family history of a disease or illness involving a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene.

[2143] Furthermore, any cell type or tissue in which 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 is expressed may be utilized in the prognostic assays described herein.

[2144] 3. Monitoring of Effects During Clinical Trials

[2145] Monitoring the influence of agents (e.g., drugs) on the expression or activity of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide (e.g., the modulation of gene expression, cellular signaling, 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity, phospholipid transporter activity, and/or cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, absorption, and/or secretion mechanisms) can be applied not only in basic drug screening, but also in clinical trials. For example, the effectiveness of an agent determined by a screening assay as described herein to increase 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene expression, polypeptide levels, or upregulate 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity, can be monitored in clinical trials of subjects exhibiting decreased 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene expression, polypeptide levels, or downregulated 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity. Alternatively, the effectiveness of an agent determined by a screening assay to decrease 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene expression, polypeptide levels, or downregulate 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity, can be monitored in clinical trials of subjects exhibiting increased 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene expression, polypeptide levels, or upregulated 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity. In such clinical trials, the expression or activity of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene, and preferably, other genes that have been implicated in, for example, a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-associated disorder can be used as a “read out” or markers of the phenotype of a particular cell.

[2146] For example, and not by way of limitation, genes, including 67118, 67067, and/or 62092, that are modulated in cells by treatment with an agent (e.g., compound, drug or small molecule) which modulates 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity (e.g., identified in a screening assay as described herein) can be identified. Thus, to study the effect of agents on 67118, 67067, or 62092-associated disorders (e.g., disorders characterized by deregulated gene expression, cellular signaling, 67118 or 67067 activity, phospholipid transporter activity, and/or cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, absorption, and/or secretion mechanisms or disorders characterized by 62092 activity, nucleotide binding activity, and/or apoptosis mechanisms), for example, in a clinical trial, cells can be isolated and RNA prepared and analyzed for the levels of expression of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 and other genes implicated in the 67118, 67067, or 62092-associated disorder, respectively. The levels of gene expression (e.g., a gene expression pattern) can be quantified by northern blot analysis or RT-PCR, as described herein, or alternatively by measuring the amount of polypeptide produced, by one of the methods as described herein, or by measuring the levels of activity of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 or other genes. In this way, the gene expression pattern can serve as a marker, indicative of the physiological response of the cells to the agent. Accordingly, this response state may be determined before, and at various points during treatment of the individual with the agent.

[2147] In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method for monitoring the effectiveness of treatment of a subject with an agent (e.g., an agonist, antagonist, peptidomimetic, protein, peptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or other drug candidate identified by the screening assays described herein) including the steps of (i) obtaining a pre-administration sample from a subject prior to administration of the agent; (ii) detecting the level of expression of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the preadministration sample; (iii) obtaining one or more post-administration samples from the subject; (iv) detecting the level of expression or activity of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the post-administration samples; (v) comparing the level of expression or activity of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the pre-administration sample with the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the post administration sample or samples; and (vi) altering the administration of the agent to the subject accordingly. For example, increased administration of the agent may be desirable to increase the expression or activity of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 to higher levels than detected, i.e., to increase the effectiveness of the agent. Alternatively, decreased administration of the agent may be desirable to decrease expression or activity of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 to lower levels than detected, i.e. to decrease the effectiveness of the agent. According to such an embodiment, 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression or activity may be used as an indicator of the effectiveness of an agent, even in the absence of an observable phenotypic response.

[2148] D. Methods of Treatment:

[2149] The present invention provides for both prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treating a subject at risk of (or susceptible to) a disorder or having a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression or activity, e.g. a phospholipid transporter-associated disorder. “Treatment”, as used herein, is defined as the application or administration of a therapeutic agent to a patient, or application or administration of a therapeutic agent to an isolated tissue or cell line from a patient, who has a disease or disorder, a symptom of disease or disorder or a predisposition toward a disease or disorder, with the purpose to cure, heal, alleviate, relieve, alter, remedy, ameliorate, improve or affect the disease or disorder, the symptoms of disease or disorder or the predisposition toward a disease or disorder. A therapeutic agent includes, but is not limited to, small molecules, peptides, antibodies, ribozymes and antisense oligonucleotides.

[2150] With regards to both prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treatment, such treatments may be specifically tailored or modified, based on knowledge obtained from the field of pharmacogenomics. “Pharmacogenomics”, as used herein, refers to the application of genomics technologies such as gene sequencing, statistical genetics, and gene expression analysis to drugs in clinical development and on the market. More specifically, the term refers the study of how a patient's genes determine his or her response to a drug (e.g., a patient's “drug response phenotype”, or “drug response genotype”). Thus, another aspect of the invention provides methods for tailoring an individual's prophylactic or therapeutic treatment with either the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 molecules of the present invention or 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 modulators according to that individual's drug response genotype. Pharmacogenomics allows a clinician or physician to target prophylactic or therapeutic treatments to patients who will most benefit from the treatment and to avoid treatment of patients who will experience toxic drug-related side effects.

[2151] 1. Prophylactic Methods

[2152] In one aspect, the invention provides a method for preventing in a subject, a disease or condition associated with an aberrant or unwanted 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression or activity, by administering to the subject a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 or an agent which modulates 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression or at least one 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity. Subjects at risk for a disease which is caused or contributed to by aberrant or unwanted 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression or activity, e.g., a cellular proliferation disease, e.g., cancer, such as colon cancer or lung cancer, can be identified by, for example, any or a combination of diagnostic or prognostic assays as described herein. Administration of a prophylactic agent can occur prior to the manifestation of symptoms characteristic of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 aberrancy, such that a disease or disorder is prevented or, alternatively, delayed in its progression. Depending on the type of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 aberrancy, for example, a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092, 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 agonist or 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 antagonist agent can be used for treating the subject. The appropriate agent can be determined based on screening assays described herein.

[2153] 2. Therapeutic Methods

[2154] Another aspect of the invention pertains to methods of modulating 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression or activity for therapeutic purposes. Accordingly, in an exemplary embodiment, the modulatory method of the invention involves contacting a cell capable of expressing 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 with an agent that modulates one or more of the activities of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide activity associated with the cell, such that 671 18, 67067, and/or 62092 activity in the cell is modulated. An agent that modulates 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide activity can be an agent as described herein, such as a nucleic acid or a polypeptide, a naturally-occurring target molecule of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide (e.g., a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 substrate), a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 antibody, a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 agonist or antagonist, a peptidomimetic of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 agonist or antagonist, or other small molecule. In one embodiment, the agent stimulates one or more 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activities. Examples of such stimulatory agents include active 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide and a nucleic acid molecule encoding 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 that has been introduced into the cell. In another embodiment, the agent inhibits one or more 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activities. Examples of such inhibitory agents include antisense 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 nucleic acid molecules, anti-67118 and/or anti-67067 antibodies, and 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 inhibitors. These modulatory methods can be performed in vitro (e.g., by culturing the cell with the agent) or, alternatively, in vivo (e.g., by administering the agent to a subject). As such, the present invention provides methods of treating an individual afflicted with a disease or disorder characterized by aberrant or unwanted expression or activity of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule. In one embodiment, the method involves administering an agent (e.g., an agent identified by a screening assay described herein), or combination of agents that modulates (e.g., upregulates or downregulates) 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression or activity. In another embodiment, the method involves administering a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule as therapy to compensate for reduced, aberrant, or unwanted 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression or activity.

[2155] Stimulation of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity is desirable in situations in which 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 is abnormally downregulated and/or in which increased 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity is likely to have a beneficial effect. Likewise, inhibition of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity is desirable in situations in which 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 is abnormally upregulated and/or in which decreased 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity is likely to have a beneficial effect.

[2156] 3. Pharmacogenomics

[2157] The 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 molecules of the present invention, as well as agents, or modulators which have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity (e.g., 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene expression) as identified by a screening assay described herein can be administered to individuals to treat (prophylactically or therapeutically) 67118, 67067, or 62092-associated disorders (e.g., disorders characterized by aberrant gene expression, 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity, phospholipid transporter activity, cellular signaling, and/or cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, absorption, and/or secretion disorders or disorders characterized by 62092 activity, nucleotide binding activity, and/or apoptosis mechanisms) associated with aberrant or unwanted 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 activity. In conjunction with such treatment, pharmacogenomics (i.e., the study of the relationship between an individual's genotype and that individual's response to a foreign compound or drug) may be considered. Differences in metabolism of therapeutics can lead to severe toxicity or therapeutic failure by altering the relation between dose and blood concentration of the pharmacologically active drug. Thus, a physician or clinician may consider applying knowledge obtained in relevant pharmacogenomics studies in determining whether to administer a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 molecule or 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 modulator as well as tailoring the dosage and/or therapeutic regimen of treatment with a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 molecule or 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 modulator.

[2158] Pharmacogenomics deals with clinically significant hereditary variations in the response to drugs due to altered drug disposition and abnormal action in affected persons. See, for example, Eichelbaum, M. et al. (1996) Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol. 23(10-11): 983-985 and Linder, M. W. et al. (1997) Clin. Chem. 43(2):254-266. In general, two types of pharmacogenetic conditions can be differentiated. Genetic conditions transmitted as a single factor altering the way drugs act on the body (altered drug action) or genetic conditions transmitted as single factors altering the way the body acts on drugs (altered drug metabolism). These pharmacogenetic conditions can occur either as rare genetic defects or as naturally-occurring polymorphisms. For example, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD) is a common inherited enzymopathy in which the main clinical complication is haemolysis after ingestion of oxidant drugs (anti-malarials, sulfonamides, analgesics, nitrofurans) and consumption of fava beans.

[2159] One pharmacogenomics approach to identifying genes that predict drug response, known as “a genome-wide association”, relies primarily on a high-resolution map of the human genome consisting of already known gene-related markers (e.g., a “bi-allelic” gene marker map which consists of 60,000-100,000 polymorphic or variable sites on the human genome, each of which has two variants.) Such a high-resolution genetic map can be compared to a map of the genome of each of a statistically significant number of patients taking part in a Phase II/III drug trial to identify markers associated with a particular observed drug response or side effect. Alternatively, such a high resolution map can be generated from a combination of some ten-million known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human genome. As used herein, a “SNP” is a common alteration that occurs in a single nucleotide base in a stretch of DNA. For example, a SNP may occur once per every 1000 bases of DNA. A SNP may be involved in a disease process, however, the vast majority may not be disease-associated. Given a genetic map based on the occurrence of such SNPs, individuals can be grouped into genetic categories depending on a particular pattern of SNPs in their individual genome. In such a manner, treatment regimens can be tailored to groups of genetically similar individuals, taking into account traits that may be common among such genetically similar individuals.

[2160] Alternatively, a method termed the “candidate gene approach”, can be utilized to identify genes that predict drug response. According to this method, if a gene that encodes a drugs target is known (e.g., a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide of the present invention), all common variants of that gene can be fairly easily identified in the population and it can be determined if having one version of the gene versus another is associated with a particular drug response.

[2161] As an illustrative embodiment, the activity of drug metabolizing enzymes is a major determinant of both the intensity and duration of drug action. The discovery of genetic polymorphisms of drug metabolizing enzymes (e.g., N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT 2) and cytochrome P450 enzymes CYP2D6 and CYP2C19) has provided an explanation as to why some patients do not obtain the expected drug effects or show exaggerated drug response and serious toxicity after taking the standard and safe dose of a drug. These polymorphisms are expressed in two phenotypes in the population, the extensive metabolizer (EM) and poor metabolizer (PM). The prevalence of PM is different among different populations. For example, the gene coding for CYP2D6 is highly polymorphic and several mutations have been identified in PM, which all lead to the absence of functional CYP2D6. Poor metabolizers of CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 quite frequently experience exaggerated drug response and side effects when they receive standard doses. If a metabolite is the active therapeutic moiety, PM show no therapeutic response, as demonstrated for the analgesic effect of codeine mediated by its CYP2D6-formed metabolite morphine. The other extreme are the so called ultra-rapid metabolizers who do not respond to standard doses. Recently, the molecular basis of ultra-rapid metabolism has been identified to be due to CYP2D6 gene amplification.

[2162] Alternatively, a method termed the “gene expression profiling”, can be utilized to identify genes that predict drug response. For example, the gene expression of an animal dosed with a drug (e.g., a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 molecule or 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 modulator of the present invention) can give an indication whether gene pathways related to toxicity have been turned on.

[2163] Information generated from more than one of the above pharmacogenomics approaches can be used to determine appropriate dosage and treatment regimens for prophylactic or therapeutic treatment an individual. This knowledge, when applied to dosing or drug selection, can avoid adverse reactions or therapeutic failure and thus enhance therapeutic or prophylactic efficiency when treating a subject with a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 molecule or 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 modulator, such as a modulator identified by one of the exemplary screening assays described herein.

[2164] E. Use of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 Molecules as Surrogate Markers

[2165] The 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 molecules of the invention are also useful as markers of disorders or disease states, as markers for precursors of disease states, as markers for predisposition of disease states, as markers of drug activity, or as markers of the pharmacogenomic profile of a subject. Using the methods described herein, the presence, absence and/or quantity of the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 molecules of the invention may be detected, and may be correlated with one or more biological states in vivo. For example, the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 molecules of the invention may serve as surrogate markers for one or more disorders or disease states or for conditions leading up to disease states. As used herein, a “surrogate marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates with the absence or presence of a disease or disorder, or with the progression of a disease or disorder (e.g., with the presence or absence of a tumor). The presence or quantity of such markers is independent of the disease. Therefore, these markers may serve to indicate whether a particular course of treatment is effective in lessening a disease state or disorder. Surrogate markers are of particular use when the presence or extent of a disease state or disorder is difficult to assess through standard methodologies (e.g., early stage tumors), or when an assessment of disease progression is desired before a potentially dangerous clinical endpoint is reached (e.g., an assessment of cardiovascular disease may be made using cholesterol levels as a surrogate marker, and an analysis of HIV infection may be made using HIV RNA levels as a surrogate marker, well in advance of the undesirable clinical outcomes of myocardial infarction or fully-developed AIDS). Examples of the use of surrogate markers in the art include: Koomen et al. (2000) J. Mass. Spectrom. 35: 258-264; and James (1994) AIDS Treatment News Archive 209.

[2166] The 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 molecules of the invention are also useful as pharmacodynamic markers. As used herein, a “pharmacodynamic marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates specifically with drug effects. The presence or quantity of a pharmacodynamic marker is not related to the disease state or disorder for which the drug is being administered; therefore, the presence or quantity of the marker is indicative of the presence or activity of the drug in a subject. For example, a pharmacodynamic marker may be indicative of the concentration of the drug in a biological tissue, in that the marker is either expressed or transcribed or not expressed or transcribed in that tissue in relationship to the level of the drug. In this fashion, the distribution or uptake of the drug may be monitored by the pharmacodynamic marker. Similarly, the presence or quantity of the pharmacodynamic marker may be related to the presence or quantity of the metabolic product of a drug, such that the presence or quantity of the marker is indicative of the relative breakdown rate of the drug in vivo. Pharmacodynamic markers are of particular use in increasing the sensitivity of detection of drug effects, particularly when the drug is administered in low doses. Since even a small amount of a drug may be sufficient to activate multiple rounds of marker (e.g., a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 marker) transcription or expression, the amplified marker may be in a quantity which is more readily detectable than the drug itself. Also, the marker may be more easily detected due to the nature of the marker itself; for example, using the methods described herein, anti-67118, 67067, and/or 62092 antibodies may be employed in an immune-based detection system for a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide marker, or 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-specific radiolabeled probes may be used to detect a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA marker. Furthermore, the use of a pharmacodynamic marker may offer mechanism-based prediction of risk due to drug treatment beyond the range of possible direct observations. Examples of the use of pharmacodynamic markers in the art include: Matsuda et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,862; Hattis et al. (1991) Env. Health Perspect. 90: 229-238; Schentag (1999) Am. J. Health-Syst. Pharm. 56 Suppl. 3: S21-S24; and Nicolau (1999) Am, J. Health-Syst. Pharm. 56 Suppl. 3: S16-S20.

[2167] The 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 molecules of the invention are also useful as pharmacogenomic markers. As used herein, a “pharmacogenomic marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates with a specific clinical drug response or susceptibility in a subject (see, e.g., McLeod et al. (1999) Eur. J. Cancer 35(12): 1650-1652). The presence or quantity of the pharmacogenomic marker is related to the predicted response of the subject to a specific drug or class of drugs prior to administration of the drug. By assessing the presence or quantity of one or more pharmacogenomic markers in a subject, a drug therapy which is most appropriate for the subject, or which is predicted to have a greater degree of success, may be selected. For example, based on the presence or quantity of RNA, or polypeptide (e.g., 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide or RNA) for specific tumor markers in a subject, a drug or course of treatment may be selected that is optimized for the treatment of the specific tumor likely to be present in the subject. Similarly, the presence or absence of a specific sequence mutation in 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 DNA may correlate 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 drug response. The use of pharmacogenomic markers therefore permits the application of the most appropriate treatment for each subject without having to administer the therapy.

[2168] VI. Electronic Apparatus Readable Media and Arrays

[2169] Electronic apparatus readable media comprising 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequence information is also provided. As used herein, “67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequence information” refers to any nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence information particular to the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 molecules of the present invention, including but not limited to full-length nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, partial nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, polymorphic sequences including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), epitope sequences, and the like. Moreover, information “related to” said 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequence information includes detection of the presence or absence of a sequence (e.g., detection of expression of a sequence, fragment, polymorphism, etc.), determination of the level of a sequence (e.g., detection of a level of expression, for example, a quantitative detection), detection of a reactivity to a sequence (e.g., detection of protein expression and/or levels, for example, using a sequence-specific antibody), and the like. As used herein, “electronic apparatus readable media” refers to any suitable medium for storing, holding or containing data or information that can be read and accessed directly by an electronic apparatus. Such media can include, but are not limited to: magnetic storage media, such as floppy discs, hard disc storage medium, and magnetic tape; optical storage media such as compact disc; electronic storage media such as RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM and the like; general hard disks and hybrids of these categories such as magnetic/optical storage media. The medium is adapted or configured for having recorded thereon 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequence information of the present invention.

[2170] As used herein, the term “electronic apparatus” is intended to include any suitable computing or processing apparatus or other device configured or adapted for storing data or information. Examples of electronic apparatus suitable for use with the present invention include stand-alone computing apparatus; networks, including a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) Internet, Intranet, and Extranet; electronic appliances such as a personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular phone, pager and the like; and local and distributed processing systems.

[2171] As used herein, “recorded” refers to a process for storing or encoding information on the electronic apparatus readable medium. Those skilled in the art can readily adopt any of the presently known methods for recording information on known media to generate manufactures comprising the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequence information.

[2172] A variety of software programs and formats can be used to store the sequence information on the electronic apparatus readable medium. For example, the sequence information can be represented in a word processing text file, formatted in commercially-available software such as WordPerfect and Microsoft Word, or represented in the form of an ASCII file, stored in a database application, such as DB2, Sybase, Oracle, or the like, as well as in other forms. Any number of data processor structuring formats (e.g., text file or database) may be employed in order to obtain or create a medium having recorded thereon the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequence information.

[2173] By providing 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequence information in readable form, one can routinely access the sequence information for a variety of purposes. For example, one skilled in the art can use the sequence information in readable form to compare a target sequence or target structural motif with the sequence information stored within the data storage means. Search means are used to identify fragments or regions of the sequences of the invention which match a particular target sequence or target motif.

[2174] The present invention therefore provides a medium for holding instructions for performing a method for determining whether a subject has a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-associated disease or disorder, wherein the method comprises the steps of determining 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequence information associated with the subject and based on the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequence information, determining whether the subject has a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 -associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-associated disease or disorder and/or recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[2175] The present invention further provides in an electronic system and/or in a network, a method for determining whether a subject has a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a disease associated with a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 wherein the method comprises the steps of determining 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequence information associated with the subject, and based on the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequence information, determining whether the subject has a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 -associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-associated disease or disorder, and/or recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition. The method may further comprise the step of receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject and/or acquiring from a network phenotypic information associated with the subject.

[2176] The present invention also provides in a network, a method for determining whether a subject has a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 -associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 -associated disease or disorder associated with 67118, 67067, and/or 62092, said method comprising the steps of receiving 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequence information from the subject and/or information related thereto, receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject, acquiring information from the network corresponding to 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 and/or a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-associated disease or disorder, and based on one or more of the phenotypic information, the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 information (e.g., sequence information and/or information related thereto), and the acquired information, determining whether the subject has a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-associated disease or disorder. The method may further comprise the step of recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[2177] The present invention also provides a business method for determining whether a subject has a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-associated disease or disorder, said method comprising the steps of receiving information related to 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 (e.g., sequence information and/or information related thereto), receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject, acquiring information from the network related to 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 and/or related to a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-associated disease or disorder, and based on one or more of the phenotypic information, the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 information, and the acquired information, determining whether the subject has a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-associated disease or disorder. The method may further comprise the step of recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[2178] The invention also includes an array comprising a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 sequence of the present invention. The array can be used to assay expression of one or more genes in the array. In one embodiment, the array can be used to assay gene expression in a tissue to ascertain tissue specificity of genes in the array. In this manner, up to about 7600 genes can be simultaneously assayed for expression, one of which can be 67118, 67067, and/or 62092. This allows a profile to be developed showing a battery of genes specifically expressed in one or more tissues.

[2179] In addition to such qualitative determination, the invention allows the quantitation of gene expression. Thus, not only tissue specificity, but also the level of expression of a battery of genes in the tissue is ascertainable. Thus, genes can be grouped on the basis of their tissue expression per se and level of expression in that tissue. This is useful, for example, in ascertaining the relationship of gene expression between or among tissues. Thus, one tissue can be perturbed and the effect on gene expression in a second tissue can be determined. In this context, the effect of one cell type on another cell type in response to a biological stimulus can be determined. Such a determination is useful, for example, to know the effect of cell-cell interaction at the level of gene expression. If an agent is administered therapeutically to treat one cell type but has an undesirable effect on another cell type, the invention provides an assay to determine the molecular basis of the undesirable effect and thus provides the opportunity to co-administer a counteracting agent or otherwise treat the undesired effect. Similarly, even within a single cell type, undesirable biological effects can be determined at the molecular level. Thus, the effects of an agent on expression of other than the target gene can be ascertained and counteracted.

[2180] In another embodiment, the array can be used to monitor the time course of expression of one or more genes in the array. This can occur in various biological contexts, as disclosed herein, for example development of a 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-associated disease or disorder, progression of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-associated disease or disorder, and processes, such a cellular transformation associated with the 67118, 67067, and/or 62092-associated disease or disorder.

[2181] The array is also useful for ascertaining the effect of the expression of a gene on the expression of other genes in the same cell or in different cells (e.g., ascertaining the effect of 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 expression on the expression of other genes). This provides, for example, for a selection of alternate molecular targets for therapeutic intervention if the ultimate or downstream target cannot be regulated.

[2182] The array is also useful for ascertaining differential expression patterns of one or more genes in normal and abnormal cells. This provides a battery of genes (e.g., including 67118, 67067, and/or 62092) that could serve as a molecular target for diagnosis or therapeutic intervention.

[2183] This invention is further illustrated by the following examples which should not be construed as limiting. The contents of all references, patents and published patent applications cited throughout this application, as well as the Figures and the Sequence Listing, are incorporated herein by reference.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Identification and Characterization of Human 67118 and 67067 cDNAs

[2184] In this example, the identification and characterization of the gene encoding human 67118 (clone 67118) and 67067 (clone 67067) is described.

[2185] Isolation of the Human 67118 and 67067 cDNAs

[2186] The invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of two human genes encoding a novel polypeptides, referred to herein as human 67118 and 67067. The entire sequence of the human clone 67118 was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “67118.” The nucleotide sequence of the human 67118 gene is set forth in FIGS. 36A-E and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 33. The amino acid sequence of the human 67118 expression product is set forth in FIGS. 36A-E and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 34. The 67118 polypeptide comprises 1134 amino acids. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 33 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 35. Clone 67118, comprising the coding region of human 67118, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______, and assigned Accession No. ______.

[2187] The entire sequence of the human clone 67067 was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “67067.” The nucleotide sequence of the human 67067 gene is set forth in FIGS. 39A-F and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 36. The amino acid sequence of the human 67067 expression product is set forth in FIGS. 39A-F and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 37. The 67067 polypeptide comprises 1588 amino acids. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 36 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 38. Clone 67067, comprising the coding region of human 67067, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______, and assigned Accession No. ______.

[2188] Analysis of the Human 67118 and 67067 Molecules

[2189] The amino acid sequences of human 67118 and human 67067 were analyzed for the presence of sequence motifs specific for P-type ATPases (as defined in Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497 and Fagan, M. J. and Saier, M. H. (1994) J. Mol. Evol. 38:57). These analyses resulted in the identification of a P-type ATPase sequence I motif in the amino acid sequence of human 67118 at residues 179-187 of SEQ ID NO: 34 and in the amino acid sequence of human 67067 at residues 175-183 of SEQ ID NO: 37. These analyses also resulted in the identification of a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif in the amino acid sequence of human 67118 at residues 411-420 of SEQ ID NO: 34. These analyses also resulted in the identification of a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif in the amino acid sequence of human 67067 at residues 431-440 of SEQ ID NO: 37. These analyses further resulted in the identification of a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif in the amino acid sequence of human 67118 at residues 823-833 of SEQ ID NO: 34. These analyses further resulted in the identification of a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif in the amino acid sequence of human 67067 at residues 1180-1190 of SEQ ID NO: 37.

[2190] The amino acid sequences of human 67118 and 67067 were also analyzed for the presence of phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues (as defined in Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497). These analyses resulted in the identification of phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues in the amino acid sequence of human 67118 at residues 179, 183, 442, 823, 832, and 833 of SEQ ID NO: 34 (FIGS. 38A-B). These analyses resulted in the identification of phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues 175, 176, 179, 432, 1180, 1189, and 1190 in the amino acid sequence of human 67067 at residues of SEQ ID NO: 37 (FIGS. 41A-B).

[2191] The amino acid sequences of human 67118 and human 67067 were also analyzed for the presence of extramembrane domains. An N-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67118 at residues 111-294 of SEQ ID NO: 34. A C-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67118 at residues 369-890 of SEQ ID NO: 34. An N-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67067 at residues 105-286 of SEQ ID NO: 37. A C-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67067 at residues 389-1238 of SEQ ID NO: 37.

[2192] The amino acid sequence of human 67118 was analyzed using the program PSORT to predict the localization of the proteins within the cell. This program assesses the presence of different targeting and localization amino acid sequences within the query sequence. The results of this analysis predict that human 67118 may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum.

[2193] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human 67118 were further performed against the Prosite database. These searches resulted in the identification in the amino acid sequence of human 67118 of a number of potential N-glycosylation sites at about residues 397-400, 745-748, 921-924, 989-992, and 1001-1004 of SEQ ID NO: 34, a number of potential cAMP-and cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation sites at about residues 140-143, 558-561, and 705-708 of SEQ ID NO: 34, a number of potential protein kinase C phosphorylation sites at about residues 52-54, 143-145, 169-171, 188-190, 255-257, 259-261, 283-285, 335-337, 413-415, 555-557, 714-716, 1017-1019, and 1105-1107 of SEQ ID NO: 34, a number of casein kinase II phosphorylation sites at about residues 203-206, 269-272, 287-290, 333-336, 380-383, 418-421, 451-454, 507-510, 659-662, 722-725, 910-913, 933-936, and 1103-1106 of SEQ ID NO: 34, a number of potential tyrosine kinase phosphorylation sites at about residues 878-885, 1019-1026 of SEQ ID NO: 34, a number of N-myristoylation sites at about residues 208-213, 498-503, 577-582, 762-767, 775-780, 972-977, and 996-1001 of SEQ ID NO: 34, an RGD cell attachment sequence at about residues 171-173 of SEQ ID NO: 34, and an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site at about residues 414-420 of SEQ ID NO: 34.

[2194] A MEMSAT analysis of the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 34 was also performed, predicting ten potential transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 67118 (SEQ ID NO: 34) at about residues 71-87, 94-110, 295-314, 349-368, 891-907, 915-935, 964-987, 1002-1018, 1033-1057, and 1064-1088.

[2195] A search of the amino acid sequence of human 67118 was also performed against the ProDom database, resulting in the identification of several ATPase, hydrolase, and/or transmembrane domain-containing proteins.

[2196] The amino acid sequence of human 67067 was analyzed using the program PSORT. The results of this analysis predict that human 67067 may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum.

[2197] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human 67067 were further performed against the Prosite database. These searches resulted in the identification in the amino acid sequence of human 67067 of a number of potential N-glycosylation sites at about residues 270-273, 340-343, 355-358, 1060-1063, 1318-1321, and 1400-1403 of SEQ ID NO: 37, a glycosaminoglycan attachment site at about residues 820-823 of SEQ ID NO: 37, a number of potential cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation sites at about residues 447-450, 694-697, 898-901, and 1575-1578 of SEQ ID NO: 37, a number of protein kinase C phosphorylation sites at about residues 29-31, 45-47, 115-117, 128-130, 247-249, 433-435, 473-475, 521-523, 535-537, 555-557, 564-566, 567-569, 579-581, 733-735, 737-739, 874-876, 895-897, 949-951, 981-983, 1030-1032, 1055-1057, 1475-1477, 1508-1510, 1574-1576, and 1578-1580 of SEQ ID NO: 37, a number of potential casein kinase II phosphorylation sites at about residues 29-32, 128-131, 195-198, 279-282, 342-345, 438-441, 457-460, 535-538, 541-544, 607-610, 632-635, 648-651, 666-669, 717-720, 743-746, 770-773, 785-788, 797-800, 801-804, 810-813, 824-827, 848-851, 972-975, 1014-1017, 1030-1033, 1179-1182, 1200-1203, 1267-1270, 1325-1328, 1347-1350, 1500-1503, and 1549-1552 of SEQ ID NO: 37, a tyrosine kinase phosphorylation site at about residues 1140-1148 of SEQ ID NO: 37, a number of potential N-myristoylation sites at about residues 303-308, 453-458, 714-719, 779-784, 798-803, 805-810, 821-826, 880-885, 1023-1028, 1196-1201, 1355-1360, and 1501-1506 of SEQ ID NO: 37, a potential amidation site at about residues 4-7 of SEQ ID NO: 37, an ATP/GTP-binding site motif (P-loop) at about residues 1122-1129 of SEQ ID NO: 37, a leucine zipper pattern at about residues 990-1011 of SEQ ID NO: 37, and an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site at about residues 434-440 of SEQ ID NO: 37.

[2198] A MEMSAT analysis of the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 37 was also performed, predicting eight potential transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 67067 (SEQ ID NO: 37). However, a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis (FIG. 40) resulted in the identification of ten transmembrane domains. Accordingly, the 67067 protein of SEQ ID NO: 37 is predicted to have at least ten transmembrane domains, at about residues 65-82, 89-105, 287-304, 366-388, 1239-1259, 1322-1343, 1274-1292, 1351-1368, 1377-1399, 1425-1446.

[2199] A search of the amino acid sequence of human 67067 was also performed against the ProDom database, resulting in the identification of several ATPase, hydrolase, and/or transmembrane domain-containing proteins.

Example 2 Tissue Distribution of 67118 mRNA Using Taqman™ Analysis

[2200] This example describes the tissue distribution of human 67118 mRNA in a variety of cells and tissues, as determined using the TaqMan™ procedure. The Taqman™ procedure is a quantitative, reverse transcription PCR-based approach for detecting mRNA. The RT-PCR reaction exploits the 5′ nuclease activity of AmpliTaq Gold™ DNA Polymerase to cleave a TaqMan™ probe during PCR. Briefly, cDNA was generated from the samples of interest, including, for example, various normal and diseased vascular and arterial samples, and used as the starting material for PCR amplification. In addition to the 5′ and 3′ gene-specific primers, a gene-specific oligonucleotide probe (complementary to the region being amplified) was included in the reaction (i.e., the Taqman™ probe). The TaqMan™ probe includes the oligonucleotide with a fluorescent reporter dye covalently linked to the 5′ end of the probe (such as FAM (6-carboxyfluorescein), TET (6-carboxy-4,7,2′, 7′-tetrachlorofluorescein), JOE (6-carboxy-4,5-dichloro-2,7-dimethoxyfluorescein), or VIC) and a quencher dye (TAMRA (6-carboxy-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylrhodamine) at the 3′ end of the probe.

[2201] During the PCR reaction, cleavage of the probe separates the reporter dye and the quencher dye, resulting in increased fluorescence of the reporter. Accumulation of PCR products is detected directly by monitoring the increase in fluorescence of the reporter dye. When the probe is intact, the proximity of the reporter dye to the quencher dye results in suppression of the reporter fluorescence. During PCR, if the target of interest is present, the probe specifically anneals between the forward and reverse primer sites. The 5′-3′ nucleolytic activity of the AmpliTaq™ Gold DNA Polymerase cleaves the probe between the reporter and the quencher only if the probe hybridizes to the target. The probe fragments are then displaced from the target, and polymerization of the strand continues. The 3′ end of the probe is blocked to prevent extension of the probe during PCR. This process occurs in every cycle and does not interfere with the exponential accumulation of product. RNA was prepared using the trizol method and treated with DNase to remove contaminating genomic DNA. cDNA was synthesized using standard techniques. Mock cDNA synthesis in the absence of reverse transcriptase resulted in samples with no detectable PCR amplification of the control gene confirms efficient removal of genomic DNA contamination.

[2202] The expression levels of human 67118 mRNA in various human cell types and tissues were analyzed using the Taqman procedure. As shown in Table 1, the highest 67118 expression was detected in static Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC), followed by Human Aortic Endothelial Cells (HAEC) treated with Mevastatin, HUVEC treated with Mevastatin, HUVEC Vehicle, HUVEC LSS, coronary smooth muscle cells, and aortic smooth muscle cells. TABLE 1 Tissue Type Mean β 2 Mean ∂∂ Ct Expression Aortic SMC 26.02 20.25 5.77 18.3255 Coronary SMC 26.39 20.75 5.64 19.9841 Huvec Static 22.2 18.98 3.22 107.3207 Huvec LSS 24.13 18.61 5.53 21.7175 H/Adipose/MET 9 32.55 18.07 14.48 0.0438 H/Artery/Normal/ 33.1 18.61 14.49 0.0435 Carotid/CLN 595 H/Artery/Normal/ 35.92 19.82 16.1 0 Carotid/CLN 598 H/Artery/normal/ 31.34 20.75 10.6 0.6465 NDR 352 H/IM Artery/ 39.19 22.92 16.27 0 Normal/AMC 73 H/Muscular Artery/ 32.06 24.05 8.02 3.8525 Normal/AMC 236/ H/Muscular Artery/ 35.73 22.98 12.75 0 Normal/AMC 247/ H/Muscular Artery/ 32.99 22.48 10.52 0.6834 Normal/AMC 254/ H/Muscular Artery/ 30.56 21.32 9.23 1.6595 Normal/AMC 259/ H/Muscular Artery/ 31.06 21.65 9.4 1.4751 Normal/AMC 261/ H/Muscular Artery/ 30.89 23.39 7.5 5.5243 Normal/AMC 275/ H/Aorta/Diseased/ 32.84 21.31 11.54 0.337 PIT 732 H/Aorta/Diseased/ 30.74 22.4 8.35 3.0754 PIT 710 H/Aorta/Diseased/ 30.75 22.13 8.62 2.5417 PIT 711 H/Aorta/Diseased/ 29.51 21.91 7.61 5.1365 PIT 712 H/Artery/Diseased/ 27.44 18.02 9.41 1.4649 iliac/NDR 753 H/Artery/Diseased/ 33.13 19.41 13.72 0.0744 Tibial/PIT 679 H/Vein/Normal/ 30.36 20.02 10.34 0.7715 SaphenousAMC 107 H/Vein/Normal/NDR 239 37.15 20.83 16.32 0 H/Vein/Normal/ 31.2 20 11.21 0.4236 Saphenous/NDR 237 H/Vein/Normal/PIT 1010 27.36 20.09 7.27 6.4791 H/Vein/Normal/AMC 191 29.32 21.59 7.73 4.7102 H/Vein/Normal/AMC 130 28.72 20.66 8.06 3.7342 H/Vein/Normal/AMC 188 31.63 24.34 7.28 6.4343 HUVEC Vehicle 25.46 19.84 5.63 20.2631 HUVEC Mev 24.61 19.27 5.34 24.6034 HAEC Vehicle 25.65 20 5.65 19.915 HAEC Mev 26.72 21.76 4.96 32.1286

Example 3 Tissue Distribution of 67067 mRNA Using Taqman™ Analysis

[2203] The tissue distribution of human 67067 mRNA in a variety of cells and tissues was determined using the TaqMan™ procedure, as described above.

[2204] As shown in Table 2, below, 67067 is overexpressed in colon tumor tissue as compared to normal tumor tissue, indicating a possible role for 67067 in cellular proliferation disorders, e.g., cancer, including, but not limited to colon cancer. Human 67067 mRNA is also highly expressed in normal brain cortex tissue and normal ovary, for example. TABLE 2 Tissue Type Mean β 2 Mean ∂∂ Ct Expression Artery normal 32.95 22.56 10.4 0.7401 Aorta diseased 34.75 23.2 11.55 0.3335 Vein normal 38.53 21.36 17.18 0 Coronary SMC 38.67 22.54 16.14 0 HUVEC 39.28 22.79 16.49 0 Hemangioma 33.84 21.3 12.54 0.1679 Heart normal 36.09 21.05 15.04 0 Heart CHF 35.33 21.5 13.82 0 Kidney 31.6 21.34 10.26 0.8155 Skeletal Muscle 36.3 23.51 12.79 0 Adipose normal 40 23.07 16.93 0 Pancreas 31.49 23.73 7.76 4.5973 primary osteoblasts 40 21.06 18.95 0 Osteoclasts (diff) 35.04 18.19 16.85 0 Skin normal 34.23 23.73 10.51 0.6858 Spinal cord normal 30.47 22.32 8.14 3.5327 Brain Cortex normal 28.66 23.72 4.95 32.4643 Brain Hypothalamus 30.32 24.07 6.25 13.139 normal Nerve 30.95 22.55 8.4 2.9501 DRG (Dorsal Root 30.07 22.88 7.2 6.8248 Ganglion) Breast normal 37.3 22.5 14.8 0 Breast tumor 36.56 22.38 14.19 0 Ovary normal 27.73 21.25 6.47 11.2807 Ovary Tumor 31.93 20.57 11.36 0.3805 Prostate Normal 37.28 19.95 17.34 0 Prostate Tumor 33.87 21.14 12.73 0.1472 Salivary glands 32.1 20.75 11.35 0.3831 Colon normal 27.24 20.11 7.13 7.1146 Colon Tumor 26.34 22.9 3.44 91.823 Lung normal 35.78 19.95 15.84 0 Lung tumor 28.48 20.66 7.82 4.4253 Lung COPD 36.01 19.41 16.61 0 Colon IBD 25.16 19.02 6.14 14.18 Liver normal 37.01 21.58 15.43 0 Liver fibrosis 35.28 22.5 12.79 0 Spleen normal 38.06 19.98 18.08 0 Tonsil normal 28.32 18.69 9.63 1.2621 Lymph node normal 34.88 20.49 14.39 0.0467 Small intestine normal 28.99 21.86 7.13 7.1641 Macrophages 36.06 18.16 17.89 0 Synovium 34.62 21.27 13.35 0.0958 BM-MNC 40 20.75 19.25 0 Activated PBMC 36.87 18.41 18.47 0 Neutrophils 40 19.59 20.41 0 Megakaryocytes 37.98 20 17.98 0 Erythroid 40 23.07 16.93 0 positive control 29.45 21.89 7.57 5.2809

Example 4 Identification and Characterization of Human 62092 cDNA

[2205] In this example, the identification and characterization of the gene encoding human 62092 (clone 62092) is described.

[2206] Isolation of the Human 62092 cDNA

[2207] The invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of genes encoding novel members of the histidine triad family. The entire sequence of human clone Fbh62092 was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “62092”.

[2208] The nucleotide sequence encoding the human 62092 is shown in FIG. 42 and is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 39. The protein encoded by this nucleic acid comprises about 163 amino acids and has the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 42 and set forth as SEQ ID NO: 40. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 39 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 41. Clone Fbh62092, comprising the coding region of human 62092, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______, and assigned Accession No. ______.

[2209] Analysis of the Human 62092 Molecules

[2210] The amino acid sequence of human 62092 was analyzed using the program PSORT to predict the localization of the proteins within the cell. This program assesses the presence of different targeting and localization amino acid sequences within the query sequence. The results of the analyses show that human 62092 is most likely localized to the mitochondria.

[2211] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human 62092 were also performed against the HMM database. These searches resulted in the identification of a “HIT family domain” at about residues 54-155 (score=180.3).

[2212] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human 62092 were further performed against the Prosite™ database. These searches resulted in the identification of a “HIT family signature motif” at about residues 136-151 of SEQ ID NO: 40. These searches further resulted in the identification in the amino acid sequence of human 62092 of a potential protein kinase C phosphorylation site at about residues 121-123 of SEQ ID NO: 40, a potential casein kinase II phosphorylation site at about residues 101-104 of SEQ ID NO: 40, and a number of N-myristoylation sites at about residues 10-15, 22-27, 33-38, 50-55, and 126-131 of SEQ ID NO: 40.

[2213] A search of the amino acid sequence of human 62092 was also performed against the ProDom database, resulting in the identification of a “protein HIT-like domain” at amino acid residues 54-155 of SEQ ID NO: 40.

Example 5 Tissue Distribution of 62092 mRNA Using Taqman™ Anaylsis

[2214] The tissue distribution of human 62092 mRNA in a variety of cells and tissues was determined using the TaqMan™ procedure, as described above.

[2215] As shown in Table 3, below, 62092 is notably overexpressed in lung tumor tissue as compared to normal lung tissue, indicating a possible role for 62092 in cellular proliferation disorders, e.g., cancer, including, but not limited to lung cancer. Human 62092 mRNA is also highly expressed in activated PMBC, erythroid cells, normal brain cortex and hypothalamus, and normal liver tissue, for example. TABLE 3 Tissue Type Mean β 2 Mean ∂∂ Ct Expression Artery normal 28.59 22.41 4.2 54.5983 Aorta diseased 30.42 23.1 5.34 24.7745 Vein normal 28.43 20.7 5.74 18.7106 Coronary SMC 28.11 23.03 3.1 117.034 HUVEC 27.15 22.81 2.36 195.4674 Hemangioma 28.3 20.66 5.66 19.8461 Heart normal 27.23 20.69 4.55 42.6888 Heart CHF 26.16 21.15 3.02 123.2791 Kidney 26.25 21.32 2.94 130.3082 Skeletal Muscle 27.87 23.18 2.7 153.8931 Adipose normal 28.24 22.71 3.54 85.6739 Pancreas 28.21 23.65 2.58 167.2409 primary osteoblasts 30.15 21.09 7.08 7.3911 Osteoclasts (diff) 27.38 18.06 7.34 6.1936 Skin normal 30 23.63 4.39 47.6956 Spinal cord normal 29.34 22.31 5.04 30.2903 Brain Cortex normal 28.2 25.26 0.95 515.8416 Brain Hypothalamus normal 27.98 23.97 2.02 246.5582 Nerve 29.12 22.73 4.41 47.039 DRG (Dorsal Root Ganglion) 27.6 22.63 2.98 126.3064 Breast normal 28.19 22.42 3.79 72.544 Breast tumor 30.18 22.86 5.33 24.8605 Ovary normal 27.4 21.17 4.24 52.9216 Ovary Tumor 26.63 20.82 3.83 70.3162 Prostate Normal 26.62 19.69 4.95 32.4643 Prostate Tumor 26.46 21.15 3.33 99.4421 Salivary glands 27.92 20.61 5.33 24.8605 Colon normal 26.43 20.09 4.36 48.8669 Colon Tumor 28.53 22.93 3.61 81.8996 Lung normal 27.1 19.63 5.49 22.328 Lung tumor 24.89 23.47 −0.56 1479.3875 Lung COPD 26.18 19.24 4.96 32.1286 Colon IBD 26.08 18.84 5.25 26.1871 Liver normal 25.48 21.27 2.22 214.6414 Liver fibrosis 27.26 22.46 2.81 142.1021 Spleen normal 28.93 19.84 7.11 7.2641 Tonsil normal 26.32 18.84 5.5 22.0971 Lymph node normal 28.49 20.27 6.24 13.2304 Small intestine normal 28.91 21.65 5.28 25.8266 Macrophages 32.22 18.07 12.16 0.2185 Synovium 30.86 21.7 7.18 6.8961 BM-MNC 32.14 20.59 9.56 1.3248 Neutrophils 27.84 19.34 6.52 10.8964 Megakaryocytes 24.32 19.77 2.57 168.4042 Erythroid 26.68 23.36 1.33 397.7682 Activated PBMC 28.11 26.91 −0.79 1723.0923 positive control 26.71 21.86 2.87 137.2616

Example 6 Tissue Distribution of 67118,67067, and 62092 mRNA Using In Situ Analysis

[2216] This example describes the tissue distribution of human 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 mRNA, as may be determined using in situ hybridization analysis. For in situ analysis, various tissues are first frozen on dry ice. Ten-micrometer-thick sections of the tissues are postfixed with 4% formaldehyde in DEPC-treated 1× phosphate-buffered saline at room temperature for 10 minutes before being rinsed twice in DEPC 1× phosphate-buffered saline and once in 0.1 M triethanolamine-HCl (pH 8.0). Following incubation in 0.25% acetic anhydride-0.1 M triethanolamine-HCl for 10 minutes, sections are rinsed in DEPC 2× SSC (1× SSC is 0.15 M NaCl plus 0.015 M sodium citrate). Tissue is then dehydrated through a series of ethanol washes, incubated in 100% chloroform for 5 minutes, and then rinsed in 100% ethanol for 1 minute and 95% ethanol for 1 minute and allowed to air dry.

[2217] Hybridizations are performed with ³⁵S-radiolabeled (5×10⁷ cpm/ml) cRNA probes. Probes are incubated in the presence of a solution containing 600 mM NaCl, 10 mM Tris (pH 7.5), 1 mM EDTA, 0.01% sheared salmon sperm DNA, 0.01% yeast tRNA, 0.05% yeast total RNA type X1, 1× Denhardt's solution, 50% formamide, 10% dextran sulfate, 100 mM dithiothreitol, 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and 0.1% sodium thiosulfate for 18 hours at 55° C.

[2218] After hybridization, slides are washed with 2× SSC. Sections are then sequentially incubated at 37° C. in TNE (a solution containing 10 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.6), 500 mM NaCl, and 1 mM EDTA), for 10 minutes, in TNE with 10 μg of RNase A per ml for 30 minutes, and finally in TNE for 10 minutes. Slides are then rinsed with 2× SSC at room temperature, washed with 2× SSC at 50° C. for 1 hour, washed with 0.2× SSC at 55° C. for 1 hour, and 0.2× SSC at 60° C. for 1 hour. Sections are then dehydrated rapidly through serial ethanol-0.3 M sodium acetate concentrations before being air dried and exposed to Kodak Biomax MR scientific imaging film for 24 hours and subsequently dipped in NB-2 photoemulsion and exposed at 4° C. for 7 days before being developed and counter stained.

Example 7 Expession of Recombinant 67118,67067, and 62092 Polypetide in Bacterial Cells

[2219] In this example, human 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 is expressed as a recombinant glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion polypeptide in E. coli and the fusion polypeptide is isolated and characterized. Specifically, 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 is fused to GST and this fusion polypeptide is expressed in E. coli , e.g., strain PEB 199. Expression of the GST-67118, 67067, and/or 62092 fusion polypeptide in PEB199 is induced with IPTG. The recombinant fusion polypeptide is purified from crude bacterial lysates of the induced PEB 199 strain by affinity chromatography on glutathione beads. Using polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis of the polypeptide purified from the bacterial lysates, the molecular weight of the resultant fusion polypeptide is determined.

Example 8 Expression of Recombinant 67118,67067, and 62092 Polypeptide in COS Cells

[2220] To express the human 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 gene in COS cells, the pcDNA/Amp vector by Invitrogen Corporation (San Diego, Calif.) is used. This vector contains an SV40 origin of replication, an ampicillin resistance gene, an E. coli replication origin, a CMV promoter followed by a polylinker region, and an SV40 intron and polyadenylation site. A DNA fragment encoding the entire 67118, 67067, and/or 62092 polypeptide and an HA tag (Wilson et al. (1984) Cell 37:767) or a FLAG tag fused in-frame to its 3′ end of the fragment is cloned into the polylinker region of the vector, thereby placing the expression of the recombinant polypeptide under the control of the CMV promoter.

[2221] To construct the plasmid, the human 67118, 67067, or 62092 DNA sequence is amplified by PCR using two primers. The 5′ primer contains the restriction site of interest followed by approximately twenty nucleotides of the 67118, 67067, or 62092 coding sequence starting from the initiation codon; the 3′ end sequence contains complementary sequences to the other restriction site of interest, a translation stop codon, the HA tag or FLAG tag and the last 20 nucleotides of the 67118, 67067, or 62092 coding sequence. The PCR amplified fragment and the pCDNA/Amp vector are digested with the appropriate restriction enzymes and the vector is dephosphorylated using the CIAP enzyme (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.). Preferably the two restriction sites chosen are different so that the 67118, 67067, or 62092 gene is inserted in the correct orientation. The ligation mixture is transformed into E. coli cells (strains HB101, DH5α, SURE, available from Stratagene Cloning Systems, La Jolla, Calif., can be used), the transformed culture is plated on ampicillin media plates, and resistant colonies are selected. Plasmid DNA is isolated from transformants and examined by restriction analysis for the presence of the correct fragment.

[2222] COS cells are subsequently transfected with the human 67118, 67067, or 62092-pcDNA/Amp plasmid DNA using the calcium phosphate or calcium chloride co-precipitation methods, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, lipofection, or electroporation. Other suitable methods for transfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual.2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989. The expression of the IC54420 polypeptide is detected by radiolabeling (³⁵S-methionine or ³⁵S-cysteine available from NEN, Boston, Mass., can be used) and immunoprecipitation (Harlow, E. and Lane, D. Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1988) using an HA specific monoclonal antibody. Briefly, the cells are labeled for 8 hours with ³⁵S-methionine (or ³⁵S-cysteine). The culture media are then collected and the cells are lysed using detergents (RIPA buffer, 150 mM NaCl, 1% NP-40, 0.1% SDS, 0.5% DOC, 50 mM Tris, pH 7.5). Both the cell lysate and the culture media are precipitated with an HA specific monoclonal antibody. Precipitated polypeptides are then analyzed by SDS-PAGE.

[2223] Alternatively, DNA containing the human 67118, 67067, or 62092 coding sequence is cloned directly into the polylinker of the pCDNA/Amp vector using the appropriate restriction sites. The resulting plasmid is transfected into COS cells in the manner described above, and the expression of the 67118, 67067, or 62092 polypeptide is detected by radiolabeling and immunoprecipitation using a 67118, 67067, or 62092-specific monoclonal antibody.

Example 9 Detection of 67118,67067, and 62092 Transcripts and Structure by RT-PCR Analysis

[2224] This example describes a method for determining the structure and expression level of human 67118, 67067, or 62092, as may be determined using RT-PCR analysis. For RT-PCR analysis, total RNA is first isolated from various tissues. Total RNA is reverse-transcribed using oligodeoxythymidylate primers and the resulting single-stranded cDNA products used as templates for first round PCR amplification. First round PCR amplification is performed using primers designed using the 67118, 67067, or 62092 sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 33, 36, ot 39, respectively. Second round PCR amplification is performed using nested primers derived from the 67118, 67067, or 62092 sequence (SEQ ID NO: 33, 36, or 39, respectively). Amplification products are electrophoresed in agarose gels and detected by ethidium bromide staining.

[2225] Quantitation of the signal generated by RT-PCR analysis gives a measure of the expression level of human 67118, 67067, or 62092.

[2226] The structure of human 67118, 67067, or 62092 can be determined by excising the RT-PCR product from an agarose gel, purifying it, and sequencing it to determine if there are missense or point mutations, or if there is a deletion within the human 67118, 67067, or 62092 gene.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[2227] Cellular membranes serve to differentiate the contents of a cell from the surrounding environment, and may also serve as effective barriers against the unregulated influx of hazardous or unwanted compounds, and the unregulated efflux of desirable compounds. Membranes are by nature impervious to the unfacilitated diffusion of hydrophilic compounds such as proteins, water molecules, and ions due to their structure: a bilayer of lipid molecules in which the polar head groups face outward (towards the exterior and interior of the cell) and the nonpolar tails face inward (at the center of bilayer, forming a hydrophobic core). Membranes enable a cell to maintain a relatively higher intracellular concentration of desired compounds and a relatively lower intracellular concentration of undesired compounds than are contained within the surrounding environment.

[2228] Membranes also present a structural difficulty for cells, in that most desired compounds cannot readily enter the cell, nor can most waste products readily exit the cell through this lipid bilayer. The import and export of such compounds is regulated by proteins which are embedded (singly or in complexes) in the cellular membrane. Two mechanisms exists whereby membrane proteins allow the passage of compounds: non-mediated and mediated transport. Simple diffusion is an example of non-mediated transport, while facilitated diffusion and active transport are examples of mediated transport. Permeases, porters, translocases, translocators, and transporters are proteins that engage in mediated transport (Voet and Voet (1990) Biochemistry, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, N.Y. pp. 484-505).

[2229] Sugar transporters are members of the major facilitator superfamily of transporters. These transporters are passive in the sense that they are driven by the substrate concentration gradient and they exhibit distinct kinetics as well as sugar substrate specificity. Members of this family share several characteristics: (1) they contain twelve transmembrane domains separated by hydrophilic loops; (2) they have intracellular N- and C-termini; and (3) they are thought to function as oscillating pores. The transport mechanism occurs via sugar binding to the exofacial binding site of the transporter, which is thought to trigger a conformational change causing the sugar binding site to re-orient to the endofacial conformation, allowing the release of substrate. These transporters are specific for various sugars and are found in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In mammals, sugar transporters transport various monosaccharides across the cell membrane (Walmsley et al. (1998) Trends in Biochem. Sci. 23:476-481; Barrett et al. (1999) Curr. Op. Cell Biol. 11:496-502).

[2230] At least nine mammalian glucose transporters have been identified, GLUT1-GLUT9, which are expressed in a tissue-specific manner (e.g., in brain, erythrocyte, kidney, muscle, and adipose tissues) (Shepherd et al. (1999) N. Engl. J. Med. 341:248-257; Doege et al. (2000) Biochem. J. 350:771-776). Some GLUT proteins have been shown to be present in low amounts at the plasma membrane during the basal state, at which time large amounts are sequestered in intracellular vesicle stores. Stimulatory molecules specific for each GLUT (such as insulin) regulate the translocation of the GLUT-containing vesicles to the plasma membrane. The vesicles fuse at the membrane and subsequently expose the GLUT protein to the extracellular milieu to allow glucose (and other monosaccharide) transport into the cell (Walmsley et al. (1998) Trends in Biochem. Sci. 23:476-481; Barrett et al. (1999) Curr. Op. Cell Biol. 11:496-502). Other GLUT transporters play a role in constitutive sugar transport.

[2231] Potassium (K⁺) channels are ubiquitous proteins which are involved in the setting of the resting membrane potential as well as in the modulation of the electrical activity of cells. In excitable cells, K⁺ channels influence action potential waveforms, firing frequency, and neurotransmitter secretion (Rudy, B. (1988) Neuroscience, 25, 729-749; Hille, B. (1992) Ionic Channels of Excitable Membranes, 2nd Ed.). In non-excitable cells, they are involved in hormone secretion, cell volume regulation and potentially in cell proliferation and differentiation (Lewis et al. (1995) Annu. Rev. Immunol., 13, 623-653). Developments in electrophysiology have allowed the identification and the characterization of an astonishing variety of K⁺ channels that differ in their biophysical properties, pharmacology, regulation and tissue distribution (Rudy, B. (1988) Neuroscience, 25, 729-749; Hille, B. (1992) Ionic Channels of Excitable Membranes, 2nd Ed.). More recently, cloning efforts have shed considerable light on the mechanisms that determine this functional diversity. Furthermore, analyses of structure-function relationships have provided an important set of data concerning the molecular basis of the biophysical properties (selectivity, gating, assembly) and the pharmacological properties of cloned K⁺ channels.

[2232] Functional diversity of K⁺ channels arises mainly from the existence of a great number of genes coding for pore-forming subunits, as well as for other associated regulatory subunits. Two main structural families of pore-forming subunits have been identified. The first one consists of subunits with a conserved hydrophobic core containing six transmembrane domains (TMDs). These K⁺ channel α subunits participate in the formation of outward rectifier voltage-gated (Kv) and Ca²⁺-dependent K⁺ channels. The fourth TMD contains repeated positive charges involved in the voltage gating of these channels and hence in their outward rectification (Logothetis et al. (1992) Neuron, 8, 531-540; Bezanilla et al. (1994) Biophys. J. 66, 1011-1021).

[2233] The second family of pore-forming subunits have only two TMDs. They are essential subunits of inward-rectifying (IRK), G-protein-coupled (GIRK) and ATP-sensitive (K_(ATP)) K⁺ channels. The inward rectification results from a voltage-dependent block by cytoplasmic Mg²⁺ and polyamines (Matsuda, H. (1991) Annu. Rev. Physiol., 53, 289-298). A conserved domain, called the P domain, is present in all members of both families (Pongs, O. (1993) J. Membr. Biol., 136, 1-8; Heginbotham et al. (1994) Biophys. J. 66,1061-1067; Mackinnon, R. (1995) Neuron, 14, 889-892; Pascual et al., (1995) Neuron., and 14, 1055-1063). This domain is an essential element of the aqueous K⁺-selective pore. In both groups, the assembly of four subunits is necessary to form a functional K⁺ channel (Mackinnon, R. (1991) Nature, 350, 232-235; Yang et al., (1995) Neuron, 15, 1441-1447.

[2234] In both six TMD and two TMD pore-forming subunit families, different subunits coded by different genes can associate to form heterotetramers with new channel properties (Isacoff et al., (1990) Nature, 345, 530-534). A selective formation of heteropolymeric channels may allow each cell to develop the best K⁺ current repertoire suited to its function. Pore-forming α subunits of Kv channels are classified into different subfamilies according to their sequence similarity (Chandy et al. (1993) Trends Pharmacol. Sci., 14: 434). Tetramerization is believed to occur preferentially between members of each subgroup (Covarrubias et al. (1991) Neuron, 7, 763-773). The domain responsible for this selective association is localized in the N-terminal region and is conserved between members of the same subgroup. This domain is necessary for hetero- but not homo-multimeric assembly within a subfamily and prevents co-assembly between subfamilies. Recently, pore-forming subunits with two TMDs were also shown to co-assemble to form heteropolymers (Duprat et al. (1995) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 212, 657-663. This heteropolymerization seems necessary to give functional GIRKs. IRKs are active as homopolymers but also form heteropolymers.

[2235] New structural types of K⁺ channels were identified recently in both humans and yeast. These channels have two P domains in their functional subunit instead of only one (Ketchum et al. (1995) Nature, 376, 690-695; Lesage et al. (1996) J. Biol. Chem., 271, 4183-4187; Lesage et al. (1996) EMBO J., 15, 1004-1011; Reid et al (1996) Receptors Channels 4, 51-62). The human channel called TWIK-1, has four TMDs. TWIK-1 is expressed widely in human tissues and is particularly abundant in the heart and the brain. TWIK-1 currents are time independent and inwardly rectifying. These properties suggest that TWIK-1 channels are involved in the control of the background K⁺ membrane conductance (Lesage et al. (1996) EMBO J., 15, 1004-1011).

[2236] Potassium channels are potassium ion selective, and can determine membrane excitability (the ability of, for example, a neuron to respond to a stimulus and convert it into an impulse). Potassium channels can also influence the resting potential of membranes, wave forms and frequencies of action potentials, and thresholds of excitation. Potassium channels are typically expressed in electrically excitable cells, e.g., neurons, muscle, endocrine, and egg cells, and may form heteromultimeric structures, e.g., composed of pore-forming and cytoplasmic subunits. Potassium channels may also be found in non-excitable cells, where they may play a role in, e.g., signal transduction. Examples of potassium channels include: (1) the voltage-gated potassium channels, (2) the ligand-gated potassium channels, e.g., neurotransmitter-gated potassium channels, and (3) cyclic-nucleotide-gated potassium channels. Voltage-gated and ligand-gated potassium channels are expressed in the brain, e.g., in brainstem monoaminergic and forebrain cholinergic neurons, where they are involved in the release of neurotransmitters, or in the dendrites of hippocampal and neocortical pyramidal cells, where they are involved in the processes of learning and memory formation. For a detailed description of potassium channels, see Kandel E. R. et al., Principles of Neural Science, second edition, (Elsevier Science Publishing Co., Inc., N.Y. (1985)), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[2237] The E1-E2 ATPase family is a large superfamily of transport enzymes that contains at least 80 members found in diverse organisms such as bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes (Palmgren, M. G. and Axelsen, K. B. (1998) Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1365:37-45). These enzymes are involved in ATP hydrolysis-dependent transmembrane movement of a variety of inorganic cations (e.g., H⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Cu²⁺, Cd⁺, and Mg²⁺ ions) across a concentration gradient, whereby the enzyme converts the free energy of ATP hydrolysis into electrochemical ion gradients. E1-E2 ATPases are also known as “P-type” ATPases, referring to the existence of a covalent high-energy phosphoryl-enzyme intermediate in the chemical reaction pathway of these transporters. Until recently, the superfamily contained four major groups: Ca²⁺ transporting ATPases; Na⁺/K⁺- and gastric H⁺/K⁺ transporting ATPases; plasma membrane H⁺ transporting ATPases of plants, fungi, and lower eukaryotes; and all bacterial P-type ATPases (Kuhlbrandt et al. (1998) Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol. 8:510-516).

[2238] E1-E2 ATPases are phosphorylated at a highly conserved DKTG sequence. Phosphorylation at this site is thought to control the enzyme's substrate affinity. Most E1-E2 ATPases contain ten alpha-helical transmembrane domains, although additional domains may be present. A majority of known gated-pore translocators contain twelve alpha-helices, including Na⁺/H⁺ antiporters (West (1997) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1331:213-234).

[2239] Members of the E1-E2 ATPase superfamily are able to generate electrochemical ion gradients which enable a variety of processes in the cell such as absorption, secretion, transmembrane signaling, nerve impulse transmission, excitation/contraction coupling, and growth and differentiation (Scarborough (1999) Curr. Op. Cell Biol. 11:517-522). These molecules are thus critical to normal cell function and well-being of the organism.

[2240] Recently, a new class of E1-E2 ATPases was identified, the aminophospholipid transporters or translocators. These transporters transport not cations, but phospholipids (Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497; Bull, L. N. et al. (1998) Nat. Genet. 18:219-224; Mauro, I. et al. (1999) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 257:333-339). These transporters are involved in cellular functions including bile acid secretion and maintenance of the asymmetrical integrity of the plasma membrane.

[2241] Given the important biological and physiological roles played by the sugar transporter family of proteins, the potassium channel family of proteins, and the E1-E2 ATPase family of proteins, there exists a need to identify novel potassium channel family members for use in a variety of diagnostic/prognostic, as well as therapeutic applications

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[2242] The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel human sugar transporter family members, referred to herein as “8099 and 46455” nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules. The 8099 and 46455 nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules of the present invention are useful as modulating agents in regulating a variety of cellular processes, e.g., sugar homeostasis. Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding 8099 and 46455 polypeptides or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments suitable as primers or hybridization probes for the detection of 8099 and 46455-encoding nucleic acids. The present invention is also based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel potassium channel family members, referred to herein as “54414 and 53763” nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules. The 54414 and 53763 nucleic acid and protein molecules of the present invention are useful as modulating agents in regulating a variety of cellular processes, e.g., gene expression, intra- or intercellular signaling, and/or membrane excitability or conductance. Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding 54414 and 53763 proteins or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments suitable as primers or hybridization probes for the detection of 54414 and 53763-encoding nucleic acids.

[2243] The present invention is also based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel human phospholipid transporter family members, referred to herein as “67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt” nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules. The 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules of the present invention are useful as modulating agents in regulating a variety of cellular processes, e.g., phospholipid transport (e.g., aminophospholipid transport), absorption, secretion, gene expression, intra- or inter-cellular signaling, and/or cellular proliferation, growth, apoptosis, and/or differentiation. Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments suitable as primers or hybridization probes for the detection of 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-encoding nucleic acids.

[2244] In one embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that includes the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, or 77. In another embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that encodes a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76. In another embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that includes the nucleotide sequence contained in the plasmid deposited with ATCC® as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______.

[2245] In still other embodiments, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules including nucleotide sequences that are substantially identical (e.g., 60% identical) to the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, or 77. The invention further features isolated nucleic acid molecules including at least 50 contiguous nucleotides of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, or 77. In another embodiment, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence that is substantially identical (e.g., 60% identical) to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76. The present invention also features nucleic acid molecules which encode allelic variants of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76. In addition to isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding full-length polypeptides, the present invention also features nucleic acid molecules which encode fragments, for example, biologically active or antigenic fragments, of the full-length polypeptides of the present invention (e.g., fragments including at least 10 contiguous amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76). In still other embodiments, the invention features nucleic acid molecules that are complementary to, antisense to, or hybridize under stringent conditions to the isolated nucleic acid molecules described herein.

[2246] In another aspect, the invention provides vectors including the isolated nucleic acid molecules described herein (e.g., 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-encoding nucleic acid molecules). Such vectors can optionally include nucleotide sequences encoding heterologous polypeptides. Also featured are host cells including such vectors (e.g., host cells including vectors suitable for producing 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides).

[2247] In another aspect, the invention features isolated 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides and/or biologically active or antigenic fragments thereof. Exemplary embodiments feature a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76, a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence at least 60% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76, a polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid molecule including a nucleotide sequence at least 60% identical to the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, or 77. Also featured are fragments of the fill-length polypeptides described herein (e.g., fragments including at least 10 contiguous amino acid residues of the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76) as well as allelic variants of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76.

[2248] The 8099 and 46455 polypeptides and/or biologically active or antigenic fragments thereof, are useful, for example, as reagents or targets in assays applicable to treatment and/or diagnosis of 8099 and 46455 mediated or related disorders. In one embodiment, 8099 and/or 46455 polypeptides or fragments thereof, have an 8099 and/or 46455 activity. In another embodiment, 8099 and/or 46455 polypeptides or fragments thereof, have at least one, preferably two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, or twelve transmembrane domains and/or a sugar transporter family domain, and optionally, have an 8099 and/or 46455 activity.

[2249] The 54414 and 53763 polypeptides and/or biologically active or antigenic fragments thereof, are useful, for example, as reagents or targets in assays applicable to treatment and/or diagnosis of 54414 and 53763 mediated or related disorders. In one embodiment, a 54414 AND 53763 polypeptide or fragment thereof has a 54414 and 53763 activity. In another embodiment, a 54414 and 53763 polypeptide or fragment thereof has at least one or more of the following domains or motifs: a transmembrane domain, an ion transport protein domain, a K⁺ channel tetramerisation domain, a P-loop motif, a pore domain, a potassium channel signature sequence motif, and/or a voltage sensor motif, and optionally, has a 54414 or 53763 activity.

[2250] The 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides and/or biologically active or antigenic fragments thereof, are useful, for example, as reagents or targets in assays applicable to treatment and/or diagnosis of 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt associated or related disorders. In one embodiment, a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or fragment thereof, has a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity. In another embodiment, a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or fragment thereof, includes at least one of the following domains, sites, or motifs: a transmembrane domain, an N-terminal large extramembrane domain, a C-terminal large extramembrane domain, an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif, and/or one or more phospholipid transporter specific amino acid resides, and optionally, has a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity.

[2251] In a related aspect, the invention features antibodies (e.g., antibodies which specifically bind to any one of the polypeptides described herein) as well as fusion polypeptides including all or a fragment of a polypeptide described herein.

[2252] The present invention further features methods for detecting 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides and/or 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecules, such methods featuring, for example, a probe, primer or antibody described herein. Also featured are kits, e.g., kits for the detection of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides and/or 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecules. In a related aspect, the invention features methods for identifying compounds which bind to and/or modulate the activity of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecule described herein. Further featured are methods for modulating a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity.

[2253] Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[2254] The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel sugar transporter family molecules, referred to herein as “8099 and 46455” nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules. These novel molecules are capable of, for example, modulating a transporter mediated activity (e.g., a sugar transporter mediated activity) in a cell, e.g., a liver cell, fat cell, muscle cell, or blood cell, such as an erythrocyte. These novel molecules are capable of transporting molecules, e.g., hexoses such as D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose or mannose across biological membranes and, thus, play a role in or function in a variety of cellular processes, e.g., maintenance of sugar homeostasis. Thus the 8099 and 46455 molecules of the present invention provide novel diagnostic targets and therapeutic agents to control 8099 and 46455-associated disorders, as defined herein.

[2255] The present invention is also based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel potassium channel family members, referred to herein as “54414 and 53763” nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules. These novel molecules are capable of, for example, modulating PCH mediated activities in a cell, e.g., a neuronal cell. Thus, the 54414 and 53763 molecules of the present invention provide novel diagnostic targets and therapeutic agents to control 54414 or 53763-associated disorders, as defined herein.

[2256] The present invention also is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel phospholipid transporter family molecules, referred to herein as “67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt” nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules. These novel molecules are capable of, for example, transporting phospholipids (e.g., aminophospholipids such as phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine, choline phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin, and bile acids) across cellular membranes and, thus, play a role in or function in a variety of cellular processes, e.g., phospholipid transport, absorption, secretion, gene expression, intra- or inter-cellular signaling, and/or cellular proliferation, growth, and/or differentiation. Thus, the 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, and 67084alt molecules of the present invention provide novel diagnostic targets and therapeutic agents to control 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disorders, as defined herein.

[2257] The term “family” when referring to the protein and nucleic acid molecules of the invention is intended to mean two or more proteins or nucleic acid molecules having a common structural domain or motif and having sufficient amino acid or nucleotide sequence homology as defined herein. Such family members can be naturally or non-naturally occurring and can be from either the same or different species. For example, a family can contain a first protein of human origin as well as other distinct proteins of human origin or alternatively, can contain homologues of non-human origin, e.g., rat or mouse proteins. Members of a family can also have common functional characteristics.

[2258] 8099 and 46455 Molecules of the Invention

[2259] The family of 8099 and 46455 polypeptides comprise at least one “transmembrane domain” and at least one, preferably two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, or twelve transmembrane domains. As used herein, the term “transmembrane domain” includes an amino acid sequence of about 20-45 amino acid residues in length which spans the plasma membrane. More preferably, a transmembrane domain includes about at least 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, or 45 amino acid residues and spans the plasma membrane. Transmembrane domains are rich in hydrophobic residues, and typically have an alpha-helical structure. In a preferred embodiment, at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or more of the amino acids of a transmembrane domain are hydrophobic, e.g., leucines, isoleucines, alanines, valines, phenylalanines, prolines or methionines. Transmembrane domains are described in, for example, Zagotta W. N. et al, (1996) Annual Rev. Neurosci. 19: 235-263, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. A MEMSAT and additional analyses resulted in the identification of twelve transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 8099 (SEQ ID NO: 52) at about residues 32-49, 81-101, 109-130, 138-156, 165-184, 198-217, 279-301, 315-338, 346-364, 463-487, 499-521, and 529-549. A MEMSAT and additional analyses resulted in the identification of twelve transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 46455 (SEQ ID NO: 55) at about residues 58-74, 98-118, 126-145, 165-181, 188-205, 218-238, 273-294, 323-341, 357-377, 386-410, 423-441, and 462-485.

[2260] Accordingly, 8099 and 46455 polypeptides having at least 50-60% homology, preferably about 60-70%, more preferably about 70-80%, or about 80-90% homology with at least one, preferably at least two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, or twelve transmembrane domains of human 8099 and 46455, respectively are within the scope of the invention.

[2261] Another embodiment of the invention features 8099 molecules which contain an N-terminal unique domain. The term “unique N-terminal domain” as used herein, refers to a protein domain of an 8099 protein family member which includes amino acid residues N-terminal to the sixth transmembrane domain, e.g., the GLUT8-like domain in the amino acid sequence of the 8099 protein. As used herein, a “unique N-terminal domain” refers to a protein domain which is at least about 150-200 amino acid residues in length, preferably at least about 160-190 amino acid residues in length and shares significantly more sequence homology with about residues 1 to 178 of SEQ ID NO: 52 than with about residues 1 to 178 of GLUT8.

[2262] Accordingly, 8099 polypeptides having at least 50-60% homology, preferably about 60-70%, more preferably about 70-80%, or about 80-90% homology with at least one unique N-terminal domain of human 8099 (e.g., about amino acids 1-178 of SEQ ID NO: 52) are within the scope of the invention.

[2263] Yet another aspect of the invention features 8099 proteins having an “extended exofacial loop” between transmembrane domains 9 and 10. Preferably, the first amino acid residue of an extended exofacial loop of 8099 is the first residue C-terminal to the amino acid residues of transmembrane domain 9 and the last residue of the exofacial loop is the first residue N-terminal to the amino acid residues of transmembrane domain 10 of 8099. In a preferred embodiment, an extended exofacial loop is at least about 50-55, 55-60, 60-65, 65-70, 70-75, 75-80, 80-85, 85-90, 90-95, 97 or more amino acid residues in length. For example, in one embodiment, an 8099 protein includes an “extended exofacial loop” of about amino acids 365-462 of SEQ ID NO: 52 (97 amino acid residues in length).

[2264] Accordingly, 8099 polypeptides having at least 50-60% homology, preferably about 60-70%, more preferably about 70-80%, or about 80-90% homology with at least one extended exofacial loop of human 8099 are within the scope of the invention.

[2265] In another embodiment, an 8099 and/or 46455 molecule of the present invention is identified based on the presence of at least one “sugar transporter family domain.” As used herein, the term “sugar transporter family domain” includes a protein domain having at least about 300-600 amino acid residues and a sugar transporter mediated activity. Preferably, a sugar transporter family domain includes a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of about 350-550, 400-550, or more preferably, about 411 or 521 amino acid residues and a sugar transporter mediated activity. To identify the presence of a sugar transporter family domain in an 8099 and/or an 46455 protein, and make the determination that a protein of interest has a particular profile, the amino acid sequence of the protein may be searched against a database of known protein domains (e.g., the PFAM HMM database). A PFAM sugar transporter family domain has been assigned the PFAM Accession PF00083. A search was performed against the PFAM HMM database resulting in the identification of a sugar transporter family domain in the amino acid sequence of human 8099 (SEQ ID NO: 52) at about residues 43-564 of SEQ ID NO: 52. A search was performed against the PFAM HMM database resulting in the identification of a sugar transporter family domain in the amino acid sequence of human 46455 (SEQ ID NO: 55) at about residues 58-487 of SEQ ID NO: 55.

[2266] Preferably a “sugar transporter family domain” has a “sugar transporter mediated activity” as described herein. For example, a sugar transporter family domain may have the ability to bind a monosaccharide (e.g., D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose and/or mannose); the ability to transport a monosaccharide (e.g., D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose and/or mannose) in a constitutive manner or in response to stimuli (e.g., insulin) across a cell membrane (e.g., a liver cell membrane, fat cell membrane, muscle cell membrane, and/or blood cell membrane, such as an erythrocyte membrane); the ability to function as a neuronal transporter; the ability to mediate trans-epithelial movement; and/or the ability to modulate sugar homeostasis in a cell. Accordingly, identifying the presence of a “sugar transporter family domain” can include isolating a fragment of an 8099 and/or an 46455 molecule (e.g., an 8099 and/or an 46455 polypeptide) and assaying for the ability of the fragment to exhibit one of the aforementioned sugar transporter mediated activities.

[2267] A description of the Pfam database can be found in Sonhammer et al. (1997) Proteins 28:405-420 and a detailed description of HMMs can be found, for example, in Gribskov et al. (1990) Meth. Enzymol. 183:146-159; Gribskov et al.(1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:4355-4358; Krogh et al.(1994) J Mol. Biol. 235:1501-1531; and Stultz et al.(1993) Protein Sci. 2:305-314, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[2268] In a preferred embodiment, the 8099 and/or 46455 molecules of the invention include at least one, preferably two, even more preferably at least three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, or twelve transmembrane domain(s) and/or at least one sugar transporter family domain. In another preferred embodiment, the 8099 molecules of the invention include at least one, preferably two, even more preferably at least three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, or twelve transmembrane domain(s), at least one sugar transporter family domain, at least one unique N-terminal domain, and/or at least one extended exofacial loop.

[2269] Isolated polypeptides of the present invention, preferably 8099 or 46455 polypeptides, have an amino acid sequence sufficiently identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 52 or 55 or are encoded by a nucleotide sequence sufficiently identical to SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54 or 56. As used herein, the term “sufficiently identical” refers to a first amino acid or nucleotide sequence which contains a sufficient or minimum number of identical or equivalent (e.g., an amino acid residue which has a similar side chain) amino acid residues or nucleotides to a second amino acid or nucleotide sequence such that the first and second amino acid or nucleotide sequences share common structural domains or motifs and/or a common functional activity. For example, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share common structural domains having at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homology or identity across the amino acid sequences of the domains and contain at least one and preferably two structural domains or motifs, are defined herein as sufficiently identical. Furthermore, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homology or identity and share a common functional activity are defined herein as sufficiently identical.

[2270] In a preferred embodiment, an 8099 and/or 46455 polypeptide includes at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain and/or a sugar transporter family domain, and has an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homologous or identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 52 or 55, or the amino acid sequences encoded by the DNA inserts of the plasmids deposited with ATCC as Accession Numbers ______ and/or ______. In yet another preferred embodiment, an 8099 and/or an 46455 polypeptide includes at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain and/or a sugar transporter family domain, and is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule having a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54 or 56. In another preferred embodiment, an 8099 and/or an 46455 polypeptide includes at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain and/or a sugar transporter family domain, and has an 8099 and/or an 46455 activity.

[2271] As used interchangeably herein, an “8099 activity”, “46455 activity”, “biological activity of 8099”, “biological activity of 46455”, “functional activity of 8099” or “functional activity of 46455” refers to an activity exerted by an 8099 and/or 46455 polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule on an 8099 and/or 46455 responsive cell or tissue, or on an 8099 and/or 46455 polypeptide substrate, as determined in vivo, or in vitro, according to standard techniques. In one embodiment, an 8099 and/or 46455 activity is a direct activity, such as an association with an 8099- and/or 46455-target molecule. As used herein, a “substrate,” “target molecule,” or “binding partner” is a molecule with which an 8099 and/or 46455 polypeptide binds or interacts in nature, such that 8099- and/or 46455-mediated function is achieved. An 8099 and/or 46455 target molecule can be a non-8099 and/or a non-46455 molecule or an 8099 and/or 46455 polypeptide or polypeptide of the present invention. In an exemplary embodiment, an 8099 and/or 46455 target molecule is an 8099 and/or 46455 ligand, e.g., a sugar transporter ligand such D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose, and/or mannose. Alternatively, an 8099 and/or 46455 activity is an indirect activity, such as a cellular signaling activity mediated by interaction of the 8099 and/or 46455 polypeptide with an 8099 and/or 46455 ligand. The biological activities of 8099 and/or 46455 are described herein. For example, the 8099 and/or 46455 polypeptides of the present invention can have one or more of the following activities: (1) bind a monosaccharide, e.g., D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose, and/or mannose, (2) transport monosaccharides across a cell membrane, (3) influence insulin and/or glucagon secretion, (4) maintain sugar homeostasis in a cell, (5) function as a neuronal transporter, and (6) mediate trans-epithelial movement in a cell. Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, 8099 and/or 46455 molecules of the present invention, 8099 and/or 46455 antibodies, 8099 and/or 46455 modulators are useful in at least one of the following: (1) modulation of insulin sensitivity; (2) modulation of blood sugar levels; (3) treatment of blood sugar level disorders (e.g., diabetes); and/or (4) modulation of insulin resistance.

[2272] The nucleotide sequence of the isolated human 8099 and 46455 cDNAs and the predicted amino acid sequences of the human 8099 and 46455 polypeptides are shown in FIGS. 45A-D and 52A-D and in SEQ ID NOs: 51 and 52, and SEQ ID NOs: 54 and 55, respectively. Plasmids containing the nucleotide sequences encoding human 8099 or 46455 were deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______ and assigned Accession Numbers ______ or ______. These deposits will be maintained under the terms of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure. These deposits were made merely as a convenience for those of skill in the art and are not an admission that a deposit is required under 35 U.S.C. §112.

[2273] The human 8099 gene, which is approximately 2725 nucleotides in length, encodes a polypeptide which is approximately 617 amino acid residues in length. The human 46455 gene, which is approximately 2230 nucleotides in length, encodes a polypeptide which is approximately 528 amino acid residues in length.

[2274] 54414 and 53763 Molecules of the Invention

[2275] The family of 54414 and 53763 proteins of the present invention comprises at least one transmembrane domain, preferably at least 2 or 3 transmembrane domains, more preferably 4 or 5 transmembrane domains, and most preferably, 6 transmembrane domains. Amino acid residues 64-83, 104-127, 135-153, 161-173, 199-217, and 257-274 of the human 54414 protein (SEQ ID NO: 58) are predicted to comprise transmembrane domains. Amino acid residues 230-248, 287-303, 314-335, 346-368, 382-402, and 451-473 of the human 53763 protein (SEQ ID NO: 61) are predicted to comprise transmembrane domains.

[2276] In another embodiment, members of the 54414 and 53763 family of proteins include at least one “ion transport protein domain” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, the term “ion transport protein domain” includes a protein domain having at least about 150-310 amino acid residues and a bit score of at least 200 when compared against an ion transport protein domain Hidden Markov Model (HMM), e.g., PFAM Accession Number PF00520. Preferably, an ion transport protein domain includes a protein domain having an amino acid sequence of about 170-290, 190-270, 210-250, or more preferably about 173 or 191 amino acid residues. To identify the presence of an ion transport protein domain in a 54414 or 53763 protein, and make the determination that a protein of interest has a particular profile, the amino acid sequence of the protein is searched against a database of known protein motifs and/or domains (e.g., the HMM database). The ion transport protein domain (HMM) has been assigned the PFAM Accession number PF00520. A search was performed against the HMM database resulting in the identification of an ion transport protein domain in the amino acid sequence of human 54414 at about residues 104-277 of SEQ ID NO: 58 and in the amino acid sequence of human 53763 about residues 281-472 of SEQ ID NO: 61.

[2277] Preferably an ion transport protein domain is at least about 150-310 amino acid residues and has an “ion transport protein domain activity”, for example, the ability to interact with a 54414 or 53763 substrate or target molecule (e.g., a potassium ion) and/or to regulate 54414 or 53763 activity. Accordingly, identifying the presence of an “ion transport protein domain” can include isolating a fragment of a 54414 or 53763 molecule (e.g., a 54414 or 53763 polypeptide) and assaying for the ability of the fragment to exhibit one of the aforementioned ion transport protein domain activities.

[2278] In another embodiment, members of the 54414 and 53763 family of proteins include at least one “K⁺ channel tetramerisation domain” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, the term “K⁺ channel tetramerisation domain” includes a protein domain having at least about 70-230 amino acid residues and a bit score of at least 80 when compared against a K⁺ channel tetramerisation domain Hidden Markov Model (HMM), e.g., PFAM Accession Number PF02214. Preferably, a K⁺ channel tetramerisation domain includes a protein domain having an amino acid sequence of about 90-210, 110-190, 130-170, or more preferably about 149 amino acid residues, and a bit score of at least 100, 120, 140, or more preferably, 156.7. To identify the presence of a K⁺ channel tetramerisation domain in a 54414 or 53763 protein, and make the determination that a protein of interest has a particular profile, the amino acid sequence of the protein is searched against a database of known protein motifs and/or domains (e.g., the HMM database). The K⁺ channel tetramerisation domain (HMM) has been assigned the PFAM Accession number PF02214. A search was performed against the HMM database resulting in the identification of a K⁺ channel tetramerisation domain in the amino acid sequence of human 53763 at about residues 8-156 of SEQ ID NO: 61.

[2279] Preferably a K⁺ channel tetramerisation domain is at least about 70-230 amino acid residues and has an “K⁺ channel tetramerisation domain activity”, for example, the ability to interact with one or more potassium channel subunits (e.g., 54414 or 53763 molecules, or non-54414 or 53763 potassium channel subunits), the ability to regulate assembly of a 54414 or 53763 molecule into a potassium channel tetramer, and/or to regulate 54414 or 53763 activity. Accordingly, identifying the presence of an “K⁺ channel tetramerisation domain” can include isolating a fragment of a 54414 or 53763 molecule (e.g., a 54414 or 53763 polypeptide) and assaying for the ability of the fragment to exhibit one of the aforementioned K⁺ channel tetramerisation domain activities.

[2280] In another embodiment, a 54414 or 53763 protein of the present invention is identified based on the presence of an “ATP/GTP-binding sit motif A (P-loop) motif”, referred to alternatively herein as a “P-loop motif”, in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. Preferably, a P-loop motif includes a protein motif which is about 4-15, 5-13, 6-11, 7-9, or preferably about 8 amino acid residues. The P-loop motif functions in binding ATP and/or GTP via interaction with the phosphate groups of the nucleotide and has been assigned Prosite™ Accession Number PS00017. To identify the presence of a P-loop motif in a 54414 or 53763 protein, and to make the determination that a protein of interest has a particular profile, the amino acid sequence of the protein may be searched against a database of known protein domains or motifs (e.g., the Prosite™ database) using the default parameters (available at the ProSite website). A search was performed against the ProSite database resulting in the identification of a P-loop motif in the amino acid sequence of human 54414 (SEQ ID NO: 58) at about residues 1007-1014.

[2281] In another embodiment, a 54414 or 53763 protein of the present invention is identified based on the presence of a “pore domain”, alternatively referred to herein as a “P-region domain”, in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used interchangeably herein, the terms “pore domain” and “P-region domain” include a protein domain having about 10-30, 12-28, 13-25, 14-24, 15-23, or preferably about 16-22 amino acid residues, which is involved in lining the potassium channel pore. A pore domain is typically found between transmembrane domains of potassium channels and is believed to be a major determinant of ion selectivity in potassium channels. Preferably, a pore domain includes a potassium channel signature motif, as defined herein. Pore domains are described in, for example, Warmke et al. (1991) Science 252:1560-1562; Zagotta W. N. et al. (1996) Annu. Rev. Neurosci. 19:235-63; Pongs, O. (1993) J. Membr. Biol. 136:1-8; Heginbotham et al. (1994) Biophys. J. 66:1061-1067; Mackinnon, R. (1995) Neuron 14:889-892; and Pascual et al. (1995) Neuron 14:1055-1063), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. A pore domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 54414 at about residues 229-250 of SEQ ID NO: 58. A pore domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 53763 at about residues 426-441 of SEQ ID NO: 61.

[2282] In a further embodiment, a 54414 or 53763 protein of the present invention is identified based on the presence of a “potassium channel signature sequence motif” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, the term “potassium channel signature sequence motif” includes a protein motif which is diagnostic for potassium channels. Preferably, a potassium channel signature sequence motif has the consensus sequence T-X-X-T-X-G-hydrophobic-G (see Joiner, W. J. et al. (1998) Nat. Neurosci. 1:462-469 and references cited therein), wherein “X” indicates any amino acid residue, and “hydrophobic” indicates any hydrophobic amino acid residue. Preferably, a potassium channel signature sequence motif is included within a pore domain and includes at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or more preferably, 8 amino acid residues that match the consensus sequence for a potassium channel signature sequence motif. A potassium channel signature sequence motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 54414 at about residues 239-246 of SEQ ID NO: 58. A potassium channel signature sequence motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 53763 at about residues 436-441 of SEQ ID NO: 61.

[2283] In still another embodiment, a 54414 or 53763 protein of the present invention is identified based on the presence of a “voltage sensor motif”, alternatively referred to simply as a “voltage sensor”, in the protein or the corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used interchangeably herein, the terms “voltage sensor motif” and “voltage sensor” include a protein motif having about 10-30, 11-26, 12-24, 13-22, 14-20, 15-18, or more preferably 16 amino acid residues, which is involved in sensing voltage differences between the two sides of the plasma membrane of a cell. Preferably, a voltage sensor motif includes at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more preferably, 6 positively charged amino acid residues, which are preferably spaced apart by at least 1, or preferably 2, non-positively charged amino acid residues. Preferably, a voltage sensor motif is included within and/or overlaps with a transmembrane domain, more preferably the fourth transmembrane, of the 54414 or 53763 protein in which it is found. A voltage sensor motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 53763 at about residues 348-363 of SEQ ID NO: 58. The positively charged amino acid residues of the human 53763 voltage sensor were identified at about residues 348, 351, 354, 357, 360, and 363 of SEQ ID NO: 58. No voltage sensor was identified in human 54414.

[2284] Isolated proteins of the present invention, preferably 54414 or 53763 proteins, have an amino acid sequence sufficiently homologous to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 58 or 61, or are encoded by a nucleotide sequence sufficiently homologous to SEQ ID NO: 57, 59, 60, or 62. Amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share common structural domains having at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homology or identity across the amino acid sequences of the domains and contain at least one and preferably two structural domains or motifs, are defined herein as sufficiently homologous. Furthermore, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homology or identity and share a common functional activity are defined herein as sufficiently homologous.

[2285] In a preferred embodiment, a 54414 or 53763 protein includes at least one or more of the following domains or motifs: a transmembrane domain, an ion transport protein domain, a K⁺ channel tetramerisation domain, a P-loop motif, a pore domain, a potassium channel signature sequence motif, and/or a voltage sensor motif. and has an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homologous or identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 58 or 61, or the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______. In yet another preferred embodiment, a 54414 or 53763 protein includes at least one or more of the following domains or motifs: a transmembrane domain, an ion transport protein domain, a K⁺ channel tetramerisation domain, a P-loop motif, a pore domain, a potassium channel signature sequence motif, and/or a voltage sensor motif, and is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule having a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 57, 59, 60, or 62. In another preferred embodiment, a 54414 or 53763 protein includes at least one or more of the following domains or motifs: a transmembrane domain, an ion transport protein domain, a K⁺ channel tetramerisation domain, a P-loop motif, a pore domain, a potassium channel signature sequence motif, and/or a voltage sensor motif, and has a 54414 or 53763 activity.

[2286] As used interchangeably herein, a “54414 or 53763 activity”, “biological activity of 54414 or 53763” or “functional activity of 54414 or 53763”, includes an activity exerted or mediated by a 54414 or 53763 protein, polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule when expressed in a cell or on a membrane, as determined in vivo or in vitro, according to standard techniques. In one embodiment, a 54414 or 53763 activity is a direct activity, such as transport of a 54414 or 53763 substrate (e.g., a potassium ion). In another embodiment, a 54414 or 53763 activity is an indirect activity mediated, for example, by interaction of a 54414 or 53763 molecule with a 54414 or 53763 target molecule or binding partner. As used herein, a “target molecule” or “binding partner” is a molecule with which a 54414 or 53763 protein binds or interacts in nature, such that function of the target molecule or binding partner is modulated. In an exemplary embodiment, a 54414 or 53763 target molecule or binding partner is a 54414 or 53763 polypeptide or a non-54414 or 53763 potassium channel subunit.

[2287] In a preferred embodiment, a 54414 or 53763 activity is at least one of the following activities: (i) interaction with a 54414 or 53763 substrate (e.g., a potassium ion or a cyclic nucleotide); (ii) conductance or transport of a 54414 or 53763 substrate across a cellular membrane; (iii) interaction with a second protein (e.g., a second 54414 or 53763 subunit or a non-54414 or 53763 potassium channel subunit); (iv) modulation (e.g., maintenance and/or rectification) of membrane potentials; (v) regulation of target molecule availability or activity; (vi) modulation of intra- or intercellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); (vii) generation of outwardly rectifying currents; (viii) modulation of membrane excitability; (ix) modulation of the release of neurotransmitters; (x) regulation of contractility (e.g., of smooth muscle cells), secretion, and/or synaptic transmission; and/or (xi) modulation of processes which underlie learning and memory.

[2288] Preferred activities of 54414 further include at least one of the following activities: (i) interaction with maxi-K potassium channels (i.e., large conductance channels, in particular Slo); (ii) modulation of maxi-K potassium channel activity (e.g., Slo-mediated activities); (iii) generation of intermediate conductance channels; and/or (iv) regulation of contractility (e.g., of smooth muscle cells), secretion, and/or synaptic transmission, in particular, via modulation of Slo.

[2289] Preferred activities of 53763 further include at least one of the following activities: (i) interaction with Shaker (Sh) potassium channels and/or channel subunits; (ii) modulation of Shaker (Sh) potassium channel activity (e.g., termination of prolonged membrane depolarization; (iii) modulation of high voltage activating channel activity and/or inactivating channel activity, and the like.

[2290] The nucleotide sequence of the isolated human 54414 cDNA and the predicted amino acid sequence encoded by the 54414 cDNA are shown in FIGS. 56A-H and in SEQ ID NOs: 57 and 58, respectively. A plasmid containing the human 54414 cDNA was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______ and assigned Accession Number ______. This deposit will be maintained under the terms of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure. This deposit were made merely as a convenience for those of skill in the art and is not an admission that a deposit is required under 35 U.S.C. §112.

[2291] The human 54414 gene, which is approximately 4632 nucleotides in length, encodes a protein having a molecular weight of approximately 123 kD and which is approximately 1118 amino acid residues in length.

[2292] The nucleotide sequence of the isolated human 53763 cDNA and the predicted amino acid sequence encoded by the 53763 cDNA are shown in FIGS. 60A-D and in SEQ ID NOs: 60 and 61, respectively. A plasmid containing the human 53763 cDNA was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______ and assigned Accession Number ______. This deposit will be maintained under the terms of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure. This deposit were made merely as a convenience for those of skill in the art and is not an admission that a deposit is required under 35 U.S.C. §112.

[2293] The human 53763 gene, which is approximately 2847 nucleotides in length, encodes a protein having a molecular weight of approximately 70.2 kD and which is approximately 638 amino acid residues in length.

[2294] 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, and 67084alt Molecules of the Invention

[2295] The 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, and 67084alt polypeptides comprise at least one “transmembrane domain” and preferably eight, nine, or ten transmembrane domains. A MEMSAT analysis and a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis also resulted in the identification of ten transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 67076 (SEQ ID NO: 64) at about residues 57-77, 84-105, 292-313, 345-365, 863-883, 905-926, 956-977, 989-1009, 1021-1041, and 1060-1087. A MEMSAT analysis and a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis resulted in the identification of ten transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 67102 (SEQ ID NO: 67) at about residues 98-115, 122-140, 322-344, 366-390, 582-601, 752-770, 1145-1166, 1225-1246, 1253-1276, and 1298-1317. A MEMSAT analysis and a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis resulted in the identification of ten transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 44181 (SEQ ID NO: 70) at about residues 56-72, 87-103, 290-311, 343-363, 878-898, 911-931, 961-982, 995-1015, 1027-1047, and 1062-1086. A MEMSAT analysis and a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis resulted in the identification of ten transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL (SEQ ID NO: 73) at about residues 104-120, 124-144, 331-350, 357-374, 887-903, 912-931, 961-983, 990-1008, 1015-1035, and 1043-1067. A MEMSAT analysis and a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis resulted in the identification of ten transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 67084alt (SEQ ID NO: 76) at about residues 104-120, 124-144, 331-350, 357-379, 887-903, 912-931, 961-983, 990-1008, 1015-1035, and 1054-1078.

[2296] The family of 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt proteins of the present invention also comprises at least one “extramembrane domain” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, an “extramembrane domain” includes a domain having greater than 20 amino acid residues that is found between transmembrane domains, preferably on the cytoplasmic side of the plasma membrane, and does not span or traverse the plasma membrane. An extramembrane domain preferably includes at least one, two, three, four or more motifs or consensus sequences characteristic of P-type ATPases, i.e., includes one, two, three, four, or more “P-type ATPase consensus sequences or motifs”. As used herein, the phrase “P-type ATPase consensus sequences or motifs” includes any consensus sequence or motif known in the art to be characteristic of P-type ATPases, including, but not limited to, the P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif (as defined herein), the P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif (as defined herein), the P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif (as defined herein), and the E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site (as defined herein).

[2297] In one embodiment, the family of 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt proteins of the present invention comprises at least one “N-terminal” large extramembrane domain in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, an “N-terminal” large extramembrane domain is found in the N-terminal ⅓^(rd) of the protein, preferably between the second and third transmembrane domains of a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein and includes about 60-300, 80-280, 100-260, 120-240, 140-220, 160-200, or preferably, 180, 185, or 186 amino acid residues. In a preferred embodiment, an N-terminal large extramembrane domain includes at least one P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif (as described herein). An N-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67076 at about residues 106-291 of SEQ ID NO: 64. An N-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67102 at about residues 141-321 of SEQ ID NO: 67. An N-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 44181 at about residues 104-289 of SEQ ID NO: 70. An N-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL at about residues 145-330 of SEQ ID NO: 73. An N-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67087alt at about residues 145-330 of SEQ ID NO: 76.

[2298] The family of 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt proteins of the present invention also comprises at least one “C-terminal” large extramembrane domain in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, a “C-terminal” large extramembrane domain is found in the C-terminal ⅔^(rds) of the protein, preferably between the fourth and fifth transmembrane domains of a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein and includes about 150-1000, 300-900, 370-850, 400-820, 430-790, 460-760, 430-730, 460-700, 430-670, 460-640, 430-610, 490-580, 510-550, or preferably, 190, 506, or 523 amino acid residues. In a preferred embodiment, a C-terminal large extramembrane domain includes at least one or more of the following motifs: a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif (as described herein), a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif (as defined herein), and/or an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site (as defined herein). A C-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67076 at about residues 366-862 of SEQ ID NO: 64. A C-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67102 at about residues 391-581 of SEQ ID NO: 67. A C-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 44181 at about residues 364-877 of SEQ ID NO: 70. A C-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL at about residues 380-886 of SEQ ID NO: 73. A C-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67084alt at about residues 380-886 of SEQ ID NO: 76.

[2299] In another embodiment, a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein or 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt extramembrane domain is characterized by at least one “P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid sequence. As used herein, a “P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif” is a conserved sequence motif diagnostic for P-type ATPases (Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497; Fagan, M. J. and Saier, M. H. (1994) J. Mol. Evol. 38:57). Amino acid residues of the P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif are involved in the coupling of ATP hydrolysis with transport (e.g., transport of phospholipids). The consensus sequence for a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif is [DNS]-[QENR]-[SA]-[LIVSAN]-[LIV]-[TSN]-G-E-[SN] (SEQ ID NO: 87). The use of amino acids in brackets indicates that the amino acid at the indicated position may be any one of the amino acids within the brackets, e.g., [SA] indicates any of one of either S (serine) or A (alanine). In a preferred embodiment, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif is contained within an N-terminal large extramembrane domain. In another preferred embodiment, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif in the 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt proteins of the present invention has at least 1, 2, 3, or preferably 4 amino acid resides which match the consensus sequence for a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif. A P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67076 at about residues 173-181 of SEQ ID NO: 64. A P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67102 at about residues 208-216 of SEQ ID NO: 67. A P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 44181 at about residues 173-181 of SEQ ID NO: 70. A P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL at about residues 213-221 of SEQ ID NO: 73. A P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67084alt at about residues 213-221 of SEQ ID NO: 76.

[2300] In another embodiment, a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein or 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt extramembrane domain is characterized by at least one “P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid sequence. As used herein, a “P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif” is a conserved sequence motif diagnostic for P-type ATPases (Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497; Fagan, M. J. and Saier, M. H. (1994) J. Mol. Evol. 38:57). Preferably, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif overlaps with and/or includes an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site (as defined herein). The consensus sequence for a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif is [LIV]-[CAML]-[STFL]-D-K-T-G-T-[LI]-T (SEQ ID NO: 88). The use of amino acids in brackets indicates that the amino acid at the indicated position may be any one of the amino acids within the brackets, e.g., [LI] indicates any of one of either L (leucine) or I (isoleucine). In a preferred embodiment, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif is contained within a C-terminal large extramembrane domain. In another preferred embodiment, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif in the 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt proteins of the present invention has at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or more preferably 9 amino acid resides which match the consensus sequence for a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif. A P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67076 at about residues 406-415 of SEQ ID NO: 64. A P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67102 at about residues 435-444 of SEQ ID NO: 67. A P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 44181 at about residues 404-413 of SEQ ID NO: 70. A P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL at about residues 413-422 of SEQ ID NO: 73. A P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67084alt at about residues 413-422 of SEQ ID NO: 76.

[2301] In yet another embodiment, a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein or 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt extramembrane domain is characterized by at least one “P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif” in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid sequence. As used herein, a “P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif” is a conserved sequence motif diagnostic for P-type ATPases (Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497; Fagan, M. J. and Saier, M. H. (1994) J. Mol. Evol. 38:57). Amino acid residues of the P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif are involved in ATP binding. The consensus sequence for a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif is [TIV]-G-D-G-X-N-D-[ASG]-P-[ASV]-L (SEQ ID NO: 89). X indicates that the amino acid at the indicated position may be any amino acid (i.e., is not conserved). The use of amino acids in brackets indicates that the amino acid at the indicated position may be any one of the amino acids within the brackets, e.g., [TIV] indicates any of one of either T (threonine), I (isoleucine), or V (valine). In a preferred embodiment, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif is contained within a C-terminal large extramembrane domain. In another preferred embodiment, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif in the 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt proteins of the present invention has at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or more preferably 7 amino acid resides (including the amino acid at the position indicated by “X”) which match the consensus sequence for a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif. A P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67076 at about residues 813-824 of SEQ ID NO: 64. A P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67102 at about residues 1054-1064 of SEQ ID NO: 67. A P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 44181 at about residues 819-829 of SEQ ID NO: 70. A P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL at about residues 820-830 of SEQ ID NO: 73. A P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67084alt at about residues 820-830 of SEQ ID NO: 76.

[2302] In another embodiment, a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein of the present invention is identified based on the presence of an “E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site” (alternatively referred to simply as a “phosphorylation site”) in the protein or corresponding nucleic acid molecule. An E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site functions in accepting a phosphate moiety and has the amino acid sequence DKTGT (amino acid residues 4-8 of SEQ ID NO: 88), and can be included within the E1-E2 ATPase phosphorylation site consensus sequence: D-K-T-G-T-[LIVM]-[TI] (SEQ ID NO: 90), wherein D is phosphorylated. The use of amino acids in brackets indicates that the amino acid at the indicated position may be any one of the amino acids within the brackets, e.g., [TI] indicates any of one of either T (threonine) or I (isoleucine). The E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site consensus sequence has been assigned ProSite Accession Number PS00154. To identify the presence of an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site consensus sequence in a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein, and to make the determination that a protein of interest has a particular profile, the amino acid sequence of the protein may be searched against a database of known protein motifs (e.g., the ProSite database) using the default parameters (available at the Prosite website). A search was performed against the ProSite database resulting in the identification of an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site consensus sequence in the amino acid sequence of human 67076 (SEQ ID NO: 64) at about residues 409-415. A search was performed against the ProSite database resulting in the identification of an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site consensus sequence in the amino acid sequence of human 67102 (SEQ ID NO: 67) at about residues 438-444. A search was performed against the ProSite database resulting in the identification of an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site consensus sequence in the amino acid sequence of human 44181 (SEQ ID NO: 70) at about residues 407-413. A search was performed against the ProSite database resulting in the identification of an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site consensus sequence in the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL (SEQ ID NO: 73) at about residues 416-422. A search was performed against the ProSite database resulting in the identification of an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site consensus sequence in the amino acid sequence of human 67084alt (SEQ ID NO: 26) at about residues 416-422.

[2303] Preferably an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site has a “phosphorylation site activity,” for example, the ability to be phosphorylated; to be dephosphorylated; to regulate the E1-E2 conformational change of the phospholipid transporter in which it is contained; to regulate transport of phospholipids (e.g., aminophospholipids such as phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine, choline phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin, and bile acids) across a cellular membrane by the 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein in which it is contained; and/or to regulate the activity (as defined herein) of the 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein in which it is contained. Accordingly, identifying the presence of an “E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site” can include isolating a fragment of a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt molecule (e.g., a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide) and assaying for the ability of the fragment to exhibit one of the aforementioned phosphorylation site activities.

[2304] In another embodiment, a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein of the present invention may also be identified based on its ability to adopt an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation. As used herein, an “E1 conformation” of a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein includes a 3-dimensional conformation of a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein which does not exhibit 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity (e.g., the ability to transport phospholipids), as defined herein. An E1 conformation of a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein usually occurs when the 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein is unphosphorylated. As used herein, an “E2 conformation” of a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein includes a 3-dimensional conformation of a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein which exhibits 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity (e.g., the ability to transport phospholipids), as defined herein. An E2 conformation of a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein usually occurs when the 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein is phosphorylated.

[2305] In still another embodiment, a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein of the present invention is identified based on the presence of “phospholipid transporter specific” amino acid residues. As used herein, “phospholipid transporter specific” amino acid residues are amino acid residues specific to the class of phospholipid transporting P-type ATPases (as defined in Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497). Phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues are not found in those P-type ATPases which transport molecules which are not phospholipids (e.g., cations). For example, phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues are found at the first, second, and fifth positions of the P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif. In phospholipid transporting P-type ATPases, the first position of the P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif is preferably E (glutamic acid), the second position is preferably T (threonine), and the fifth position is preferably L (leucine). A phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residue is further found at the second position of the P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif. In phospholipid transporting P-type ATPases, the second position of the P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif is preferably F (phenylalanine). Phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues are still further found at the first, tenth, and eleventh positions of the P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif. In phospholipid transporting P-type ATPases, the first position of the P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif is preferably I (isoleucine), the tenth position is preferably M (methionine), and the eleventh position is preferably I (isoleucine).

[2306] Phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues were identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67076 (SEQ ID NO: 64) at about residues 174 and 177 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif), at about residue 407 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif), and at about residues 813, 823, and 824 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif).

[2307] Phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues were identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67102 (SEQ ID NO: 67) at about residues 208, 209, and 212 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif), at about residue 436 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif), and at about residues 1054, 1063, and 1064 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif).

[2308] Phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues were identified in the amino acid sequence of human 44181 (SEQ ID NO: 70) at about residues 174 and 177 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif), at about residue 405 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif), and at about residues 819, 828, and 829 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif).

[2309] Phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues were identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL (SEQ ID NO: 73) at about residues 214 and 217 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif) and at about residues 820, 829, and 830 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif).

[2310] Phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues were identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67084alt (SEQ ID NO: 76) at about residues 214 and 217 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif), and at about residues 820, 829, and 830 (within the P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif).

[2311] Isolated polypeptides of the present invention, preferably 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides, have an amino acid sequence sufficiently identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76 or are encoded by a nucleotide sequence sufficiently identical to SEQ ID NO: 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 61, 72, 74, 75, or 77. For example, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share common structural domains having at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homology or identity across the amino acid sequences of the domains and contain at least one and preferably two structural domains or motifs, are defined herein as sufficiently identical. Furthermore, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homology or identity and share a common functional activity are defined herein as sufficiently identical.

[2312] In a preferred embodiment, a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein includes at least one or more of the following domains, sites, or motifs: a transmembrane domain, an N-terminal large extramembrane domain, a C-terminal large extramembrane domain, an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif, and/or one or more phospholipid transporter specific amino acid resides, and has an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homologous or identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76, or the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______. In yet another preferred embodiment, a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein includes at least one or more of the following domains, sites, or motifs: a transmembrane domain, an N-terminal large extramembrane domain, a C-terminal large extramembrane domain, an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif, and/or one or more phospholipid transporter specific amino acid resides, and is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule having a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, or 77. In another preferred embodiment, a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein includes at least one or more of the following domains, sites, or motifs: a transmembrane domain, an N-terminal large extramembrane domain, a C-terminal large extramembrane domain, an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif, and/or one or more phospholipid transporter specific amino acid resides, and has a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity.

[2313] As used interchangeably herein, a “phospholipid transporter activity” or a “67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity” includes an activity exerted or mediated by a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein, polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule on a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt responsive cell or on a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate, as determined in vivo or in vitro, according to standard techniques. In one embodiment, a phospholipid transporter activity is a direct activity, such as an association with a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt target molecule. As used herein, a “target molecule” or “binding partner” is a molecule with which a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein binds or interacts in nature, such that 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-mediated function is achieved. In an exemplary embodiment, a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt target molecule is a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate (e.g., a phospholipid, ATP, or a non-67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein). A phospholipid transporter activity can also be an indirect activity, such as a cellular signaling activity mediated by interaction of the 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein with a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate.

[2314] In a preferred embodiment, a phospholipid transporter activity is at least one of the following activities: (i) interaction with a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid, ATP, or a non-67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein); (ii) transport of a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or target molecule (e.g., an aminophospholipid such as phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylethanolamine) from one side of a cellular membrane to the other; (iii) the ability to be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated; (iv) adoption of an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation; (v) conversion of a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., hydrolysis of ATP); (vi) interaction with a second non-67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein; (vii) modulation of substrate or target molecule location (e.g., modulation of phospholipid location within a cell and/or location with respect to a cellular membrane); (viii) maintenance of aminophospholipid gradients; (ix) modulation of intra- or intercellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); and/or (x) modulation of cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, apoptosis, absorption, or secretion.

[2315] The nucleotide sequence of the isolated human 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt cDNA and the predicted amino acid sequence of the human 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides are shown in FIGS. 64A-H, 68A-I, 72A-J, 76A-G, and 80A-G, and in SEQ ID NOs: 63 and 64, SEQ ID NOs: 66 and 67, SEQ ID NOs: 69 and 70, SEQ ID NOs: 72 and 73, and SEQ ID NOs: 75 and 76, respectively. Plasmids containing the nucleotide sequence encoding human 67076, human 67102, human 44181, human 67084FL, and/or human 67084alt were deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______, ______, ______, ______, and ______, respectively, and assigned Accession Numbers ______, ______, ______, ______, and ______, respectively. These deposits will be maintained under the terms of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure. These deposit were made merely as a convenience for those of skill in the art and are not admissions that a deposit is required under 35 U.S.C. §112.

[2316] The human 67076 gene, which is approximately 6582 nucleotides in length, encodes a polypeptide which is approximately 1129 amino acid residues in length. The human 67102 gene, which is approximately 6074 nucleotides in length, encodes a polypeptide which is approximately 1426 amino acid residues in length. The human 44181 gene, which is approximately 7221 nucleotides in length, encodes a polypeptide which is approximately 1177 amino acid residues in length. The human 67084FL gene, which is approximately 4198 nucleotides in length, encodes a polypeptide which is approximately 1084 amino acid residues in length. The human 67084alt gene, which is approximately 4231 nucleotides in length, encodes a polypeptide which is approximately 1095 amino acid residues in length.

[2317] Various aspects of the invention are described in further detail in the following subsections:

[2318] I. Isolated Nucleic Acid Molecules

[2319] One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated nucleic acid molecules that encode 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments sufficient for use as hybridization probes to identify 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-encoding nucleic acid molecules (e.g., 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA) and fragments for use as PCR primers for the amplification or mutation of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecules. As used herein, the term “nucleic acid molecule” is intended to include DNA molecules (e.g., cDNA or genomic DNA) and RNA molecules (e.g., mRNA) and analogs of the DNA or RNA generated using nucleotide analogs. The nucleic acid molecule can be single-stranded or double-stranded, but preferably is double-stranded DNA.

[2320] The term “isolated nucleic acid molecule” includes nucleic acid molecules which are separated from other nucleic acid molecules which are present in the natural source of the nucleic acid. For example, with regards to genomic DNA, the term “isolated” includes nucleic acid molecules which are separated from the chromosome with which the genomic DNA is naturally associated. Preferably, an “isolated” nucleic acid is free of sequences which naturally flank the nucleic acid (i.e., sequences located at the 5′ and 3′ ends of the nucleic acid) in the genomic DNA of the organism from which the nucleic acid is derived. For example, in various embodiments, the isolated 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecule can contain less than about 5 kb, 4 kb, 3 kb, 2 kb, 1 kb, 0.5 kb or 0.1 kb of nucleotide sequences which naturally flank the nucleic acid molecule in genomic DNA of the cell from which the nucleic acid is derived. Moreover, an “isolated” nucleic acid molecule, such as a cDNA molecule, can be substantially free of other cellular material, or culture medium when produced by recombinant techniques, or substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized.

[2321] A nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, e.g., a nucleic acid molecule having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______ or a portion thereof, can be isolated using standard molecular biology techniques and the sequence information provided herein. Using all or a portion of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______, as a hybridization probe, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecules can be isolated using standard hybridization and cloning techniques (e.g., as described in Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989).

[2322] Moreover, a nucleic acid molecule encompassing all or a portion of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______ can be isolated by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using synthetic oligonucleotide primers designed based upon the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______.

[2323] A nucleic acid of the invention can be amplified using cDNA, mRNA or alternatively, genomic DNA, as a template and appropriate oligonucleotide primers according to standard PCR amplification techniques. The nucleic acid so amplified can be cloned into an appropriate vector and characterized by DNA sequence analysis. Furthermore, oligonucleotides corresponding to 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleotide sequences can be prepared by standard synthetic techniques, e.g., using an automated DNA synthesizer.

[2324] In one embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 51. The sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51 corresponds to the human 8099 cDNA. This cDNA comprises sequences encoding the human 8099 polypeptide (i.e., “the coding region”, from nucleotides 180-2034) as well as 5′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1-179) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 2035-2725). Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 51 (e.g., nucleotides 180-2034, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 53). Accordingly, in another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 53 and nucleotides 1-179 and 2035-2725 of SEQ ID NO: 51. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 51 or 53.

[2325] In another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 54. The sequence of SEQ ID NO: 54 corresponds to the human 46455 cDNA. This cDNA comprises sequences encoding the human 46455 polypeptide (i.e., “the coding region”, from nucleotides 376-1963) as well as 5′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1-375) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1964-2230). Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 54 (e.g., nucleotides 376-1963, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 56). Accordingly, in another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 56 and nucleotides 1-375 and 1964-2230 of SEQ ID NO: 54. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 54 or 56.

[2326] In another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 57. This cDNA may comprise sequences encoding the human 54414 protein (e.g., the “coding region”, from nucleotides 225-3578), as well as 5′ untranslated sequence (nucleotides 1-224) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 3579-4632) of SEQ ID NO: 57. Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 57 (e.g., nucleotides 225-3578, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 59). Accordingly, in another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises SEQ ID NO: 59 and nucleotides 1-224 of SEQ ID NO: 57. In yet another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 59 and nucleotides 3579-4632 of SEQ ID NO: 57. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 57 or 59.

[2327] In still another embodiment, the cDNA may comprise sequences encoding the human 53763 protein (e.g., the “coding region”, from nucleotides 561-2474), as well as 5′ untranslated sequence (nucleotides 1-560) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 2475-2847) of SEQ ID NO: 60. Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 60 (e.g., nucleotides 561-2474, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 62). Accordingly, in another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises SEQ ID NO: 62 and nucleotides 1-560 of SEQ ID NO: 60. In yet another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 62 and nucleotides 2475-2847 of SEQ ID NO: 60. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 60 or 62.

[2328] In yet another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 63. The sequence of SEQ ID NO: 63 corresponds to the human 67076 cDNA. This cDNA comprises sequences encoding the human 67076 polypeptide (i.e., “the coding region”, from nucleotides 524-3910) as well as 5′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1-523) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 3911-6582). Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 63 (e.g., nucleotides 524-3910, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 65). Accordingly, in another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 65 and nucleotides 1-523 or 3911-6582 of SEQ ID NO: 63. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 63 or 65.

[2329] In another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 66. The sequence of SEQ ID NO: 66 corresponds to the human 67102 cDNA. This cDNA comprises sequences encoding the human 67102 polypeptide (i.e., “the coding region”, from nucleotides 274-4551) as well as 5′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1-273) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 4552-6074). Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 66 (e.g., nucleotides 274-4551, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 68). Accordingly, in another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 68 and nucleotides 1-273 or 4552-6074 of SEQ ID NO: 66. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 66 or SEQ ID NO: 68.

[2330] In still another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 69. The sequence of SEQ ID NO: 69 corresponds to the human 44181 cDNA. This cDNA comprises sequences encoding the human 44181 polypeptide (i.e., “the coding region”, from nucleotides 167-3697) as well as 5′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1-166) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 3698-7221). Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 69 (e.g., nucleotides 167-3697, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 71). Accordingly, in another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 71 and nucleotides 1-166 or 3698-7221 of SEQ ID NO: 69. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 69 or SEQ ID NO: 71.

[2331] In yet another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 72. The sequence of SEQ ID NO: 72 corresponds to the human 67084FL cDNA. This cDNA comprises sequences encoding the human 67084FL polypeptide (i.e., “the coding region”, from nucleotides 156-3407) as well as 5′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1-155) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 3408-4198). Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 72 (e.g., nucleotides 156-3407, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 74). Accordingly, in another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 74 and nucleotides 1-155 or 3408-4198 of SEQ ID NO: 72. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 72 or 74.

[2332] In a further embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 75. The sequence of SEQ ID NO: 75 corresponds to the human 67084alt cDNA. This cDNA comprises sequences encoding the human 67084alt polypeptide (i.e., “the coding region”, from nucleotides 156-3440) as well as 5′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1-155) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 3441-4231). Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 75 (e.g., nucleotides 156-3440, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 77). Accordingly, in another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 77 and nucleotides 1-155 or 3441-4231 of SEQ ID NO: 75. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 75 or 77.

[2333] In still another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises a nucleic acid molecule which is a complement of the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______, or a portion of any of these nucleotide sequences. A nucleic acid molecule which is complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______, is one which is sufficiently complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______ or ______, such that it can hybridize to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______, thereby forming a stable duplex.

[2334] In still another preferred embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 62, 64, 65, 67 (e.g., to the entire length of the nucleotide sequence), or to the nucleotide sequence (e.g., the entire length of the nucleotide sequence) of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or _______, or a portion of any of these nucleotide sequences. In one embodiment, a nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least (or no greater than) 50-100, 100-250, 250-500, 500-750, 750-1000, 1000-1250, 1250-1500, 1500-1750, 1750-2000, 2000-2250, 2250-2500, 2500-2750, 2750-3000, 3000-3250, 3250-3500, 3500-3750, 3750-4000, 4000-4250, 4250-4500, 4500-4750, 4750-5000, 5000-5250, 5250-5500, 5500-5750, 5750-6000, 6000-6250, 6250-6500, 6500-6750, 6750-7000, 7000-7250, 7250-7500 or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______.

[2335] Moreover, the nucleic acid molecule of the invention can comprise only a portion of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 62, 64, 65, 67, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______,or ______, for example, a fragment which can be used as a probe or primer or a fragment encoding a portion of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, e.g., a biologically active portion of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide. The nucleotide sequence determined from the cloning of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene allows for the generation of probes and primers designed for use in identifying and/or cloning other 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt family members, as well as 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt homologues from other species. The probe/primer typically comprises substantially purified oligonucleotide. The probe/primer (e.g., oligonucleotide) typically comprises a region of nucleotide sequence that hybridizes under stringent conditions to at least about 12 or 15, preferably about 20 or 25, more preferably about 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, or 100 or more consecutive nucleotides of a sense sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______, of an anti-sense sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77 or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______, or of a naturally occurring allelic variant or mutant of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______.

[2336] Exemplary probes or primers are at least 12, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75 or more nucleotides in length and/or comprise consecutive nucleotides of an isolated nucleic acid molecule described herein. Probes based on the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleotide sequences can be used to detect (e.g., specifically detect) transcripts or genomic sequences encoding the same or homologous polypeptides. In preferred embodiments, the probe further comprises a label group attached thereto, e.g., the label group can be a radioisotope, a fluorescent compound, an enzyme, or an enzyme co-factor. In another embodiment a set of primers is provided, e.g., primers suitable for use in a PCR, which can be used to amplify a selected region of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequence, e.g., a domain, region, site or other sequence described herein. The primers should be at least 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 or more nucleotides in length. Such probes can be used as a part of a diagnostic test kit for identifying cells or tissue which misexpress a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, such as by measuring a level of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt -encoding nucleic acid in a sample of cells from a subject e.g., detecting 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA levels or determining whether a genomic 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene has been mutated or deleted.

[2337] A nucleic acid fragment encoding a “biologically active portion of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide” can be prepared by isolating a portion of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______, which encodes a polypeptide having a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt biological activity (the biological activities of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides are described herein), expressing the encoded portion of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide (e.g., by recombinant expression in vitro) and assessing the activity of the encoded portion of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide. In an exemplary embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule is at least 50-100, 100-250, 250-500, 500-750, 750-1000, 1000-1250, 1250-1500, 1500-1750, 1750-2000, 2000-2250, 2250-2500, 2500-2750, 2750-3000, 3000-3250, 3250-3500, 3500-3750, 3750-4000, 4000-4250, 4250-4500, 4500-4750, 4750-5000, 5000-5250, 5250-5500, 5500-5750, 5750-6000, 6000-6250, 6250-6500, 6500-6750, 6750-7000, 7000-7250, 7250-7500 or more nucleotides in length and encodes a polypeptide having a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity (as described herein).

[2338] The invention further encompasses nucleic acid molecules that differ from the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______. Such differences can be due to due to degeneracy of the genetic code, thus resulting in a nucleic acid which encodes the same 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides as those encoded by the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______ or ______. In another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention has a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence which differs by at least 1, but no greater than 5, 10, 20, 50 or 100 amino acid residues from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76, or the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule encodes the amino acid sequence of human 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt . If an alignment is needed for this comparison, the sequences should be aligned for maximum homology.

[2339] Nucleic acid variants can be naturally occurring, such as allelic variants (same locus), homologues (different locus), and orthologues (different organism) or can be non naturally occurring. Non-naturally occurring variants can be made by mutagenesis techniques, including those applied to polynucleotides, cells, or organisms. The variants can contain nucleotide substitutions, deletions, inversions and insertions. Variation can occur in either or both the coding and non-coding regions. The variations can produce both conservative and non-conservative amino acid substitutions (as compared in the encoded product).

[2340] Allelic variants result, for example, from DNA sequence polymorphisms within a population (e.g., the human population) that lead to changes in the amino acid sequences of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides. Such genetic polymorphism in the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt genes may exist among individuals within a population due to natural allelic variation. As used herein, the terms “gene” and “recombinant gene” refer to nucleic acid molecules which include an open reading frame encoding a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, preferably a mammalian 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, and can further include non-coding regulatory sequences, and introns.

[2341] Accordingly, in one embodiment, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode a naturally occurring allelic variant of a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______, wherein the nucleic acid molecule hybridizes to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, for example, under stringent hybridization conditions.

[2342] Allelic variants of human 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt include both functional and non-functional 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides.

[2343] Functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the human 8099 or 46455 polypeptides that have an 8099 or 46455 activity, e.g., maintain the ability to bind an 8099 or 46455 ligand or substrate and/or modulate sugar transport, or sugar homeostasis.

[2344] Functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the human 54414 or 53763 polypeptides that maintain the ability to, e.g., bind or interact with a 54414 or 53763 target molecule and/or modulate membrane excitability.

[2345] Functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the human 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides that have a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity, e.g., bind or interact with a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or target molecule, transport a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or target molecule across a cellular membrane, hydrolyze ATP, be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated, adopt an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation, and/or modulate cellular signaling, growth, proliferation, differentiation, absorption, or secretion.

[2346] Functional allelic variants will typically contain only conservative substitution of one or more amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76, or substitution, deletion or insertion of non-critical residues in non-critical regions of the polypeptide.

[2347] Non-functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the human 8099 or 46455 polypeptides that do not have a 8099 or 46455 activity, e.g., maintain the ability to bind an 8099 or 46455 ligand or substrate and/or modulate sugar transport, or sugar homeostasis.

[2348] Non-functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the human 54414 or 53763 polypeptides that do not maintain the ability to, e.g., bind or interact with a 54414 or 53763 target molecule and/or modulate membrane excitability.

[2349] Non-functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the human 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides that do not have a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity, e.g., that do not have the ability to, e.g., bind or interact with a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or target molecule, transport a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or target molecule across a cellular membrane, hydrolyze ATP, be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated, adopt an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation, and/or modulate cellular signaling, growth, proliferation, differentiation, absorption, or secretion.

[2350] Non-functional allelic variants will typically contain a non-conservative substitution, a deletion, or insertion or premature truncation of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76, or a substitution, insertion or deletion in critical residues or critical regions.

[2351] The present invention further provides non-human orthologues of the human 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides. Orthologues of human 8099 or 46455 polypeptides are polypeptides that are isolated from non-human organisms and possess the same 8099 and/or 46455 activity, e.g., ligand binding and/or modulation of sugar transport mechanisms, as the human 8099 and/or 46455 polypeptide. Orthologues of the human 54414 or 53763 polypeptides are polypeptides that are isolated from non-human organisms and possess the same 54414 or 53763 target molecule binding mechanisms and/or ability to modulate membrane excitability of the human 54414 or 53763 polypeptides. Orthologues of human 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides are polypeptides that are isolated from non-human organisms and possess the same 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or target molecule binding mechanisms, phospholipid transporting activity, ATPase activity, and/or modulation of cellular signaling mechanisms of the human 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt proteins as the human 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides.

[2352] Orthologues of the human 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides can readily be identified as comprising an amino acid sequence that is substantially identical to SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76.

[2353] Moreover, nucleic acid molecules encoding other 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt family members and, thus, which have a nucleotide sequence which differs from the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequences of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, or are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, another 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt cDNA can be identified based on the nucleotide sequence of human 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt. Moreover, nucleic acid molecules encoding 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides from different species, and which, thus, have a nucleotide sequence which differs from the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequences of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______, are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, a mouse 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt cDNA can be identified based on the nucleotide sequence of a human 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt.

[2354] Nucleic acid molecules corresponding to natural allelic variants and homologues of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt cDNAs of the invention can be isolated based on their homology to the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acids disclosed herein using the cDNAs disclosed herein, or a portion thereof, as a hybridization probe according to standard hybridization techniques under stringent hybridization conditions. Nucleic acid molecules corresponding to natural allelic variants and homologues of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt cDNAs of the invention can further be isolated by mapping to the same chromosome or locus as the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene.

[2355] Orthologues, homologues and allelic variants can be identified using methods known in the art (e.g., by hybridization to an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, for example, under stringent hybridization conditions). In one embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention is at least 15, 20, 25, 30 or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 5 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______,or ______. In other embodiment, the nucleic acid is at least 50-100, 100-250, 250-500, 500-750, 750-1000, 1000-1250, 1250-1500, 1500-1750, 1750-2000, 2000-2250, 2250-2500, 2500-2750, 2750-3000, 3000-3250, 3250-3500, 3500-3750, 3750-4000, 4000-4250, 4250-4500, 4500-4750, 4750-5000, 5000-5250, 5250-5500, 5500-5750, 5750-6000, 6000-6250, 6250-6500, 6500-6750, 6750-7000, 7000-7250, 7250-7500 or more nucleotides in length.

[2356] As used herein, the term “hybridizes under stringent conditions” is intended to describe conditions for hybridization and washing under which nucleotide sequences that are significantly identical or homologous to each other remain hybridized to each other. Preferably, the conditions are such that sequences at least about 70%, more preferably at least about 80%, even more preferably at least about 85% or 90% identical to each other remain hybridized to each other. Such stringent conditions are known to those skilled in the art and can be found in Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Ausubel et al., eds., John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1995), sections 2, 4 and 6. Additional stringent conditions can be found in Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Sambrook et al., Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989), chapters 7, 9 and 11. A preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 4× sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC), at about 65-70° C. (or hybridization in 4× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 42-50° C.) followed by one or more washes in 1× SSC, at about 65-70° C. A preferred, non-limiting example of highly stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 1× SSC, at about 65-70° C. (or hybridization in 1× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 42-50° C.) followed by one or more washes in 0.3× SSC, at about 65-70° C. A preferred, non-limiting example of reduced stringency hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 4× SSC, at about 50-60° C. (or alternatively hybridization in 6× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 40-45° C.) followed by one or more washes in 2× SSC, at about 50-60° C. Ranges intermediate to the above-recited values, e.g., at 65-70° C. or at 42-50° C. are also intended to be encompassed by the present invention. SSPE (1×SSPE is 0.15M NaCl, 10 mM NaH₂PO₄, and 1.25 mM EDTA, pH 7.4) can be substituted for SSC (1× SSC is 0.1 5M NaCl and 15 mM sodium citrate) in the hybridization and wash buffers; washes are performed for 15 minutes each after hybridization is complete. The hybridization temperature for hybrids anticipated to be less than 50 base pairs in length should be 5-10° C. less than the melting temperature (T_(m)) of the hybrid, where T_(m) is determined according to the following equations. For hybrids less than 18 base pairs in length, T_(m)(° C.)=2(# of A+T bases)+4(# of G+C bases). For hybrids between 18 and 49 base pairs in length, T_(m)(° C.)=81.5+16.6(log₁₀[Na⁺])+0.41(% G+C)−(600/N), where N is the number of bases in the hybrid, and [Na+] is the concentration of sodium ions in the hybridization buffer ([Na+] for 1× SSC=0.165 M). It will also be recognized by the skilled practitioner that additional reagents may be added to hybridization and/or wash buffers to decrease non-specific hybridization of nucleic acid molecules to membranes, for example, nitrocellulose or nylon membranes, including but not limited to blocking agents (e.g., BSA or salmon or herring sperm carrier DNA), detergents (e.g., SDS), chelating agents (e.g., EDTA), Ficoll, PVP and the like. When using nylon membranes, in particular, an additional preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions is hybridization in 0.25-0.5M NaH₂PO₄, 7% SDS at about 65° C., followed by one or more washes at 0.02M NaH₂PO₄, 1% SDS at 65° C., see e.g., Church and Gilbert (1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:1991-1995, (or alternatively 0.2× SSC, 1% SDS).

[2357] Preferably, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, and corresponds to a naturally-occurring nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, a “naturally-occurring” nucleic acid molecule refers to an RNA or DNA molecule having a nucleotide sequence that occurs in nature (e.g., encodes a natural polypeptide).

[2358] In addition to naturally-occurring allelic variants of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequences that may exist in the population, the skilled artisan will further appreciate that changes can be introduced by mutation into the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______, thereby leading to changes in the amino acid sequence of the encoded 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides, without altering the functional ability of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides. For example, nucleotide substitutions leading to amino acid substitutions at “non-essential” amino acid residues can be made in the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, _____ or ______. A “non-essential” amino acid residue is a residue that can be altered from the wild-type sequence of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt (e.g., the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76) without altering the biological activity, whereas an “essential” amino acid residue is required for biological activity.

[2359] For example, amino acid residues that are conserved among the 8099 or 46455 polypeptides of the present invention, e.g., those present in a transmembrane domain and/or a sugar transporter family domain, are predicted to be particularly unamenable to alteration. Furthermore, additional amino acid residues that are conserved between the 8099 or 46455 polypeptides of the present invention and other members of the 8099 or 46455 family are not likely to be amenable to alteration.

[2360] Amino acid residues that are conserved among the 54414 or 53763 polypeptides of the present invention, e.g., those present in a P-loop or a pore domain, are predicted to be particularly unamenable to alteration. Furthermore, additional amino acid residues that are conserved between the 54414 or 53763 polypeptides of the present invention and other members of the potassium channel family are not likely to be amenable to alteration.

[2361] Amino acid residues that are conserved among the 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides of the present invention, e.g., those present in a E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site, are predicted to be particularly unamenable to alteration. Furthermore, additional amino acid residues that are conserved between the 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides of the present invention and other members of the phospholipid transporter family are not likely to be amenable to alteration.

[2362] Accordingly, another aspect of the invention pertains to nucleic acid molecules encoding 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides that contain changes in amino acid residues that are not essential for activity. Such 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides differ in amino acid sequence from SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76, yet retain biological activity. In one embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide, wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76 (e.g., to the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76).

[2363] An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide identical to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76, can be created by introducing one or more nucleotide substitutions, additions or deletions into the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______, such that one or more amino acid substitutions, additions or deletions are introduced into the encoded polypeptide. Mutations can be introduced into SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or by standard techniques, such as site-directed mutagenesis and PCR-mediated mutagenesis. Preferably, conservative amino acid substitutions are made at one or more predicted non-essential amino acid residues. A “conservative amino acid substitution” is one in which the amino acid residue is replaced with an amino acid residue having a similar side chain. Families of amino acid residues having similar side chains have been defined in the art. These families include amino acids with basic side chains (e.g., lysine, arginine, histidine), acidic side chains (e.g., aspartic acid, glutamic acid), uncharged polar side chains (e.g., glycine, asparagine, glutamine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, cysteine, tryptophan), nonpolar side chains (e.g., alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, proline, phenylalanine, methionine), beta-branched side chains (e.g., threonine, valine, isoleucine) and aromatic side chains (e.g., tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, histidine). Thus, a predicted nonessential amino acid residue in a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide is preferably replaced with another amino acid residue from the same side chain family. Alternatively, in another embodiment, mutations can be introduced randomly along all or part of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt coding sequence, such as by saturation mutagenesis, and the resultant mutants can be screened for 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt biological activity to identify mutants that retain activity. Following mutagenesis of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______, the encoded polypeptide can be expressed recombinantly and the activity of the polypeptide can be determined.

[2364] In a preferred embodiment, a mutant 8099 and/or 46455 polypeptide can be assayed for the ability to (1) bind a monosaccharide, e.g., D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose, and/or mannose, (2) transport monosaccharides across a cell membrane, (3) influence insulin and/or glucagon secretion, (4) maintain sugar homeostasis in a cell, (5) function as a neuronal transporter, and (6) mediate trans-epithelial movement in a cell.

[2365] In another preferred embodiment, a mutant 54414 and/or 53763 protein can be assayed for the ability to (i) interact with a 54414 and/or 53763 substrate (e.g., a potassium ion or a cyclic nucleotide); (ii) conduct or transport a 54414 and/or 53763 substrate across a cellular membrane; (iii) interact with a second non-54414 and/or 53763 protein (e.g., a 54414 and/or 53763 polypeptide or a 54414 and/or 53763-potassium channel subunit); (iv) modulate (e.g., maintain and/or rectify) membrane potentials; (v) regulate target molecule availability or activity; (vi) modulate intra- or intercellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); (viii) generate outwardly rectifying currents; (viii) modulate membrane excitability; (ix) modulate the release of neurotransmitters; (x) regulate contractility (e.g., of smooth muscle cells), secretion, and/or synaptic transmission; and/or (xi) modulate processes which underlie learning and memory.

[2366] In a further preferred embodiment, a mutant 54414 protein can be assayed for the ability to (i) interact with maxi-K potassium channels (i.e., large conductance channels, in particular Slo); (ii) modulate maxi-K potassium channel activity (e.g., Slo-mediated activities); (iii) generate intermediate conductance channels; and/or (iv) regulate contractility (e.g., of smooth muscle cells), secretion, and/or synaptic transmission, in particular, via modulation of Slo.

[2367] In still a further preferred embodiment, a mutant 53763 protein can be assayed for the ability to (i) interact with Shaker (Sh) potassium channels and/or channel subunits; (ii) modulate Shaker (Sh) potassium channel activity (e.g., termination of prolonged membrane depolarization); and/or (iii) modulation of high voltage activating channel activity and/or inactivating channel activity, and the like.

[2368] In yet another preferred embodiment, a mutant 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, and/or 67084alt polypeptide can be assayed for the ability to (i) interact with a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid, ATP, or a non-67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein); (ii) transport a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or target molecule (e.g., an aminophospholipid such as phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylethanolamine) from one side of a cellular membrane to the other; (iii) be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated; (iv) adopt an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation; (v) convert a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., hydrolysis of ATP); (vi) interact with a second non-67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein; (vii) modulate substrate or target molecule location (e.g., modulation of phospholipid location within a cell and/or location with respect to a cellular membrane); (viii) maintain aminophospholipid gradients; (ix) modulate intra- or intercellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); and/or (x) modulate cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, apoptosis, absorption, or secretion.

[2369] In addition to the nucleic acid molecules encoding 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides described above, another aspect of the invention pertains to isolated nucleic acid molecules which are antisense thereto. In an exemplary embodiment, the invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule which is antisense to a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecule (e.g., is antisense to the coding strand of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecule). An “antisense” nucleic acid comprises a nucleotide sequence which is complementary to a “sense” nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide, e.g., complementary to the coding strand of a double-stranded cDNA molecule or complementary to an mRNA sequence. Accordingly, an antisense nucleic acid can hydrogen bond to a sense nucleic acid. The antisense nucleic acid can be complementary to an entire 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt coding strand, or to only a portion thereof. In one embodiment, an antisense nucleic acid molecule is antisense to a “coding region” of the coding strand of a nucleotide sequence encoding 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt. The term “coding region” refers to the region of the nucleotide sequence comprising codons which are translated into amino acid residues (e.g., the coding regions of human 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, and 67084alt correspond to SEQ ID NO: 53, 56, 59, 62, 65, 68, 71, 74, and 77, respectively). In another embodiment, the antisense nucleic acid molecule is antisense to a “noncoding region” of the coding strand of a nucleotide sequence encoding 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt. The term “noncoding region” refers to 5′ and 3′ sequences which flank the coding region that are not translated into amino acids (i.e., also referred to as 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions).

[2370] Given the coding strand sequences encoding 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt disclosed herein (e.g., SEQ ID NO: 53, 56, 59, 62, 65, 68, 71, 74, and 77), antisense nucleic acids of the invention can be designed according to the rules of Watson and Crick base pairing. The antisense nucleic acid molecule can be complementary to the entire coding region of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA, but more preferably is an oligonucleotide which is antisense to only a portion of the coding or noncoding region of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA. For example, the antisense oligonucleotide can be complementary to the region surrounding the translation start site of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA (e.g., between the −10 and +10 regions of the start site of a gene nucleotide sequence). An antisense oligonucleotide can be, for example, about 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 or 50 nucleotides in length. An antisense nucleic acid of the invention can be constructed using chemical synthesis and enzymatic ligation reactions using procedures known in the art. For example, an antisense nucleic acid (e.g., an antisense oligonucleotide) can be chemically synthesized using naturally occurring nucleotides or variously modified nucleotides designed to increase the biological stability of the molecules or to increase the physical stability of the duplex formed between the antisense and sense nucleic acids, e.g., phosphorothioate derivatives and acridine substituted nucleotides can be used. Examples of modified nucleotides which can be used to generate the antisense nucleic acid include 5-fluorouracil, 5-bromouracil, 5-chlorouracil, 5-iodouracil, hypoxanthine, xantine, 4-acetylcytosine, 5-(carboxyhydroxylmethyl) uracil, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyl-2-thiouridine, 5-carboxyrnethylaminomethyluracil, dihydrouracil, beta-D-galactosylqueosine, inosine, N6-isopentenyladenine, 1-methylguanine, 1-methylinosine, 2,2-dimethylguanine, 2-methyladenine, 2-methylguanine, 3-methylcytosine, 5-methylcytosine, N6-adenine, 7-methylguanine, 5-methylaminomethyluracil, 5-methoxyaminomethyl-2-thiouracil, beta-D-mannosylqueosine, 5′-methoxycarboxymethyluracil, 5-methoxyuracil, 2-methylthio-N6-isopentenyladenine, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), wybutoxosine, pseudouracil, queosine, 2-thiocytosine, 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 2-thiouracil, 4-thiouracil, 5-methyluracil, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid methylester, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 3-(3-amino-3-N-2-carboxypropyl) uracil, (acp3)w, and 2,6-diaminopurine. Alternatively, the antisense nucleic acid can be produced biologically using an expression vector into which a nucleic acid has been subcloned in an antisense orientation (i.e., RNA transcribed from the inserted nucleic acid will be of an antisense orientation to a target nucleic acid of interest, described further in the following subsection).

[2371] The antisense nucleic acid molecules of the invention are typically administered to a subject or generated in situ such that they hybridize with or bind to cellular mRNA and/or genomic DNA encoding a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide to thereby inhibit expression of the polypeptide, e.g., by inhibiting transcription and/or translation. The hybridization can be by conventional nucleotide complementarity to form a stable duplex, or, for example, in the case of an antisense nucleic acid molecule which binds to DNA duplexes, through specific interactions in the major groove of the double helix. An example of a route of administration of antisense nucleic acid molecules of the invention include direct injection at a tissue site. Alternatively, antisense nucleic acid molecules can be modified to target selected cells and then administered systemically. For example, for systemic administration, antisense molecules can be modified such that they specifically bind to receptors or antigens expressed on a selected cell surface, e.g., by linking the antisense nucleic acid molecules to peptides or antibodies which bind to cell surface receptors or antigens. The antisense nucleic acid molecules can also be delivered to cells using the vectors described herein. To achieve sufficient intra-cellular concentrations of the antisense molecules, vector constructs in which the antisense nucleic acid molecule is placed under the control of a strong pol II or pol III promoter are preferred.

[2372] In yet another embodiment, the antisense nucleic acid molecule of the invention is an α-anomeric nucleic acid molecule. An a-anomeric nucleic acid molecule forms specific double-stranded hybrids with complementary RNA in which, contrary to the usual β-units, the strands run parallel to each other (Gaultier et al (1987) Nucleic Acids. Res. 15:6625-6641). The antisense nucleic acid molecule can also comprise a 2′-o-methylribonucleotide (Inoue et al. (1987) Nucleic Acids Res. 15:6131-6148) or a chimeric RNA-DNA analogue (Inoue et al. (1987) FEBS Lett. 215:327-330).

[2373] In still another embodiment, an antisense nucleic acid of the invention is a ribozyme. Ribozymes are catalytic RNA molecules with ribonuclease activity which are capable of cleaving a single-stranded nucleic acid, such as an mRNA, to which they have a complementary region. Thus, ribozymes (e.g., hammerhead ribozymes (described in Haseloff and Gerlach (1988) Nature 334:585-591)) can be used to catalytically cleave 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA transcripts to thereby inhibit translation of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA. A ribozyme having specificity for a 8099-, 46455-, 54414-, 53763-, 67076-, 67102-, 44181-, 67084FL-, or 67084alt -encoding nucleic acid can be designed based upon the nucleotide sequence of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt cDNA disclosed herein (i.e., SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______,______, or ______). For example, a derivative of a Tetrahymena L-19 IVS RNA can be constructed in which the nucleotide sequence of the active site is complementary to the nucleotide sequence to be cleaved in a 8099-, 46455-, 54414-, 53763-, 67076-, 67102-, 44181-, 67084FL-, or 67084alt-encoding mRNA. See, e.g., Cech et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,071; and Cech et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,742. Alternatively, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA can be used to select a catalytic RNA having a specific ribonuclease activity from a pool of RNA molecules. See, e.g., Bartel, D. and Szostak, J. W. (1993) Science 261:1411-1418.

[2374] Alternatively, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene expression can be inhibited by targeting nucleotide sequences complementary to the regulatory region of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt (e.g., the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt promoter and/or enhancers) to form triple helical structures that prevent transcription of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene in target cells. See generally, Helene, C. (1991) Anticancer Drug Des. 6(6):569-84; Helene, C. et al. (1992) Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 660:27-36; and Maher, L. J. (1992) Bioassays 14(12):807-15.

[2375] In yet another embodiment, the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecules of the present invention can be modified at the base moiety, sugar moiety or phosphate backbone to improve, e.g., the stability, hybridization, or solubility of the molecule. For example, the deoxyribose phosphate backbone of the nucleic acid molecules can be modified to generate peptide nucleic acids (see Hyrup B. et al. (1996) Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry 4 (1): 5-23). As used herein, the terms “peptide nucleic acids” or “PNAs” refer to nucleic acid mimics, e.g., DNA mimics, in which the deoxyribose phosphate backbone is replaced by a pseudopeptide backbone and only the four natural nucleobases are retained. The neutral backbone of PNAs has been shown to allow for specific hybridization to DNA and RNA under conditions of low ionic strength. The synthesis of PNA oligomers can be performed using standard solid phase peptide synthesis protocols as described in Hyrup B. et al. (1996) supra; Perry-O'Keefe et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 93: 14670-675.

[2376] PNAs of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecules can be used in therapeutic and diagnostic applications. For example, PNAs can be used as antisense or antigene agents for sequence-specific modulation of gene expression by, for example, inducing transcription or translation arrest or inhibiting replication. PNAs of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecules can also be used in the analysis of single base pair mutations in a gene, (e.g., by PNA-directed PCR clamping); as ‘artificial restriction enzymes’ when used in combination with other enzymes, (e.g., S1 nucleases (Hyrup B. (1996) supra)); or as probes or primers for DNA sequencing or hybridization (Hyrup B. et al. (1996) supra; Perry-O'Keefe supra).

[2377] In another embodiment, PNAs of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt can be modified, (e.g., to enhance their stability or cellular uptake), by attaching lipophilic or other helper groups to PNA, by the formation of PNA-DNA chimeras, or by the use of liposomes or other techniques of drug delivery known in the art. For example, PNA-DNA chimeras of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecules can be generated which may combine the advantageous properties of PNA and DNA. Such chimeras allow DNA recognition enzymes, (e.g., RNase H and DNA polymerases), to interact with the DNA portion while the PNA portion would provide high binding affinity and specificity. PNA-DNA chimeras can be linked using linkers of appropriate lengths selected in terms of base stacking, number of bonds between the nucleobases, and orientation (Hyrup B. (1996) supra). The synthesis of PNA-DNA chimeras can be performed as described in Hyrup B. (1996) supra and Finn P. J. et al. (1996) Nucleic Acids Res. 24 (17): 3357-63. For example, a DNA chain can be synthesized on a solid support using standard phosphoramidite coupling chemistry and modified nucleoside analogs, e.g., 5′-(4-methoxytrityl) amino-5′-deoxy-thymidine phosphoramidite, can be used as a between the PNA and the 5′ end of DNA (Mag, M. et al. (1989) Nucleic Acid Res. 17: 5973-88). PNA monomers are then coupled in a stepwise manner to produce a chimeric molecule with a 5′ PNA segment and a 3′ DNA segment (Finn P. J. et al. (1996) supra). Alternatively, chimeric molecules can be synthesized with a 5′ DNA segment and a 3′ PNA segment (Peterser, K. H. et al. (1975) Bioorganic Med. Chem. Lett. 5: 1119-11124).

[2378] In other embodiments, the oligonucleotide may include other appended groups such as peptides (e.g., for targeting host cell receptors in vivo), or agents facilitating transport across the cell membrane (see, e.g., Letsinger et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6553-6556; Lemaitre et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:648-652; PCT Publication No. W088/09810) or the blood-brain barrier (see, e.g., PCT Publication No. W089/10134). In addition, oligonucleotides can be modified with hybridization-triggered cleavage agents (See, e.g., Krol et al. (1988) Bio-Techniques 6:958-976) or intercalating agents. (See, e.g., Zon (1988) Pharm. Res. 5:539-549). To this end, the oligonucleotide may be conjugated to another molecule, (e.g., a peptide, hybridization triggered cross-linking agent, transport agent, or hybridization-triggered cleavage agent).

[2379] Alternatively, the expression characteristics of an endogenous 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene within a cell line or microorganism may be modified by inserting a heterologous DNA regulatory element into the genome of a stable cell line or cloned microorganism such that the inserted regulatory element is operatively linked with the endogenous 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene. For example, an endogenous 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene which is normally “transcriptionally silent”, i.e., a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene which is normally not expressed, or is expressed only at very low levels in a cell line or microorganism, may be activated by inserting a regulatory element which is capable of promoting the expression of a normally expressed gene product in that cell line or microorganism. Alternatively, a transcriptionally silent, endogenous 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene may be activated by insertion of a promiscuous regulatory element that works across cell types.

[2380] A heterologous regulatory element may be inserted into a stable cell line or cloned microorganism, such that it is operatively linked with an endogenous 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene, using techniques, such as targeted homologous recombination, which are well known to those of skill in the art, and described, e.g., in Chappel, U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,071; PCT publication No. WO 91/06667, published May 16, 1991.

[2381] II. Isolated 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt Polypeptides and Anti-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt Antibodies

[2382] One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt or recombinant polypeptides and polypeptides, and biologically active portions thereof, as well as polypeptide fragments suitable for use as immunogens to raise anti-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antibodies. In one embodiment, native 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides can be isolated from cells or tissue sources by an appropriate purification scheme using standard protein purification techniques. In another embodiment, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides are produced by recombinant DNA techniques. Alternative to recombinant expression, a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or polypeptide can be synthesized chemically using standard peptide synthesis techniques.

[2383] An “isolated” or “purified” polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is substantially free of cellular material or other contaminating proteins from the cell or tissue source from which the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide is derived, or substantially free from chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized. The language “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide in which the polypeptide is separated from cellular components of the cells from which it is isolated or recombinantly produced. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide having less than about 30% (by dry weight) of non-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide (also referred to herein as a “contaminating protein”), more preferably less than about 20% of non-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, still more preferably less than about 10% of non-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, and most preferably less than about 5% non-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide. When the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is recombinantly produced, it is also preferably substantially free of culture medium, i.e., culture medium represents less than about 20%, more preferably less than about 10%, and most preferably less than about 5% of the volume of the protein preparation.

[2384] The language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide in which the polypeptide is separated from chemical precursors or other chemicals which are involved in the synthesis of the polypeptide. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide having less than about 30% (by dry weight) of chemical precursors or non-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt chemicals, more preferably less than about 20% chemical precursors or non-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt chemicals, still more preferably less than about 10% chemical precursors or non-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt chemicals, and most preferably less than about 5% chemical precursors or non-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt chemicals.

[2385] As used herein, a “biologically active portion” of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide includes a fragment of a 8099, 5 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide which participates in an interaction between a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt molecule and a non-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt molecule (e.g., a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate). Biologically active portions of a 8099, 46455, lo 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide include peptides comprising amino acid sequences sufficiently identical to or derived from the amino acid sequence of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, e.g., the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76, which include less amino acids than the full length 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 15 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides, and exhibit at least one activity of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide.

[2386] Typically, biologically active portions of a 8099 or 46455 polypeptide comprise a domain or motif with at least one activity of the 8099 or 46455 polypeptide, e.g., modulating sugar transport mechanisms. A biologically active portion of an 8099 polypeptide can be a polypeptide which is, for example, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, 400, 425, 450, 475, 500, 525, 550, 600 or more amino acids in length. A biologically active portion of an 46455 polypeptide can be a polypeptide which is, for example, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, 400, 425, 450, 475, 500, 525 or more amino acids in length. Biologically active portions of an 8099 and/or an 46455 polypeptide can be used as targets for developing agents which modulate an 8099 or 46455 mediated activity, e.g., a sugar transport mechanism.

[2387] In one embodiment, a biologically active portion of an 8099 or an 46455 polypeptide comprises at least one transmembrane domain. It is to be understood that a preferred biologically active portion of an 8099 or an 46455 polypeptide of the present invention comprises at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain and/or a sugar transporter family domain. Moreover, other biologically active portions, in which other regions of the polypeptide are deleted, can be prepared by recombinant techniques and evaluated for one or more of the functional activities of a native 8099 or 46455 polypeptide.

[2388] Moreover, biologically active portions of a 54414 or 53763 polypeptide comprise a domain or motif with at least one activity of the 54414 or 53763 polypeptide, e.g., modulation of intra- or inter-cellular signaling and/or gene expression, and/or modulate membrane excitability. A biologically active portion of a 54414 or 53763 polypeptide can be a polypeptide which is, for example, 10, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150 or more amino acids in length. Biologically active portions of a 54414 or 53763 polypeptide can be used as targets for developing agents which modulate a 54414 or 53763 mediated activity, e.g., modulation of intra- or inter-cellular signaling and/or gene expression, and/or modulate membrane excitability.

[2389] In one embodiment, a biologically active portion of a 54414 or 53763 polypeptide comprises at least one transmembrane domain and/or a pore domain. Moreover, other biologically active portions, in which other regions of the protein are deleted, can be prepared by recombinant techniques and evaluated for one or more of the functional activities of a native 54414 or 53763 polypeptide.

[2390] Biologically active portions of a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide comprise a domain or motif with at least one activity of the 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, e.g., the ability to interact with a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid; ATP; a non-67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein; or another 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein or subunit); the ability to transport a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid) from one side of a cellular membrane to the other; the ability to be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated; the ability to adopt an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation; the ability to convert a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., the ability to hydrolyze ATP); the ability to interact with a second non-67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein; the ability to modulate intra- or inter-cellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); the ability to modulate cellular growth, proliferation, differentiation, absorption, and/or secretion. A biologically active portion of a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide can be a polypeptide which is, for example, 10, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550 or more amino acids in length. Biologically active portions of a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide can be used as targets for developing agents which modulate a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mediated activity, e.g., modulating transport of biological molecules across membranes.

[2391] In one embodiment, a biologically active portion of a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide comprises at least one at least one or more of the following domains, sites, or motifs: a transmembrane domain, an N-terminal large extramembrane domain, a C-terminal large extramembrane domain, an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site, a P-type ATPase sequence 1 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif, a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif, and/or one or more phospholipid transporter specific amino acid resides. Moreover, other biologically active portions, in which other regions of the polypeptide are deleted, can be prepared by recombinant techniques and evaluated for one or more of the functional activities of a native 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide.

[2392] Another aspect of the invention features fragments of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76, for example, for use as immunogens. In one embodiment, a fragment comprises at least 5 amino acids (e.g., contiguous or consecutive amino acids) of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______. In another embodiment, a fragment comprises at least 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 or more amino acids (e.g., contiguous or consecutive amino acids) of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______.

[2393] In a preferred embodiment, a 8099, 46455, 54414,53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide has an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76. In other embodiments, the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide is substantially identical to SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76, and retains the functional activity of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76, yet differs in amino acid sequence due to natural allelic variation or mutagenesis, as described in detail in subsection I above. In another embodiment, the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide is a polypeptide which comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76.

[2394] In another embodiment, the invention features a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or a complement thereof. This invention further features a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or a complement thereof.

[2395] To determine the percent identity of two amino acid sequences or of two nucleic acid sequences, the sequences are aligned for optimal comparison purposes (e.g., gaps can be introduced in one or both of a first and a second amino acid or nucleic acid sequence for optimal alignment and non-identical sequences can be disregarded for comparison purposes). In a preferred embodiment, the length of a reference sequence aligned for comparison purposes is at least 30%, preferably at least 40%, more preferably at least 50%, even more preferably at least 60%, and even more preferably at least 70%, 80%, or 90% of the length of the reference sequence (e.g., when aligning a second sequence to the 8099 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 52 having 617 amino acid residues, at least 185, preferably at least 246, more preferably at least 308, more preferably at least 370, even more preferably at least 431, and even more preferably at least 493 or 555 or more amino acid residues are aligned. In another preferred embodiment, the sequences being aligned for comparison purposes are globally aligned and percent identity is determined over the entire length of the sequences aligned. The amino acid residues or nucleotides at corresponding amino acid positions or nucleotide positions are then compared. When a position in the first sequence is occupied by the same amino acid residue or nucleotide as the corresponding position in the second sequence, then the molecules are identical at that position (as used herein amino acid or nucleic acid “identity” is equivalent to amino acid or nucleic acid “homology”). The percent identity between the two sequences is a function of the number of identical positions shared by the sequences, taking into account the number of gaps, and the length of each gap, which need to be introduced for optimal alignment of the two sequences.

[2396] The comparison of sequences and determination of percent identity between two sequences can be accomplished using a mathematical algorithm. In a preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid sequences is determined using the Needleman and Wunsch (J. Mol. Biol. (48):444-453 (1970)) algorithm which has been incorporated into the GAP program in the GCG software package (available at the Accelrys website), using either a Blosum 62 matrix or a PAM250 matrix, and a gap weight of 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, or 4 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. In yet another preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two nucleotide sequences is determined using the GAP program in the GCG software package, using a NWSgapdna.CMP matrix and a gap weight of 40, 50, 60, 70, or 80 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. A preferred, non-limiting example of parameters to be used in conjunction with the GAP program include a Blosum 62 scoring matrix with a gap penalty of 12, a gap extend penalty of 4, and a frameshift gap penalty of 5.

[2397] In another embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid or nucleotide sequences is determined using the algorithm of E. Meyers and W. Miller (Comput. Appl. Biosci., 4:11-17 (1988)) which has been incorporated into the ALIGN program (version 2.0 or version 2.0U), using a PAM120 weight residue table, a gap length penalty of 12 and a gap penalty of 4.

[2398] The nucleic acid and polypeptide sequences of the present invention can further be used as a “query sequence” to perform a search against public databases to, for example, identify other family members or related sequences. Such searches can be performed using the NBLAST and XBLAST programs (version 2.0) of Altschul, et al. (1990) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-10. BLAST nucleotide searches can be performed with the NBLAST program, score=100, wordlength=12 to obtain nucleotide sequences homologous to 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecules of the invention. BLAST protein searches can be performed with the XBLAST program, score=100, wordlength=3, and a Blosum62 matrix to obtain amino acid sequences homologous to 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide molecules of the invention. To obtain gapped alignments for comparison purposes, Gapped BLAST can be utilized as described in Altschul et al., (1997) Nucleic Acids Res. 25(17):3389-3402. When utilizing BLAST and Gapped BLAST programs, the default parameters of the respective programs (e.g., XBLAST and NBLAST) can be used. See the National Center for Biotechnology website.

[2399] The invention also provides 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt chimeric or fusion proteins. As used herein, a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt “chimeric protein” or “fusion protein” comprises a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide operatively linked to a non-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide. A “8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide” refers to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide whereas a “non-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide” refers to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to a polypeptide which is not substantially homologous to the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides, respectively, e.g., a polypeptide which is different from the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide and which is derived from the same or a different organism. Within a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt fusion protein the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide can correspond to all or aportion of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide. In a preferred embodiment, a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt fusion protein comprises at least one biologically active portion of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide. In another preferred embodiment, a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt fusion protein comprises at least two biologically active portions of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide. Within the fusion protein, the term “operatively linked” is intended to indicate that the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide and the non-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide are fused in-frame to each other. The non-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide can be fused to the N-terminus or C-terminus of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide.

[2400] For example, in one embodiment, the fusion protein is a GST-8099, -46455, -54414, -53763, -67076, -67102, -44181, -67084FL, or -67084alt fusion protein in which the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequences are fused to the C-terminus of the GST sequences. Such fusion proteins can facilitate the purification of recombinant 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt.

[2401] In another embodiment, the fusion protein is a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide containing a heterologous signal sequence at its N-terminus. In certain host cells (e.g., mammalian host cells), expression and/or secretion of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt can be increased through the use of a heterologous signal sequence.

[2402] The 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt fusion proteins of the invention can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions and administered to a subject in vivo. The 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt fusion proteins can be used to affect the bioavailability of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate. Use of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt fusion proteins may be useful therapeutically for the treatment of disorders caused by, for example, (i) aberrant modification or mutation of a gene encoding a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide; (ii) mis-regulation of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene; and (iii) aberrant post-translational modification of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide.

[2403] Moreover, the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt -fusion proteins of the invention can be used as immunogens to produce anti-8099, anti-46455, anti-54414, anti-53763, anti-67076, anti-67102, anti-44181, anti-67084FL, and/or anti-67084alt antibodies in a subject, to purify 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt ligands and in screening assays to identify molecules which inhibit the interaction with or transport of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt with a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate.

[2404] Preferably, a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt chimeric or fusion protein of the invention is produced by standard recombinant DNA techniques. For example, DNA fragments coding for the different polypeptide sequences are ligated together in-frame in accordance with conventional techniques, for example by employing blunt-ended or stagger-ended termini for ligation, restriction enzyme digestion to provide for appropriate termini, filling-in of cohesive ends as appropriate, alkaline phosphatase treatment to avoid undesirable joining, and enzymatic ligation. In another embodiment, the fusion gene can be synthesized by conventional techniques including automated DNA synthesizers. Alternatively, PCR amplification of gene fragments can be carried out using anchor primers which give rise to complementary overhangs between two consecutive gene fragments which can subsequently be annealed and reamplified to generate a chimeric gene sequence (see, for example, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, eds. Ausubel et al. John Wiley & Sons: 1992). Moreover, many expression vectors are commercially available that already encode a fusion moiety (e.g., a GST polypeptide). A 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt -encoding nucleic acid can be cloned into such an expression vector such that the fusion moiety is linked in-frame to the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide.

[2405] The present invention also pertains to variants of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides which function as either 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt agonists (mimetics) or as 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antagonists. Variants of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides can be generated by mutagenesis, e.g., discrete point mutation or truncation of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide. An agonist of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides can retain substantially the same, or a subset, of the biological activities of the naturally occurring form of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide. An antagonist of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide can inhibit one or more of the activities of the naturally occurring form of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide by, for example, competitively modulating a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt -mediated activity of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide. Thus, specific biological effects can be elicited by treatment with a variant of limited fuinction. In one embodiment, treatment of a subject with a variant having a subset of the biological activities of the naturally occurring form of the polypeptide has fewer side effects in a subject relative to treatment with the naturally occurring form of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide.

[2406] In one embodiment, variants of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide which function as either 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt agonists (mimetics) or as 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antagonists can be identified by screening combinatorial libraries of mutants, e.g., truncation mutants, of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide for 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide agonist or antagonist activity. In one embodiment, a variegated library of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt variants is generated by combinatorial mutagenesis at the nucleic acid level and is encoded by a variegated gene library. A variegated library of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt variants can be produced by, for example, enzymatically ligating a mixture of synthetic oligonucleotides into gene sequences such that a degenerate set of potential 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequences is expressible as individual polypeptides, or alternatively, as a set of larger fusion proteins (e.g., for phage display) containing the set of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequences therein. There are a variety of methods which can be used to produce libraries of potential 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt variants from a degenerate oligonucleotide sequence. Chemical synthesis of a degenerate gene sequence can be performed in an automatic DNA synthesizer, and the synthetic gene then ligated into an appropriate expression vector. Use of a degenerate set of genes allows for the provision, in one mixture, of all of the sequences encoding the desired set of potential 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequences. Methods for synthesizing degenerate oligonucleotides are known in the art (see, e.g., Narang, S. A. (1983) Tetrahedron 39:3; Itakura et al. (1984) Annu. Rev. Biochem. 53:323; Itakura et al. (1984) Science 198:1056; Ike et aL (1983) Nucleic Acid Res. 11:477.

[2407] In addition, libraries of fragments of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide coding sequence can be used to generate a variegated population of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt fragments for screening and subsequent selection of variants of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide. In one embodiment, a library of coding sequence fragments can be generated by treating a double stranded PCR fragment of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt coding sequence with a nuclease under conditions wherein nicking occurs only about once per molecule, denaturing the double stranded DNA, renaturing the DNA to form double stranded DNA which can include sense/antisense pairs from different nicked products, removing single stranded portions from reformed duplexes by treatment with S1 nuclease, and ligating the resulting fragment library into an expression vector. By this method, an expression library can be derived which encodes N-terminal, C-terminal and internal fragments of various sizes of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide.

[2408] Several techniques are known in the art for screening gene products of combinatorial libraries made by point mutations or truncation, and for screening cDNA libraries for gene products having a selected property. Such techniques are adaptable for rapid screening of the gene libraries generated by the combinatorial mutagenesis of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides. The most widely used techniques, which are amenable to high through-put analysis, for screening large gene libraries typically include cloning the gene library into replicable expression vectors, transforming appropriate cells with the resulting library of vectors, and expressing the combinatorial genes under conditions in which detection of a desired activity facilitates isolation of the vector encoding the gene whose product was detected. Recursive ensemble mutagenesis (REM), a new technique which enhances the frequency of functional mutants in the libraries, can be used in combination with the screening assays to identify 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt variants (Arkin and Youvan (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:7811-7815; Delagrave et al. (1993) Protein Engineering 6(3):327-331).

[2409] In one embodiment, cell based assays can be exploited to analyze a variegated 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt library. For example, a library of expression vectors can be transfected into a cell line, which ordinarily responds to 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt in a particular 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate-dependent manner. The transfected cells are then contacted with 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt and the effect of the expression of the mutant on signaling by the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate can be detected, e.g., phospholipid transport (e.g., by measuring phospholipid levels inside the cell or its various cellular compartments, within various cellular membranes, or in the extra-cellular medium), hydrolysis of ATP, phosphorylation or dephosphorylation of the HEAT protein, and/or gene transcription. Plasmid DNA can then be recovered from the cells which score for inhibition, or alternatively, potentiation of signaling by the HEAT substrate, or which score for increased or decreased levels of phospholipid transport or ATP hydrolysis, and the individual clones further characterized.

[2410] An isolated 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, or a portion or fragment thereof, can be used as an immunogen to generate antibodies that bind 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt using standard techniques for polyclonal and monoclonal antibody preparation. A full-length 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide can be used or, alternatively, the invention provides antigenic peptide fragments of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt for use as immunogens. The antigenic peptide of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt comprises at least 8 amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, or 76 and encompasses an epitope of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt such that an antibody raised against the peptide forms a specific immune complex with 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt. Preferably, the antigenic peptide comprises at least 10 amino acid residues, more preferably at least 15 amino acid residues, even more preferably at least 20 amino acid residues, and most preferably at least 30 amino acid residues.

[2411] Preferred epitopes encompassed by the antigenic peptide are regions of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt that are located on the surface of the polypeptide, e.g., hydrophilic regions, as well as regions with high antigenicity (see, for example, FIGS. 46, 53, 57, 61, 65, 69, 73, 77, and 81).

[2412] A 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt immunogen typically is used to prepare antibodies by immunizing a suitable subject, (e.g., rabbit, goat, mouse or other mammal) with the immunogen. An appropriate immunogenic preparation can contain, for example, recombinantly expressed 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or a chemically synthesized 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide. The preparation can further include an adjuvant, such as Freund's complete or incomplete adjuvant, or similar immunostimulatory agent. Immunization of a suitable subject with an immunogenic 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt preparation induces a polyclonal anti-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antibody response.

[2413] Accordingly, another aspect of the invention pertains to polyclonal anti-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antibodies. The term “antibody” as used herein refers to immunoglobulin molecules and immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules, i.e., molecules that contain an antigen binding site which specifically binds (immunoreacts with) an antigen, such as 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt. Examples of immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules include F(ab) and F(ab′)₂ fragments which can be generated by treating the antibody with an enzyme such as pepsin. The invention provides polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies that bind 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt. The term “monoclonal antibody” or “monoclonal antibody composition”, as used herein, refers to a population of antibody molecules that contain only one species of an antigen binding site capable of immunoreacting with a particular epitope of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt. A monoclonal antibody composition thus typically displays a single binding affinity for a particular 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide with which it immunoreacts.

[2414] Polyclonal anti-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antibodies can be prepared as described above by immunizing a suitable subject with a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt immunogen. The anti-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antibody titer in the immunized subject can be monitored over time by standard techniques, such as with an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using immobilized 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt. If desired, the antibody molecules directed against 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt can be isolated from the mammal (e.g., from the blood) and further purified by well known techniques, such as protein A chromatography to obtain the IgG fraction. At an appropriate time after immunization, e.g., when the anti-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antibody titers are highest, antibody-producing cells can be obtained from the subject and used to prepare monoclonal antibodies by standard techniques, such as the hybridoma technique originally described by Kohler and Milstein (1975) Nature 256:495-497) (see also, Brown et al. (1981) J. Immunol 127:539-46; Brown et al. (1980) J. Biol. Chem .255:4980-83; Yeh et al. (1976) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 76:2927-31; and Yeh et al. (1982) Int. J. Cancer 29:269-75), the more recent human B cell hybridoma technique (Kozbor et al (1983) Immunol Today 4:72), the EBV-hybridoma technique (Cole et al. (1985), Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, Inc., pp. 77-96) or trioma techniques. The technology for producing monoclonal antibody hybridomas is well known (see generally R. H. Kenneth, in Monoclonal Antibodies: A New Dimension In Biological Analyses, Plenum Publishing Corp., New York, N.Y. (1980); E. A. Lemer (1981) Yale J. Biol. Med., 54:387-402; M. L. Gefter et al. (1977) Somatic Cell Genet. 3:231-36). Briefly, an immortal cell line (typically a myeloma) is fused to lymphocytes (typically splenocytes) from a mammal immunized with a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt immunogen as described above, and the culture supernatants of the resulting hybridoma cells are screened to identify a hybridoma producing a monoclonal antibody that binds 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt.

[2415] Any of the many well known protocols used for fusing lymphocytes and immortalized cell lines can be applied for the purpose of generating an anti-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt monoclonal antibody (see, e.g., G. Galfre et al. (1977) Nature 266:55052; Gefter et al. Somatic Cell Genet., cited supra; Lerner, Yale J. Biol. Med., cited supra; Kenneth, Monoclonal Antibodies, cited supra). Moreover, the ordinarily skilled worker will appreciate that there are many variations of such methods which also would be useful. Typically, the immortal cell line (e.g., a myeloma cell line) is derived from the same mammalian species as the lymphocytes. For example, murine hybridomas can be made by fusing lymphocytes from a mouse immunized with an immunogenic preparation of the present invention with an immortalized mouse cell line. Preferred immortal cell lines are mouse myeloma cell lines that are sensitive to culture medium containing hypoxanthine, aminopterin and thymidine (“HAT medium”). Any of a number of myeloma cell lines can be used as a fusion partner according to standard techniques, e.g., the P3-NS1/1-Ag4-1, P3-x63-Ag8.653 or Sp2/O-Ag14 myeloma lines. These myeloma lines are available from ATCC. Typically, HAT-sensitive mouse myeloma cells are fused to mouse splenocytes using polyethylene glycol (“PEG”). Hybridoma cells resulting from the fusion are then selected using HAT medium, which kills unfused and unproductively fused myeloma cells (unfused splenocytes die after several days because they are not transformed). Hybridoma cells producing a monoclonal antibody of the invention are detected by screening the hybridoma culture supernatants for antibodies that bind 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt, e.g., using a standard ELISA assay.

[2416] Alternative to preparing monoclonal antibody-secreting hybridomas, a monoclonal anti-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antibody can be identified and isolated by screening a recombinant combinatorial immunoglobulin library (e.g., an antibody phage display library) with 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt to thereby isolate immunoglobulin library members that bind 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt. Kits for generating and screening phage display libraries are commercially available (e.g., the Pharmacia Recombinant Phage Antibody System, Catalog No. 27-9400-01; and the Stratagene SurfZAP™ Phage Display Kit, Catalog No. 240612). Additionally, examples of methods and reagents particularly amenable for use in generating and screening antibody display library can be found in, for example, Ladner et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409; Kang et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/18619; Dower et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 91/17271; Winter et al. PCT International Publication WO 92/20791; Markland et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/15679; Breitling et al. PCT International Publication WO 93/01288; McCafferty et al PCT International Publication No. WO 92/01047; Garrard et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/09690; Ladner et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 90/02809; Fuchs et al. (1991) Bio/Technology 9:1369-1372; Hay et al. (1992) Hum. Antibod. Hybridomas 3:81-85; Huse et al. (1989) Science 246:1275-1281; Griffiths et al. (1993) EMBO J. 12:725-734; Hawkins et aL (1992) J. Mol. Biol. 226:889-896; Clackson et al. (1991) Nature 352:624-628; Gram et al (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:3576-3580; Garrard et aL (1991) Bio/Technology 9:1373-1377; Hoogenboom et al. (1991) Nuc. Acid Res. 19:4133-4137; Barbas et al. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:7978-7982; and McCafferty et al. Nature (1990) 348:552-554.

[2417] Additionally, recombinant anti-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antibodies, such as chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies, comprising both human and non-human portions, which can be made using standard recombinant DNA techniques, are within the scope of the invention. Such chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies can be produced by recombinant DNA techniques known in the art, for example using methods described in Robinson et al. International Application No. PCT/US86/02269; Akira, et al European Patent Application 184,187; Taniguchi, M., European Patent Application 171,496; Morrison et al. European Patent Application 173,494; Neuberger et aL PCT International Publication No. WO 86/01533; Cabilly et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,567; Cabilly et al. European Patent Application 125,023; Better et aL (1988) Science 240:1041-1043; Liu et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:3439-3443; Liu et al. (1987) J. Immunol. 139:3521-3526; Sun et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:214-218; Nishimura et al. (1987) Canc. Res. 47:999-1005; Wood et al. (1985) Nature 314:446-449; and Shaw et al. (1988) J. Natl. CancerInst. 80:1553-1559); Morrison, S. L. (1985) Science 229:1202-1207; Oi et aL (1986) BioTechniques 4:214; Winter U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,539; Jones et al. (1986) Nature 321:552-525; Verhoeyen et al. (1988) Science 239:1534; and Beidler et al. (1988) J. Immunol. 141:4053-4060.

[2418] An anti-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antibody (e.g., monoclonal antibody) can be used to isolate 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt by standard techniques, such as affinity chromatography or immunoprecipitation. An anti-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antibody can facilitate the purification of natural 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt from cells and of recombinantly produced 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expressed in host cells. Moreover, an anti-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antibody can be used to detect 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides (e.g., in a cellular lysate or cell supernatant) in order to evaluate the abundance and pattern of expression of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide. Anti-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antibodies can be used diagnostically to monitor polypeptide levels in tissue as part of a clinical testing procedure, e.g., to, for example, determine the efficacy of a given treatment regimen. Detection can be facilitated by coupling (i.e., physically linking) the antibody to a detectable substance. Examples of detectable substances include various enzymes, prosthetic groups, fluorescent materials, luminescent materials, bioluminescent materials, and radioactive materials. Examples of suitable enzymes include horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, β-galactosidase, or acetylcholinesterase; examples of suitable prosthetic group complexes include streptavidin/biotin and avidin/biotin; examples of suitable fluorescent materials include umbelliferone, fluorescein, fluorescein isothiocyanate, rhodamine, dichlorotriazinylamine fluorescein, dansyl chloride or phycoerythrin; an example of a luminescent material includes luminol; examples of bioluminescent materials include luciferase, luciferin, and aequorin, and examples of suitable radioactive material include ¹²⁵I, ¹³¹I, ³⁵S or ³H.

[2419] III. Recombinant Expression Vectors and Host Cells

[2420] Another aspect of the invention pertains to vectors, for example recombinant expression vectors, containing a nucleic acid containing a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecule or vectors containing a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide (or a portion thereof). As used herein, the term “vector” refers to a nucleic acid molecule capable of transporting another nucleic acid to which it has been linked. One type of vector is a “plasmid”, which refers to a circular double stranded DNA loop into which additional DNA segments can be ligated. Another type of vector is a viral vector, wherein additional DNA segments can be ligated into the viral genome. Certain vectors are capable of autonomous replication in a host cell into which they are introduced (e.g., bacterial vectors having a bacterial origin of replication and episomal mammalian vectors). Other vectors (e.g., non-episomal mammalian vectors) are integrated into the genome of a host cell upon introduction into the host cell, and thereby are replicated along with the host genome. Moreover, certain vectors are capable of directing the expression of genes to which they are operatively linked. Such vectors are referred to herein as “expression vectors”. In general, expression vectors of utility in recombinant DNA techniques are often in the form of plasmids. In the present specification, “plasmid” and “vector” can be used interchangeably as the plasmid is the most commonly used form of vector. However, the invention is intended to include such other forms of expression vectors, such as viral vectors (e.g., replication defective retroviruses, adenoviruses and adeno-associated viruses), which serve equivalent functions.

[2421] The recombinant expression vectors of the invention comprise a nucleic acid of the invention in a form suitable for expression of the nucleic acid in a host cell, which means that the recombinant expression vectors include one or more regulatory sequences, selected on the basis of the host cells to be used for expression, which is operatively linked to the nucleic acid sequence to be expressed. Within a recombinant expression vector, “operably linked” is intended to mean that the nucleotide sequence of interest is linked to the regulatory sequence(s) in a manner which allows for expression of the nucleotide sequence (e.g., in an in vitro transcription/translation system or in a host cell when the vector is introduced into the host cell). The term “regulatory sequence” is intended to include promoters, enhancers and other expression control elements (e.g., polyadenylation signals). Such regulatory sequences are described, for example, in Goeddel; Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990). Regulatory sequences include those which direct constitutive expression of a nucleotide sequence in many types of host cells and those which direct expression of the nucleotide sequence only in certain host cells (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory sequences). It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the design of the expression vector can depend on such factors as the choice of the host cell to be transformed, the level of expression of polypeptide desired, and the like. The expression vectors of the invention can be introduced into host cells to thereby produce proteins or peptides, including fusion proteins or peptides, encoded by nucleic acids as described herein (e.g., 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides, mutant forms of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides, fusion proteins, and the like).

[2422] Accordingly, an exemplary embodiment provides a method for producing a polypeptide, preferably a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, by culturing in a suitable medium a host cell of the invention (e.g., a mammalian host cell such as a non-human mammalian cell) containing a recombinant expression vector, such that the polypeptide is produced.

[2423] The recombinant expression vectors of the invention can be designed for expression of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides in prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells. For example, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides can be expressed in bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells (using baculovirus expression vectors) yeast cells or mammalian cells. Suitable host cells are discussed further in Goeddel, Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990). Alternatively, the recombinant expression vector can be transcribed and translated in vitro, for example using T7 promoter regulatory sequences and T7 polymerase.

[2424] Expression of proteins in prokaryotes is most often carried out in E. coli with vectors containing constitutive or inducible promoters directing the expression of either fusion or non-fusion proteins. Fusion vectors add a number of amino acids to a protein encoded therein, usually to the amino terminus of the recombinant protein. Such fusion vectors typically serve three purposes: 1) to increase expression of recombinant protein; 2) to increase the solubility of the recombinant protein; and 3) to aid in the purification of the recombinant protein by acting as a ligand in affinity purification. Often, in fuision expression vectors, a proteolytic cleavage site is introduced at the junction of the fusion moiety and the recombinant protein to enable separation of the recombinant protein from the fusion moiety subsequent to purification of the fusion protein. Such enzymes, and their cognate recognition sequences, include Factor Xa, thrombin and enterokinase. Typical fusion expression vectors include pGEX (Pharmacia Biotech Inc; Smith, D. B. and Johnson, K. S. (1988) Gene 67:31-40), pMAL (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.) and pRIT5 (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.) which fuse glutathione S-transferase (GST), maltose E binding protein, or protein A, respectively, to the target recombinant protein.

[2425] Purified fusion proteins can be utilized in 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity assays, (e.g., direct assays or competitive assays described in detail below), or to generate antibodies specific for 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides, for example. In a preferred embodiment, a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt fusion protein expressed in a retroviral expression vector of the present invention can be utilized to infect bone marrow cells which are subsequently transplanted into irradiated recipients. The pathology of the subject recipient is then examined after sufficient time has passed (e.g., six (6) weeks).

[2426] Examples of suitable inducible non-fusion E. coli expression vectors include pTrc (Amann et al., (1988) Gene 69:301-315) and pET 11d (Studier et al., Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990) 60-89). Target gene expression from the pTrc vector relies on host RNA polymerase transcription from a hybrid trp-lac fusion promoter. Target gene expression from the pET 11d vector relies on transcription from a T7 gn10-lac fusion promoter mediated by a coexpressed viral RNA polymerase (T7 gn1). This viral polymerase is supplied by host strains BL21(DE3) or HMS174(DE3) from a resident prophage harboring a T7 gn1 gene under the transcriptional control of the lacUV 5 promoter.

[2427] One strategy to maximize recombinant protein expression in E. coli is to express the protein in a host bacteria with an impaired capacity to proteolytically cleave the recombinant protein (Gottesman, S., Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990) 119-128). Another strategy is to alter the nucleic acid sequence of the nucleic acid to be inserted into an expression vector so that the individual codons for each amino acid are those preferentially utilized in E. coli (Wada et al., (1992) Nucleic Acids Res. 20:2111-2118). Such alteration of nucleic acid sequences of the invention can be carried out by standard DNA synthesis techniques.

[2428] In another embodiment, the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression vector is a yeast expression vector. Examples of vectors for expression in yeast S. cerevisiae include pYepSec1 (Baldari, et al., (1987) EMBO J. 6:229-234), pMFa (Kuijan and Herskowitz, (1982) Cell 30:933-943), pJRY88 (Schultz et al., (1987) Gene 54:113-123), pYES2 (Invitrogen Corporation, San Diego, Calif.), and picZ (Invitrogen Corporation, San Diego, Calif.).

[2429] Alternatively, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides can be expressed in insect cells using baculovirus expression vectors. Baculovirus vectors available for expression of proteins in cultured insect cells (e.g., Sf9 cells) include the pAc series (Smith et al. (1983) Mol. Cell Biol. 3:2156-2165) and the pVL series (Lucklow and Summers (1989) Virology 170:31-39).

[2430] In yet another embodiment, a nucleic acid of the invention is expressed in mammalian cells using a mammalian expression vector. Examples of mammalian expression vectors include pCDM8 (Seed, B. (1987) Nature 329:840) and pMT2PC (Kaufman et al. (1987) EMBO J. 6:187-195). When used in mammalian cells, the expression vector's control functions are often provided by viral regulatory elements. For example, commonly used promoters are derived from polyoma, Adenovirus 2, cytomegalovirus and Simian Virus 40. For other suitable expression systems for both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells see chapters 16 and 17 of Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989.

[2431] In another embodiment, the recombinant mammalian expression vector is capable of directing expression of the nucleic acid preferentially in a particular cell type (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory elements are used to express the nucleic acid). Tissue-specific regulatory elements are known in the art. Non-limiting examples of suitable tissue-specific promoters include the albumin promoter (liver-specific; Pinkert et al. (1987) Genes Dev. 1:268-277), lymphoid-specific promoters (Calame and Eaton (1988) Adv. Immunol. 43:235-275), in particular promoters of T cell receptors (Winoto and Baltimore (1989) EMBO J. 8:729-733) and immunoglobulins (Banedji et al. (1983) Cell 33:729-740; Queen and Baltimore (1983) Cell 33:741-748), neuron-specific promoters (e.g., the neurofilament promoter; Byrne and Ruddle (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:5473-5477), pancreas-specific promoters (Edlund et aL (1985) Science 230:912-916), and mammary gland-specific promoters (e.g., milk whey promoter; U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,316 and European Application Publication No. 264,166). Developmentally-regulated promoters are also encompassed, for example the murine hox promoters (Kessel and Gruss (1990) Science 249:374-379) and the α-fetoprotein promoter (Campes and Tilghman (1989) Genes Dev. 3:537-546).

[2432] The invention further provides a recombinant expression vector comprising a DNA molecule of the invention cloned into the expression vector in an antisense orientation. That is, the DNA molecule is operatively linked to a regulatory sequence in a manner which allows for expression (by transcription of the DNA molecule) of an RNA molecule which is antisense to 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA. Regulatory sequences operatively linked to a nucleic acid cloned in the antisense orientation can be chosen which direct the continuous expression of the antisense RNA molecule in a variety of cell types, for instance viral promoters and/or enhancers, or regulatory sequences can be chosen which direct constitutive, tissue specific or cell type specific expression of antisense RNA. The antisense expression vector can be in the form of a recombinant plasmid, phagemid or attenuated virus in which antisense nucleic acids are produced under the control of a high efficiency regulatory region, the activity of which can be determined by the cell type into which the vector is introduced. For a discussion of the regulation of gene expression using antisense genes see Weintraub, H. et al., Antisense RNA as a molecular tool for genetic analysis, Reviews—Trends in Genetics, Vol. 1(1) 1986.

[2433] Another aspect of the invention pertains to host cells into which a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecule of the invention is introduced, e.g., a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecule within a vector (e.g., a recombinant expression vector) or a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecule containing sequences which allow it to homologously recombine into a specific site of the host cell's genome. The terms “host cell” and “recombinant host cell” are used interchangeably herein. It is understood that such terms refer not only to the particular subject cell but to the progeny or potential progeny of such a cell. Because certain modifications may occur in succeeding generations due to either mutation or environmental influences, such progeny may not, in fact, be identical to the parent cell, but are still included within the scope of the term as used herein.

[2434] A host cell can be any prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell. For example, a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide can be expressed in bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells, yeast or mammalian cells (such as Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) or COS cells). Other suitable host cells are known to those skilled in the art.

[2435] Vector DNA can be introduced into prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells via conventional transformation or transfection techniques. As used herein, the terms “transformation” and “transfection” are intended to refer to a variety of art-recognized techniques for introducing foreign nucleic acid (e.g., DNA) into a host cell, including calcium phosphate or calcium chloride co-precipitation, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, lipofection, or electroporation. Suitable methods for transforming or transfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook, et al. (Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), and other laboratory manuals.

[2436] For stable transfection of mammalian cells, it is known that, depending upon the expression vector and transfection technique used, only a small fraction of cells may integrate the foreign DNA into their genome. In order to identify and select these integrants, a gene that encodes a selectable marker (e.g., resistance to antibiotics) is generally introduced into the host cells along with the gene of interest. Preferred selectable markers include those which confer resistance to drugs, such as G418, hygromycin and methotrexate. Nucleic acid encoding a selectable marker can be introduced into a host cell on the same vector as that encoding a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or can be introduced on a separate vector. Cells stably transfected with the introduced nucleic acid can be identified by drug selection (e.g., cells that have incorporated the selectable marker gene will survive, while the other cells die).

[2437] A host cell of the invention, such as a prokaryotic or eukaryotic host cell in culture, can be used to produce (i.e., express) a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide. Accordingly, the invention further provides methods for producing a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide using the host cells of the invention. In one embodiment, the method comprises culturing the host cell of the invention (into which a recombinant expression vector encoding a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide has been introduced) in a suitable medium such that a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide is produced. In another embodiment, the method further comprises isolating a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide from the medium or the host cell.

[2438] The host cells of the invention can also be used to produce non-human transgenic animals. For example, in one embodiment, a host cell of the invention is a fertilized oocyte or an embryonic stem cell into which 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt -coding sequences have been introduced. Such host cells can then be used to create non-human transgenic animals in which exogenous 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequences have been introduced into their genome or homologous recombinant animals in which endogenous 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequences have been altered. Such animals are useful for studying the function and/or activity of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt and for identifying and/or evaluating modulators of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity. As used herein, a “transgenic animal” is a non-human animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a rodent such as a rat or mouse, in which one or more of the cells of the animal includes a transgene. Other examples of transgenic animals include non-human primates, sheep, dogs, cows, goats, chickens, amphibians, and the like. A transgene is exogenous DNA which is integrated into the genome of a cell from which a transgenic animal develops and which remains in the genome of the mature animal, thereby directing the expression of an encoded gene product in one or more cell types or tissues of the transgenic animal. As used herein, a “homologous recombinant animal” is a non-human animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a mouse, in which an endogenous 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene has been altered by homologous recombination between the endogenous gene and an exogenous DNA molecule introduced into a cell of the animal, e.g., an embryonic cell of the animal, prior to development of the animal.

[2439] A transgenic animal of the invention can be created by introducing a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt -encoding nucleic acid into the male pronuclei of a fertilized oocyte, e.g., by microinjection, retroviral infection, and allowing the oocyte to develop in a pseudopregnant female foster animal. The 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51, 54, 57, 60, or 63 can be introduced as a transgene into the genome of a non-human animal. Alternatively, a nonhuman homologue of a human 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene, such as a mouse or rat 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene, can be used as a transgene. Alternatively, a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene homologue, such as another 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt family member, can be isolated based on hybridization to the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt cDNA sequences of SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______ (described further in subsection I above) and used as a transgene. Intronic sequences and polyadenylation signals can also be included in the transgene to increase the efficiency of expression of the transgene. A tissue-specific regulatory sequence(s) can be operably linked to a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt transgene to direct expression of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide to particular cells. Methods for generating transgenic animals via embryo manipulation and microinjection, particularly animals such as mice, have become conventional in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,736,866 and 4,870,009, both by Leder et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,191 by Wagner et al. and in Hogan, B., Manipulating the Mouse Embryo, (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1986). Similar methods are used for production of other transgenic animals. A transgenic founder animal can be identified based upon the presence of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt transgene in its genome and/or expression of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA in tissues or cells of the animals. A transgenic founder animal can then be used to breed additional animals carrying the transgene. Moreover, transgenic animals carrying a transgene encoding a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide can further be bred to other transgenic animals carrying other transgenes.

[2440] To create a homologous recombinant animal, a vector is prepared which contains at least a portion of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene into which a deletion, addition or substitution has been introduced to thereby alter, e.g., functionally disrupt, the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene. The 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene can be a human gene (e.g., the cDNA of SEQ ID NO: 53, 56, 59, 62, or 65), but more preferably, is a non-human homologue of a human 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene (e.g., a cDNA isolated by stringent hybridization with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51, 54, 57, 60, or 63). For example, a mouse 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene can be used to construct a homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule, e.g., a vector, suitable for altering an endogenous 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene in the mouse genome. In a preferred embodiment, the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule is designed such that, upon homologous recombination, the endogenous 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene is functionally disrupted (i.e., no longer encodes a functional protein; also referred to as a “knock out” vector). Alternatively, the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule can be designed such that, upon homologous recombination, the endogenous 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene is mutated or otherwise altered but still encodes functional polypeptide (e.g., the upstream regulatory region can be altered to thereby alter the expression of the endogenous 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide). In the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule, the altered portion of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene is flanked at its 5′ and 3′ ends by additional nucleic acid sequence of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene to allow for homologous recombination to occur between the exogenous 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene carried by the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule and an endogenous 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene in a cell, e.g., an embryonic stem cell. The additional flanking 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid sequence is of sufficient length for successful homologous recombination with the endogenous gene. Typically, several kilobases of flanking DNA (both at the 5′ and 3′ ends) are included in the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule (see, e.g., Thomas, K. R. and Capecchi, M. R. (1987) Cell 51:503 for a description of homologous recombination vectors). The homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule is introduced into a cell, e.g., an embryonic stem cell line (e.g., by electroporation) and cells in which the introduced 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene has homologously recombined with the endogenous 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene are selected (see e.g., Li, E. et al. (1992) Cell 69:915). The selected cells can then injected into a blastocyst of an animal (e.g., a mouse) to form aggregation chimeras (see e.g., Bradley, A. in Teratocarcinomas and Embryonic Stem Cells: A Practical Approach, E. J. Robertson, ed. (IRL, Oxford, 1987) pp. 113-152). A chimeric embryo can then be implanted into a suitable pseudopregnant female foster animal and the embryo brought to term. Progeny harboring the homologously recombined DNA in their germ cells can be used to breed animals in which all cells of the animal contain the homologously recombined DNA by germline transmission of the transgene. Methods for constructing homologous recombination nucleic acid molecules, e.g., vectors, or homologous recombinant animals are described further in Bradley, A. (1991) Current Opinion in Biotechnology 2:823-829 and in PCT International Publication Nos.: WO 90/11354 by Le Mouellec et al.; WO 91/01140 by Smithies et aL; WO 92/0968 by Zijlstra et al.; and WO 93/04169 by Berns et al.

[2441] In another embodiment, transgenic non-human animals can be produced which contain selected systems which allow for regulated expression of the transgene. One example of such a system is the cre/loxP recombinase system of bacteriophage P1. For a description of the cre/loxP recombinase system, see, e.g., Lakso et aL (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:6232-6236. Another example of a recombinase system is the FLP recombinase system of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (O'Gorman et al. (1991) Science 251:1351-1355. If a cre/loxP recombinase system is used to regulate expression of the transgene, animals containing transgenes encoding both the Cre recombinase and a selected protein are required. Such animals can be provided through the construction of “double” transgenic animals, e.g., by mating two transgenic animals, one containing a transgene encoding a selected protein and the other containing a transgene encoding a recombinase.

[2442] Clones of the non-human transgenic animals described herein can also be produced according to the methods described in Wilmut, I. et al. (1997) Nature 385:810-813 and PCT International Publication Nos. WO 97/07668 and WO 97/07669. In brief, a cell, e.g., a somatic cell, from the transgenic animal can be isolated and induced to exit the growth cycle and enter G_(o) phase. The quiescent cell can then be fused, e.g., through the use of electrical pulses, to an enucleated oocyte from an animal of the same species from which the quiescent cell is isolated. The reconstructed oocyte is then cultured such that it develops to morula or blastocyte and then transferred to pseudopregnant female foster animal. The offspring borne of this female foster animal will be a clone of the animal from which the cell, e.g., the somatic cell, is isolated.

[2443] IV. Pharmaceutical Compositions

[2444] The 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecules, fragments of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides, anti-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antibodies, and or 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt modulators, (also referred to herein as “active compounds”) of the invention can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions suitable for administration. Such compositions typically comprise the nucleic acid molecule, polypeptide, or antibody and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. As used herein the language “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” is intended to include any and all solvents, dispersion media, coatings, antibacterial and antifungal agents, isotonic and absorption delaying agents, and the like, compatible with pharmaceutical administration. The use of such media and agents for pharmaceutically active substances is well known in the art. Except insofar as any conventional media or agent is incompatible with the active compound, use thereof in the compositions is contemplated. Supplementary active compounds can also be incorporated into the compositions.

[2445] A pharmaceutical composition of the invention is formulated to be compatible with its intended route of administration. Examples of routes of administration include parenteral, e.g., intravenous, intradermal, subcutaneous, oral (e.g., inhalation), transdermal (topical), transmucosal, and rectal administration. Solutions or suspensions used for parenteral, intradermal, or subcutaneous application can include the following components: a sterile diluent such as water for injection, saline solution, fixed oils, polyethylene glycols, glycerine, propylene glycol or other synthetic solvents; antibacterial agents such as benzyl alcohol or methyl parabens; antioxidants such as ascorbic acid or sodium bisulfite; chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; buffers such as acetates, citrates or phosphates and agents for the adjustment of tonicity such as sodium chloride or dextrose. pH can be adjusted with acids or bases, such as hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide. The parenteral preparation can be enclosed in ampoules, disposable syringes or multiple dose vials made of glass or plastic.

[2446] Pharmaceutical compositions suitable for injectable use include sterile aqueous solutions (where water soluble) or dispersions and sterile powders for the extemporaneous preparation of sterile injectable solutions or dispersion. For intravenous administration, suitable carriers include physiological saline, bacteriostatic water, Cremophor EL™ (BASF, Parsippany, N.J.) or phosphate buffered saline (PBS). In all cases, the composition must be sterile and should be fluid to the extent that easy syringeability exists. It must be stable under the conditions of manufacture and storage and must be preserved against the contaminating action of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. The carrier can be a solvent or dispersion medium containing, for example, water, ethanol, polyol (for example, glycerol, propylene glycol, and liquid polyetheylene glycol, and the like), and suitable mixtures thereof. The proper fluidity can be maintained, for example, by the use of a coating such as lecithin, by the maintenance of the required particle size in the case of dispersion and by the use of surfactants. Prevention of the action of microorganisms can be achieved by various antibacterial and antifungal agents, for example, parabens, chlorobutanol, phenol, ascorbic acid, thimerosal, and the like. In many cases, it will be preferable to include isotonic agents, for example, sugars, polyalcohols such as manitol, sorbitol, sodium chloride in the composition. Prolonged absorption of the injectable compositions can be brought about by including in the composition an agent which delays absorption, for example, aluminum monostearate and gelatin.

[2447] Sterile injectable solutions can be prepared by incorporating the active compound (e.g., a fragment of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or an anti-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antibody) in the required amount in an appropriate solvent with one or a combination of ingredients enumerated above, as required, followed by filtered sterilization. Generally, dispersions are prepared by incorporating the active compound into a sterile vehicle which contains a basic dispersion medium and the required other ingredients from those enumerated above. In the case of sterile powders for the preparation of sterile injectable solutions, the preferred methods of preparation are vacuum drying and freeze-drying which yields a powder of the active ingredient plus any additional desired ingredient from a previously sterile-filtered solution thereof.

[2448] Oral compositions generally include an inert diluent or an edible carrier. They can be enclosed in gelatin capsules or compressed into tablets. For the purpose of oral therapeutic administration, the active compound can be incorporated with excipients and used in the form of tablets, troches, or capsules. Oral compositions can also be prepared using a fluid carrier for use as a mouthwash, wherein the compound in the fluid carrier is applied orally and swished and expectorated or swallowed. Pharmaceutically compatible binding agents, and/or adjuvant materials can be included as part of the composition. The tablets, pills, capsules, troches and the like can contain any of the following ingredients, or compounds of a similar nature: a binder such as microcrystalline cellulose, gum tragacanth or gelatin; an excipient such as starch or lactose, a disintegrating agent such as alginic acid, Primogel, or corn starch; a lubricant such as magnesium stearate or Sterotes; a glidant such as colloidal silicon dioxide; a sweetening agent such as sucrose or saccharin; or a flavoring agent such as peppermint, methyl salicylate, or orange flavoring.

[2449] For administration by inhalation, the compounds are delivered in the form of an aerosol spray from pressured container or dispenser which contains a suitable propellant, e.g., a gas such as carbon dioxide, or a nebulizer.

[2450] Systemic administration can also be by transmucosal or transdermal means. For transmucosal or transdermal administration, penetrants appropriate to the barrier to be permeated are used in the formulation. Such penetrants are generally known in the art, and include, for example, for transmucosal administration, detergents, bile salts, and fusidic acid derivatives. Transmucosal administration can be accomplished through the use of nasal sprays or suppositories. For transdermal administration, the active compounds are formulated into ointments, salves, gels, or creams as generally known in the art.

[2451] The compounds can also be prepared in the form of suppositories (e.g., with conventional suppository bases such as cocoa butter and other glycerides) or retention enemas for rectal delivery.

[2452] In one embodiment, the active compounds are prepared with carriers that will protect the compound against rapid elimination from the body, such as a controlled release formulation, including implants and microencapsulated delivery systems. Biodegradable, biocompatible polymers can be used, such as ethylene vinyl acetate, polyanhydrides, polyglycolic acid, collagen, polyorthoesters, and polylactic acid. Methods for preparation of such formulations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The materials can also be obtained commercially from Alza Corporation and Nova Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Liposomal suspensions (including liposomes targeted to infected cells with monoclonal antibodies to viral antigens) can also be used as pharmaceutically acceptable carriers. These can be prepared according to methods known to those skilled in the art, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,811.

[2453] It is especially advantageous to formulate oral or parenteral compositions in dosage unit form for ease of administration and uniformity of dosage. Dosage unit form as used herein refers to physically discrete units suited as unitary dosages for the subject to be treated; each unit containing a predetermined quantity of active compound calculated to produce the desired therapeutic effect in association with the required pharmaceutical carrier. The specification for the dosage unit forms of the invention are dictated by and directly dependent on the unique characteristics of the active compound and the particular therapeutic effect to be achieved, and the limitations inherent in the art of compounding such an active compound for the treatment of individuals.

[2454] Toxicity and therapeutic efficacy of such compounds can be determined by standard pharmaceutical procedures in cell cultures or experimental animals, e.g., for determining the LD50 (the dose lethal to 50% of the population) and the ED50 (the dose therapeutically effective in 50% of the population). The dose ratio between toxic and therapeutic effects is the therapeutic index and it can be expressed as the ratio LD50/ED50. Compounds which exhibit large therapeutic indices are preferred. While compounds that exhibit toxic side effects may be used, care should be taken to design a delivery system that targets such compounds to the site of affected tissue in order to minimize potential damage to uninfected cells and, thereby, reduce side effects.

[2455] The data obtained from the cell culture assays and animal studies can be used in formulating a range of dosage for use in humans. The dosage of such compounds lies preferably within a range of circulating concentrations that include the ED50 with little or no toxicity. The dosage may vary within this range depending upon the dosage form employed and the route of administration utilized. For any compound used in the method of the invention, the therapeutically effective dose can be estimated initially from cell culture assays. A dose may be formulated in animal models to achieve a circulating plasma concentration range that includes the IC50 (i.e., the concentration of the test compound which achieves a half-maximal inhibition of symptoms) as determined in cell culture. Such information can be used to more accurately determine useful doses in humans. Levels in plasma may be measured, for example, by high performance liquid chromatography.

[2456] As defined herein, a therapeutically effective amount of polypeptide (i.e., an effective dosage) ranges from about 0.001 to 30 mg/kg body weight, preferably about 0.01 to 25 mg/kg body weight, more preferably about 0.1 to 20 mg/kg body weight, and even more preferably about 1 to 10 mg/kg, 2 to 9 mg/kg, 3 to 8 mg/kg, 4 to 7 mg/kg, or 5 to 6 mg/kg body weight. The skilled artisan will appreciate that certain factors may influence the dosage required to effectively treat a subject, including but not limited to the severity of the disease or disorder, previous treatments, the general health and/or age of the subject, and other diseases present. Moreover, treatment of a subject with a therapeutically effective amount of a polypeptide or antibody can include a single treatment or, preferably, can include a series of treatments.

[2457] In a preferred example, a subject is treated with antibody or polypeptide in the range of between about 0.1 to 20 mg/kg body weight, one time per week for between about 1 to 10 weeks, preferably between 2 to 8 weeks, more preferably between about 3 to 7 weeks, and even more preferably for about 4, 5, or 6 weeks. It will also be appreciated that the effective dosage of antibody or polypeptide used for treatment may increase or decrease over the course of a particular treatment. Changes in dosage may result and become apparent from the results of diagnostic assays as described herein.

[2458] The present invention encompasses agents which modulate expression or activity. An agent may, for example, be a small molecule. For example, such small molecules include, but are not limited to, peptides, peptidomimetics, amino acids, amino acid analogs, polynucleotides, polynucleotide analogs, nucleotides, nucleotide analogs, organic or inorganic compounds (i.e.,. including heteroorganic and organometallic compounds) having a molecular weight less than about 10,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 5,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 1,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 500 grams per mole, and salts, esters, and other pharmaceutically acceptable forms of such compounds. It is understood that appropriate doses of small molecule agents depends upon a number of factors within the ken of the ordinarily skilled physician, veterinarian, or researcher. The dose(s) of the small molecule will vary, for example, depending upon the identity, size, and condition of the subject or sample being treated, further depending upon the route by which the composition is to be administered, if applicable, and the effect which the practitioner desires the small molecule to have upon the nucleic acid or polypeptide of the invention.

[2459] Exemplary doses include milligram or microgram amounts of the small molecule per kilogram of subject or sample weight (e.g., about 1 microgram per kilogram to about 500 milligrams per kilogram, about 100 micrograms per kilogram to about 5 milligrams per kilogram, or about 1 microgram per kilogram to about 50 micrograms per kilogram. It is furthermore understood that appropriate doses of a small molecule depend upon the potency of the small molecule with respect to the expression or activity to be modulated. Such appropriate doses may be determined using the assays described herein. When one or more of these small molecules is to be administered to an animal (e.g., a human) in order to modulate expression or activity of a polypeptide or nucleic acid of the invention, a physician, veterinarian, or researcher may, for example, prescribe a relatively low dose at first, subsequently increasing the dose until an appropriate response is obtained. In addition, it is understood that the specific dose level for any particular animal subject will depend upon a variety of factors including the activity of the specific compound employed, the age, body weight, general health, gender, and diet of the subject, the time of administration, the route of administration, the rate of excretion, any drug combination, and the degree of expression or activity to be modulated.

[2460] Further, an antibody (or fragment thereof) may be conjugated to a therapeutic moiety such as a cytotoxin, a therapeutic agent or a radioactive metal ion. A cytotoxin or cytotoxic agent includes any agent that is detrimental to cells. Examples include taxol, cytochalasin B, gramicidin D, ethidium bromide, emetine, mitomycin, etoposide, tenoposide, vincristine, vinblastine, colchicin, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, dihydroxy anthracin dione, mitoxantrone, mithramycin, actinomycin D, 1-dehydrotestosterone, glucocorticoids, procaine, tetracaine, lidocaine, propranolol, and puromycin and analogs or homologues thereof. Therapeutic agents include, but are not limited to, antimetabolites (e.g., methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, cytarabine, 5-fluorouracil decarbazine), alkylating agents (e.g., mechlorethamine, thioepa chlorambucil, melphalan, carmustine (BSNU) and lomustine (CCNU), cyclothosphamide, busulfan, dibromomannitol, streptozotocin, mitomycin C, and cis-dichlorodiamine platinum (II) (DDP) cisplatin), anthracyclines (e.g., daunorubicin (formerly daunomycin) and doxorubicin), antibiotics (e.g., dactinomycin (formerly actinomycin), bleomycin, mithramycin, and anthramycin (AMC)), and anti-mitotic agents (e.g., vincristine and vinblastine).

[2461] The conjugates of the invention can be used for modifying a given biological response, the drug moiety is not to be construed as limited to classical chemical therapeutic agents. For example, the drug moiety may be a protein or polypeptide possessing a desired biological activity. Such proteins may include, for example, a toxin such as abrin, ricin A, pseudomonas exotoxin, or diphtheria toxin; a protein such as tumor necrosis factor, alpha-interferon, beta-interferon, nerve growth factor, platelet derived growth factor, tissue plasminogen activator; or, biological response modifiers such as, for example, lymphokines, interleukin-1 (“IL-1”), interleukin-2 (“IL-2”), interleukin-6 (“IL-6”), granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (“GM-CSF”), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (“G-CSF”), or other growth factors.

[2462] Techniques for conjugating such therapeutic moiety to antibodies are well known, see, e.g., Arnon et al., “Monoclonal Antibodies For Immunotargeting Of Drugs In Cancer Therapy”, in Monoclonal Antibodies And Cancer Therapy, Reisfeld et al. (eds.), pp. 243-56 (Alan R. Liss, Inc. 1985); Hellstrom et al, “Antibodies For Drug Delivery”, in Controlled Drug Delivery (2nd Ed.), Robinson et al. (eds.), pp. 623-53 (Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1987); Thorpe, “Antibody Carriers Of Cytotoxic Agents In Cancer Therapy: A Review”, in Monoclonal Antibodies '84: Biological And Clinical Applications, Pinchera et al. (eds.), pp. 475-506 (1985); “Analysis, Results, And Future Prospective Of The Therapeutic Use Of Radiolabeled Antibody In Cancer Therapy”, in Monoclonal Antibodies For Cancer Detection And Therapy, Baldwin et al. (eds.), pp. 303-16 (Academic Press 1985), and Thorpe et al., “The Preparation And Cytotoxic Properties Of Antibody-Toxin Conjugates”, Inmunol. Rev., 62:119-58 (1982). Alternatively, an antibody can be conjugated to a second antibody to form an antibody heteroconjugate as described by Segal in U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,980.

[2463] The nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be inserted into vectors and used as gene therapy vectors. Gene therapy vectors can be delivered to a subject by, for example, intravenous injection, local administration (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,470) or by stereotactic injection (see e.g., Chen et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:3054-3057). The pharmaceutical preparation of the gene therapy vector can include the gene therapy vector in an acceptable diluent, or can comprise a slow release matrix in which the gene delivery vehicle is imbedded. Alternatively, where the complete gene delivery vector can be produced intact from recombinant cells, e.g., retroviral vectors, the pharmaceutical preparation can include one or more cells which produce the gene delivery system.

[2464] The pharmaceutical compositions can be included in a container, pack, or dispenser together with instructions for administration.

[2465] V. Uses and Methods of the Invention

[2466] The nucleic acid molecules, proteins, protein homologues, antibodies, and modulators described herein can be used in one or more of the following methods: a) screening assays; b) predictive medicine (e.g., diagnostic assays, prognostic assays, monitoring clinical trials, and pharmacogenetics); and c) methods of treatment (e.g., therapeutic and prophylactic).

[2467] As described herein, an 8099 and/or 46455 polypeptide of the invention has one or more of the following activities: (1) bind a monosaccharide, e.g., D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose, and/or mannose, (2) transport monosaccharides across a cell membrane, (3) influence insulin and/or glucagon secretion, (4) maintain sugar homeostasis in a cell, (5) function as a neuronal transporter, and (6) mediate trans-epithelial movement in a cell.

[2468] As described herein, a 54414 and/or 53763 protein of the invention has one or more of the following activities: (i) interaction with a 54414 or 53763 substrate (e.g., a potassium ion or a cyclic nucleotide); (ii) conductance or transport of a 54414 or 53763 substrate across a cellular membrane; (iii) interaction with a second non-54414 or 53763 protein (e.g., a 54414 or 53763 polypeptide or a non-54414 or 53763 potassium channel subunit); (iv) modulation (e.g., maintenance and/or rectification) of membrane potentials; (v) regulation of target molecule availability or activity; (vi) modulation of intra- or intercellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); (vii) generation of outwardly rectifying currents; (viii) modulation of membrane excitability; (ix) modulation of the release of neurotransmitters; (x) regulation of contractility (e.g., of smooth muscle cells), secretion, and/or synaptic transmission; and/or (xi) modulation of processes which underlie learning and memory.

[2469] Preferred activities of 54414 further include at least one of the following activities: (i) interaction with maxi-K potassium channels (i.e., large conductance channels, in particular Slo); (ii) modulation of maxi-K potassium channel activity (e.g., Slo-mediated activities); (iii) generation of intermediate conductance channels; and/or (iv) regulation of contractility (e.g., of smooth muscle cells), secretion, and/or synaptic transmission, in particular, via modulation of Slo.

[2470] Preferred activities of 53763 further include at least one of the following activities: (i) interaction with Shaker (Sh) potassium channels and/or channel subunits; (ii) modulation of Shaker (Sh) potassium channel activity (e.g., termination of prolonged membrane depolarization; (iii) modulation of high voltage activating channel activity and/or inactivating channel activity, and the like.

[2471] As described herein, a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide of the invention has one or more of the following activities: (i) interaction with a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid, ATP, or a non-67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein); (ii) transport of a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or target molecule (e.g., an aminophospholipid such as phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylethanolamine) from one side of a cellular membrane to the other; (iii) the ability to be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated; (iv) adoption of an El conformation or an E2 conformation; (v) conversion of a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., hydrolysis of ATP); (vi) interaction with a second non- 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein; (vii) modulation of substrate or target molecule location (e.g., modulation of phospholipid location within a cell and/or location with respect to a cellular membrane); (viii) maintenance of aminophospholipid gradients; (ix) modulation of intra- or intercellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); and/or (x) modulation of cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, apoptosis, absorption, or secretion.

[2472] The isolated nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be used, for example, to express 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides (e.g., via a recombinant expression vector in a host cell in gene therapy applications), to detect 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA (e.g., in a biological sample) or a genetic alteration in a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene, and to modulate 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity, as described further below. The 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides can be used to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive production of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or production or transport of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt inhibitors, for example, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt associated disorders.

[2473] As used herein, a “sugar transporter” includes a protein or polypeptide which is involved in transporting a molecule, e.g., a monosaccharide such as D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose or mannose, across the plasma membrane of a cell, e.g., a liver cell, fat cell, muscle cell, or blood cell, such as an erythrocyte. Sugar transporters regulate sugar homeostasis in a cell and, typically, have sugar substrate specificity. Examples of sugar transporters include glucose transporters, fructose transporters, and galactose transporters.

[2474] As used herein, a “sugar transporter mediated activity” includes an activity which involves a sugar transporter, e.g., a sugar transporter in a liver cell, fat cell, muscle cell, or blood cell, such as an erythrocyte. Sugar transporter mediated activities include the transport of sugars, e.g., D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose or mannose, into and out of cells; the stimulation of molecules that regulate glucose homeostasis (e.g., insulin and glucagon), from cells, e.g., pancreatic cells; and the participation in signal transduction pathways associated with sugar metabolism.

[2475] As the 8099 and 46455 molecules of the present invention are sugar transporters, they may be useful for developing novel diagnostic and therapeutic agents for sugar transporter associated disorders. As used herein, the terms “sugar transporter associated disorder” and “8099 and 46455 disorder,” used interchangeably herein, includes a disorder, disease, or condition which is characterized by an aberrant, e.g., upregulated or downregulated, sugar transporter mediated activity. Sugar transporter associated disorders typically result in, e.g., upregulated or downregulated, sugar levels in a cell. Examples of sugar transporter associated disorders include disorders associated with sugar homeostasis, such as obesity, anorexia, type-1 diabetes, type-2 diabetes, hypoglycemia, glycogen storage disease (Von Gierke disease), type I glycogenosis, bipolar disorder, seasonal affective disorder, and cluster B personality disorders.

[2476] As used interchangeably herein, a “potassium channel associated disorder” or a “54414 or 53763 associated disorder” include a disorder, disease or condition which is caused or characterized by a misregulation (e.g., downregulation or upregulation) of 54414 or 53763 activity. 54414 or 53763 associated disorders can detrimentally affect cellular functions such as cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, inter- or intra-cellular communication; tissue function, such as cardiac function or musculoskeletal function; systemic responses in an organism, such as nervous system responses, hormonal responses (e.g., insulin response), or immune responses; and protection of cells from toxic compounds (e.g., carcinogens, toxins, or mutagens).

[2477] In a preferred embodiment, 54414 or 53763 associated disorders include CNS disorders such as cognitive and neurodegenerative disorders, examples of which include, but are not limited to, Alzheimer's disease, dementias related to Alzheimer's disease (such as Pick's disease), Parkinson's and other Lewy diffuse body diseases, senile dementia, Huntington's disease, Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive supranuclear palsy, epilepsy, seizure disorders, and Jakob-Creutzfieldt disease; autonomic function disorders such as hypertension and sleep disorders, and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, korsakoff's psychosis, mania, anxiety disorders, or phobic disorders; learning or memory disorders, e.g., amnesia or age-related memory loss, attention deficit disorder, dysthymic disorder, major depressive disorder, mania, obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychoactive substance use disorders, anxiety, phobias, panic disorder, as well as bipolar affective disorder, e.g., severe bipolar affective (mood) disorder (BP-1), and bipolar affective neurological disorders, e.g., migraine and obesity. Further CNS-related disorders include, for example, those listed in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the most current version of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[2478] 54414 or 53763 associated disorders also include cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or apoptosis disorders. Cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or apoptosis disorders include those disorders that affect cell proliferation, growth, differentiation, or apoptosis processes. As used herein, a “cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or apoptosis process” is a process by which a cell increases in number, size or content, by which a cell develops a specialized set of characteristics which differ from that of other cells, or by which a cell undergoes programmed cell death. The 54414 or 53763 molecules of the present invention may modulate cellular growth, proliferation, differentiation, or apoptosis, and may play a role in disorders characterized by aberrantly regulated growth, proliferation, differentiation, or apoptosis. Such disorders include cancer, e.g., carcinoma, sarcoma, or leukemia; tumor angiogenesis and metastasis; skeletal dysplasia; hepatic disorders; and hematopoietic and/or myeloproliferative disorders.

[2479] Further examples of 54414 or 53763 associated disorders include cardiac-related disorders. Cardiovascular system disorders in which the 54414 or 53763 molecules of the invention may be directly or indirectly involved include arteriosclerosis, ischemia reperfusion injury, restenosis, arterial inflammation, vascular wall remodeling, ventricular remodeling, rapid ventricular pacing, coronary microembolism, tachycardia, bradycardia, pressure overload, aortic bending, coronary artery ligation, vascular heart disease, atrial fibrilation, Jervell syndrome, Lange-Nielsen syndrome, long-QT syndrome, congestive heart failure, sinus node dysfunction, angina, heart failure, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, dilated cardiomyopathy, idiopathic cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, coronary artery spasm, and arrhythmia. 54414 or 53763 associated disorders also include disorders of the musculoskeletal system such as paralysis and muscle weakness, e.g., ataxia, myotonia, and myokymia.

[2480] 54414 or 53763 associated or related disorders also include hormonal disorders, such as conditions or diseases in which the production and/or regulation of hormones in an organism is aberrant. Examples of such disorders and diseases include type I and type II diabetes mellitus, pituitary disorders (e.g., growth disorders), thyroid disorders (e.g., hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism), and reproductive or fertility disorders (e.g., disorders which affect the organs of the reproductive system, e.g., the prostate gland, the uterus, or the vagina; disorders which involve an imbalance in the levels of a reproductive hormone in a subject; disorders affecting the ability of a subject to reproduce; and disorders affecting secondary sex characteristic development, e.g., adrenal hyperplasia).

[2481] 54414 or 53763 associated or related disorders also include immune disorders, such as autoimmune disorders or immune deficiency disorders, e.g., congenital X-linked infantile hypogammaglobulinemia, transient hypogammaglobulinemia, common variable immunodeficiency, selective IgA deficiency, chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, or severe combined immunodeficiency.

[2482] As used interchangeably herein, a “phospholipid transporter associated disorder” or a “67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt associated disorder” includes a disorder, disease or condition which is caused or characterized by a misregulation (e.g., downregulation or upregulation) of 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity. 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt associated disorders can detrimentally affect cellular functions such as cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, inter- or intra-cellular communication; tissue function, such as cardiac function or musculoskeletal function; systemic responses in an organism, such as nervous system responses, hormonal responses (e.g., insulin response), or immune responses; and protection of cells from toxic compounds (e.g., carcinogens, toxins, or mutagens). Examples of 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt associated disorders include CNS disorders such as cognitive and neurodegenerative disorders, examples of which include, but are not limited to, Alzheimer's disease, dementias related to Alzheimer's disease (such as Pick's disease), Parkinson's and other Lewy diffuse body diseases, senile dementia, Huntington's disease, Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive supranuclear palsy, epilepsy, seizure disorders, and Jakob-Creutzfieldt disease; autonomic function disorders such as hypertension and sleep disorders, and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, korsakoff's psychosis, mania, anxiety disorders, or phobic disorders; learning or memory disorders, e.g., amnesia or age-related memory loss, attention deficit disorder, dysthymic disorder, major depressive disorder, mania, obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychoactive substance use disorders, anxiety, phobias, panic disorder, as well as bipolar affective disorder, e.g., severe bipolar affective (mood) disorder (BP-1), and bipolar affective neurological disorders, e.g., migraine and obesity. Further CNS-related disorders include, for example, those listed in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the most current version of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[2483] Further examples of 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt associated disorders include cardiac-related disorders. Cardiovascular system disorders in which the 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt molecules of the invention may be directly or indirectly involved include arteriosclerosis, ischemia reperfusion injury, restenosis, arterial inflammation, vascular wall remodeling, ventricular remodeling, rapid ventricular pacing, coronary microembolism, tachycardia, bradycardia, pressure overload, aortic bending, coronary artery ligation, vascular heart disease, atrial fibrilation, Jervell syndrome, Lange-Nielsen syndrome, long-QT syndrome, congestive heart failure, sinus node dysfunction, angina, heart failure, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, dilated cardiomyopathy, idiopathic cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, coronary artery spasm, and arrhythmia. 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt associated disorders also include disorders of the musculoskeletal system such as paralysis and muscle weakness, e.g., ataxia, myotonia, and myokymia.

[2484] 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt associated disorders also include cellular proliferation, growth, or differentiation disorders. Cellular proliferation, growth, or differentiation disorders include those disorders that affect cell proliferation, growth, or differentiation processes. As used herein, a “cellular proliferation, growth, or differentiation process” is a process by which a cell increases in number, size or content, or by which a cell develops a specialized set of characteristics which differ from that of other cells. The 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt molecules of the present invention are involved in phospholipid transport mechanisms, which are known to be involved in cellular growth, proliferation, and differentiation processes. Thus, the 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt molecules may modulate cellular growth, proliferation, or differentiation, and may play a role in disorders characterized by aberrantly regulated growth, proliferation, or differentiation. Such disorders include cancer, e.g., carcinoma, sarcoma, or leukemia; tumor angiogenesis and metastasis; skeletal dysplasia; hepatic disorders; and hematopoietic and/or myeloproliferative disorders.

[2485] 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt associated or related disorders also include hormonal disorders, such as conditions or diseases in which the production and/or regulation of hormones in an organism is aberrant. Examples of such disorders and diseases include type I and type II diabetes mellitus, pituitary disorders (e.g., growth disorders), thyroid disorders (e.g., hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism), and reproductive or fertility disorders (e.g., disorders which affect the organs of the reproductive system, e.g., the prostate gland, the uterus, or the vagina; disorders which involve an imbalance in the levels of a reproductive hormone in a subject; disorders affecting the ability of a subject to reproduce; and disorders affecting secondary sex characteristic development, e.g., adrenal hyperplasia).

[2486] 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt associated or related disorders also include immune disorders, such as autoimmune disorders or immune deficiency disorders, e.g., congenital X-linked infantile hypogammaglobulinemia, transient hypogammaglobulinemia, common variable immunodeficiency, selective IgA deficiency, chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, or severe combined immunodeficiency.

[2487] 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt associated or related disorders also include disorders affecting tissues in which 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein is expressed.

[2488] In addition, the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides can be used to screen for naturally occurring 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrates, to screen for drugs or compounds which modulate 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity, as well as to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive production of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or production of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide forms which have decreased, aberrant or unwanted activity compared to 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt wild type polypeptide (e.g., sugar transporter associated disorder, potassium channel associated disorders, a phospholipid transporter-associated disorders). Moreover, the anti-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antibodies of the invention can be used to detect and isolate 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides, to regulate the bioavailability of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides, and modulate 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity.

[2489] A. Screening Assays

[2490] The invention provides a method (also referred to herein as a “screening assay”) for identifying modulators, i.e., candidate or test compounds or agents (e.g., peptides, peptidomimetics, small molecules or other drugs) which bind to 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides, have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on, for example, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression or 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity, or have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on, for example, the expression or activity of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate.

[2491] In one embodiment, the invention provides assays for screening candidate or test compounds which are substrates of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof. In another embodiment, the invention provides assays for screening candidate or test compounds which bind to or modulate the activity of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof. The test compounds of the present invention can be obtained using any of the numerous approaches in combinatorial library methods known in the art, including: biological libraries; spatially addressable parallel solid phase or solution phase libraries; synthetic library methods requiring deconvolution; the ‘one-bead one-compound’ library method; and synthetic library methods using affinity chromatography selection. The biological library approach is limited to peptide libraries, while the other four approaches are applicable to peptide, non-peptide oligomer or small molecule libraries of compounds (Lam, K. S. (1997) Anticancer Drug Des. 12:145).

[2492] Examples of methods for the synthesis of molecular libraries can be found in the art, for example in: DeWitt et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90:6909; Erb et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:11422; Zuckermann et aL (1994). J. Med. Chem. 37:2678; Cho et al. (1993) Science 261:1303; Carrell et al. (1994) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 33:2059; Carell et al. (1994) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. EngL. 33:2061; and in Gallop et al. (1994) J. Med. Chem. 37:1233.

[2493] Libraries of compounds may be presented in solution (e.g., Houghten (1992) Biotechniques 13:412-421), or on beads (Lam (1991) Nature 354:82-84), chips (Fodor (1993) Nature 364:555-556), bacteria (Ladner USP 5,223,409), spores (Ladner USP '409), plasmids (Cull et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:1865-1869) or on phage (Scott and Smith (1990) Science 249:386-390); (Devlin (1990) Science 249:404-406); (Cwirla et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 87:6378-6382); (Felici (1991) J. Mol. Biol. 222:301-310); (Ladner supra.).

[2494] In one embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay in which a cell which expresses a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity is determined.

[2495] Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate 8099 or 46455 activity can be accomplished by monitoring, for example, intracellular or extracellular D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose, and/or mannose concentration, or insulin or glucagon secretion. The cell, for example, can be of mammalian origin, e.g., a liver cell, fat cell, muscle cell, or a blood cell, such as an erythrocyte.

[2496] Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate 54414 or 53763 activity can be accomplished by monitoring, for example, potassium current, neurotransmitter release, and/or membrane excitability in a cell which expresses 54414 or 53763. The cell, for example, can be of mammalian origin, e.g., a neuronal cell.

[2497] Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity can be accomplished by monitoring, for example, (i) interaction of 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt with a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or target molecule (e.g., a phospholipid, ATP, or a non-67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein); (ii) transport of a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or target molecule (e.g., an aminophospholipid such as phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylethanolamine) from one side of a cellular membrane to the other; (iii) the ability of 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt to be phosphorylated or dephosphorylated; (iv) adoption by 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt of an E1 conformation or an E2 conformation; (v) conversion of a 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., hydrolysis of ATP); (vi) interaction of 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt with a second non-67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt protein; (vii) modulation of substrate or target molecule location (e.g., modulation of phospholipid location within a cell and/or location with respect to a cellular membrane); (viii) maintenance of aminophospholipid gradients; (ix) modulation of intra- or intercellular signaling and/or gene transcription (e.g., either directly or indirectly); and/or (x) modulation of cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, apoptosis, absorption, and/or secretion.

[2498] The ability of the test compound to modulate 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt binding to a substrate or to bind to 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt can also be determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt binding to a substrate can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate to 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt can be determined by detecting the labeled 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate in a complex. Alternatively, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt could be coupled with a radioisotope or enzymatic label to monitor the ability of a test compound to modulate 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt binding to a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate in a complex. Determining the ability of the test compound to bind 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate to 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt can be determined by detecting the labeled 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate in a complex. Alternatively, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt could be coupled with a radioisotope or enzymatic label to monitor the ability of a test compound to modulate 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt binding to a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate in a complex. Determining the ability of the test compound to bind 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the compound with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the compound to 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt can be determined by detecting the labeled 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt compound in a complex. For example, compounds (e.g., 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrates) can be labeled with ¹²⁵I, ³⁵S, ¹⁴C, or ³H, either directly or indirectly, and the radioisotope detected by direct counting of radioemission or by scintillation counting. Alternatively, compounds can be enzymatically labeled with, for example, horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, or luciferase, and the enzymatic label detected by determination of conversion of an appropriate substrate to product.

[2499] It is also within the scope of this invention to determine the ability of a compound (e.g., a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate) to interact with 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt without the labeling of any of the interactants. For example, a microphysiometer can be used to detect the interaction of a compound with 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt without the labeling of either the compound or the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt. McConnell, H. M. et al. (1992) Science 257:1906-1912. As used herein, a “microphysiometer” (e.g., Cytosensor) is an analytical instrument that measures the rate at which a cell acidifies its environment using a light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS). Changes in this acidification rate can be used as an indicator of the interaction between a compound and 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt.

[2500] In another embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay comprising contacting a cell expressing a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt target molecule (e.g., a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate) with a test compound and determining the ability of the test compound to modulate (e.g., stimulate or inhibit) the activity of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt target molecule. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt target molecule can be accomplished, for example, by determining the cellular location of the target molecule, or by determining whether the target molecule (e.g., ATP) has been hydrolyzed.

[2501] Determining the ability of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, or a biologically active fragment thereof, to bind to or interact with a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt target molecule can be accomplished by one of the methods described above for determining direct binding. In a preferred embodiment, determining the ability of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide to bind to or interact with a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt target molecule can be accomplished by determining the activity of the target molecule. For example, the activity of the target molecule can be determined by detecting the cellular location of target molecule, detecting catalytic/enzymatic activity of the target molecule upon an appropriate substrate, detecting induction of a metabolite of the target molecule (e.g., detecting the products of ATP hydrolysis, changes in intracellular K⁺levels) detecting the induction of a reporter gene (comprising a target-responsive regulatory element operatively linked to a nucleic acid encoding a detectable marker, e.g., luciferase), or detecting a target-regulated cellular response (i.e., membrane excitability, or cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, or apoptosis, sugar transport).

[2502] In yet another embodiment, an assay of the present invention is a cell-free assay in which a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to bind to the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is determined. Preferred biologically active portions of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides to be used in assays of the present invention include fragments which participate in interactions with non-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt 3 molecules, e.g., fragments with high surface probability scores (see, for example, FIGS. 46, 53, 57, 61, 65, 69, 73, 77, and 81). Binding of the test compound to the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide can be determined either directly or indirectly as described above. In a preferred embodiment, the assay includes contacting the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof with a known compound which binds 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt to form an assay mixture, contacting the assay mixture with a test compound, and determining the ability of the test compound to interact with a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, wherein determining the ability of the test compound to interact with a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide comprises determining the ability of the test compound to preferentially bind to 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt or biologically active portion thereof as compared to the known compound.

[2503] In another embodiment, the assay is a cell-free assay in which a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate (e.g., stimulate or inhibit) the activity of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide can be accomplished, for example, by determining the ability of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide to bind to a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt target molecule by one of the methods described above for determining direct binding. Determining the ability of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide to bind to a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt target molecule can also be accomplished using a technology such as real-time Biomolecular Interaction Analysis (BIA). Sjolander, S. and Urbaniczky, C. (1991) Anal. Chem. 63:2338-2345 and Szabo et al. (1995) Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol. 5:699-705. As used herein, “BIA” is a technology for studying biospecific interactions in real time, without labeling any of the interactants (e.g., BIAcore). Changes in the optical phenomenon of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) can be used as an indication of real-time reactions between biological molecules.

[2504] In an alternative embodiment, determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide can be accomplished by determining the ability of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide to further modulate the activity of a downstream effector of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt target molecule. For example, the activity of the effector molecule on an appropriate target can be determined or the binding of the effector to an appropriate target can be determined as previously described.

[2505] In yet another embodiment, the cell-free assay involves contacting a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof with a known compound which binds the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide to form an assay mixture, contacting the assay mixture with a test compound, and determining the ability of the test compound to interact with the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, wherein determining the ability of the test compound to interact with the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide comprises determining the ability of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide to preferentially bind to or modulate the activity of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt target molecule.

[2506] The cell-free assays of the present invention are amenable to use of both soluble and/or membrane-bound forms of isolated proteins (e.g., 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt proteins or biologically active portions thereof). In the case of cell-free assays in which a membrane-bound form of an isolated protein is used it may be desirable to utilize a solubilizing agent such that the membrane-bound form of the isolated protein is maintained in solution. Examples of such solubilizing agents include non-ionic detergents such as n-octylglucoside, n-dodecylglucoside, n-dodecylmaltoside, octanoyl-N-methylglucamide, decanoyl-N-methylglucamide, Triton® X-100, Triton® X-114, Thesit®, Isotridecypoly(ethylene glycol ether)_(n), 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylamminio]-1-propane sulfonate (CHAPS), 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylamminio]-2-hydroxy-1-propane sulfonate (CHAPSO), or N- dodecyl=N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propane sulfonate.

[2507] In more than one embodiment of the above assay methods of the present invention, it may be desirable to immobilize either 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt or its target molecule to facilitate separation of complexed from uncomplexed forms of one or both of the proteins, as well as to accommodate automation of the assay. Binding of a test compound to a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, or interaction of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide with a target molecule in the presence and absence of a candidate compound, can be accomplished in any vessel suitable for containing the reactants. Examples of such vessels include microtiter plates, test tubes, and micro-centrifuge tubes. In one embodiment, a fusion protein can be provided which adds a domain that allows one or both of the proteins to be bound to a matrix. For example, glutathione-S-transferase/8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt fusion proteins or glutathione-S-transferase/target fusion proteins can be adsorbed onto glutathione sepharose beads (Sigma Chemical, St. Louis, Mo.) or glutathione derivatized micrometer plates, which are then combined with the test compound or the test compound and either the non-adsorbed target protein or 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, and the mixture incubated under conditions conducive to complex formation (e.g., at physiological conditions for salt and pH). Following incubation, the beads or micrometer plate wells are washed to remove any unbound components, the matrix immobilized in the case of beads, complex determined either directly or indirectly, for example, as described above. Alternatively, the complexes can be dissociated from the matrix, and the level of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt binding or activity determined using standard techniques.

[2508] Other techniques for immobilizing proteins on matrices can also be used in the screening assays of the invention. For example, either a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt target molecule can be immobilized utilizing conjugation of biotin and streptavidin. Biotinylated 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, substrate, or target molecules can be prepared from biotin-NHS (N-hydroxy-succinimide) using techniques known in the art (e.g., biotinylation kit, Pierce Chemicals, Rockford, Ill.), and immobilized in the wells of streptavidin-coated 96 well plates (Pierce Chemical). Alternatively, antibodies reactive with 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or target molecules but which do not interfere with binding of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide to its target molecule can be derivatized to the wells of the plate, and unbound target or 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide trapped in the wells by antibody conjugation. Methods for detecting such complexes, in addition to those described above for the GST-immobilized complexes, include immunodetection of complexes using antibodies reactive with the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or target molecule, as well as enzyme-linked assays which rely on detecting an enzymatic activity associated with the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or target molecule.

[2509] In another embodiment, modulators of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression are identified in a method wherein a cell is contacted with a candidate compound and the expression of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA or polypeptide in the cell is determined. The level of expression of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA or polypeptide in the presence of the candidate compound is compared to the level of expression of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA or polypeptide in the absence of the candidate compound. The candidate compound can then be identified as a modulator of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression based on this comparison. For example, when expression of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA or polypeptide is greater (statistically significantly greater) in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as a stimulator of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA or polypeptide expression. Alternatively, when expression of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA or polypeptide is less (statistically significantly less) in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as an inhibitor of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA or polypeptide expression. The level of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA or polypeptide expression in the cells can be determined by methods described herein for detecting 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA or polypeptide.

[2510] In yet another aspect of the invention, the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides can be used as “bait proteins” in a two-hybrid assay or three-hybrid assay (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,317; Zervos et al. (1993) Cell 72:223-232; Madura et al. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268:12046-12054; Bartel et al. (1993) Biotechniques 14:920-924; Iwabuchi et al. (1993) Oncogene 8:1693-1696; and Brent WO94/10300), to identify other proteins, which bind to or interact with 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt (“8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt -binding proteins” or “8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt -bp”) and are involved in 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity. Such 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt -binding proteins are also likely to be involved in the propagation of signals by the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptides or 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt targets as, for example, downstream elements of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt -mediated signaling pathway. Alternatively, such 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt -binding proteins are likely to be 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt inhibitors.

[2511] The two-hybrid system is based on the modular nature of most transcription factors, which consist of separable DNA-binding and activation domains. Briefly, the assay utilizes two different DNA constructs. In one construct, the gene that codes for a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide is fused to a gene encoding the DNA binding domain of a known transcription factor (e.g., GAL-4). In the other construct, a DNA sequence, from a library of DNA sequences, that encodes an unidentified protein (“prey” or “sample”) is fused to a gene that codes for the activation domain of the known transcription factor. If the “bait” and the “prey” proteins are able to interact, in vivo, forming a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt -dependent complex, the DNA-binding and activation domains of the transcription factor are brought into close proximity. This proximity allows transcription of a reporter gene (e.g., LacZ) which is operably linked to a transcriptional regulatory site responsive to the transcription factor. Expression of the reporter gene can be detected and cell colonies containing the functional transcription factor can be isolated and used to obtain the cloned gene which encodes the protein which interacts with the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide.

[2512] In another aspect, the invention pertains to a combination of two or more of the assays described herein. For example, a modulating agent can be identified using a cell-based or a cell free assay, and the ability of the agent to modulate the activity of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide can be confirmed in vivo, e.g., in an animal such as an animal model for cellular transformation and/or tumorigenesis.

[2513] This invention further pertains to novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays. Accordingly, it is within the scope of this invention to further use an agent identified as described herein in an appropriate animal model. For example, an agent identified as described herein (e.g., a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt modulating agent, an antisense 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecule, a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt -specific antibody, or a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt -binding partner) can be used in an animal model to determine the efficacy, toxicity, or side effects of treatment with such an agent. Alternatively, an agent identified as described herein can be used in an animal model to determine the mechanism of action of such an agent. Furthermore, this invention pertains to uses of novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays for treatments as described herein.

[2514] B. Detection Assays

[2515] Portions or fragments of the cDNA sequences identified herein (and the corresponding complete gene sequences) can be used in numerous ways as polynucleotide reagents. For example, these sequences can be used to: (i) map their respective genes on a chromosome; and, thus, locate gene regions associated with genetic disease; (ii) identify an individual from a minute biological sample (tissue typing); and (iii) aid in forensic identification of a biological sample. These applications are described in the subsections below.

[2516] 1. Chromosome Mapping

[2517] Once the sequence (or a portion of the sequence) of a gene has been isolated, this sequence can be used to map the location of the gene on a chromosome. This process is called chromosome mapping. Accordingly, portions or fragments of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleotide sequences, described herein, can be used to map the location of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt genes on a chromosome. The mapping of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequences to chromosomes is an important first step in correlating these sequences with genes associated with disease.

[2518] Briefly, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt genes can be mapped to chromosomes by preparing PCR primers (preferably 15-25 bp in length) from the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleotide sequences. Computer analysis of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequences can be used to predict primers that do not span more than one exon in the genomic DNA, thus complicating the amplification process. These primers can then be used for PCR screening of somatic cell hybrids containing individual human chromosomes. Only those hybrids containing the human gene corresponding to the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequences will yield an amplified fragment.

[2519] Somatic cell hybrids are prepared by fusing somatic cells from different mammals (e.g., human and mouse cells). As hybrids of human and mouse cells grow and divide, they gradually lose human chromosomes in random order, but retain the mouse chromosomes. By using media in which mouse cells cannot grow, because they lack a particular enzyme, but human cells can, the one human chromosome that contains the gene encoding the needed enzyme, will be retained. By using various media, panels of hybrid cell lines can be established. Each cell line in a panel contains either a single human chromosome or a small number of human chromosomes, and a full set of mouse chromosomes, allowing easy mapping of individual genes to specific human chromosomes (D'Eustachio P. et al. (1983) Science 220:919-924). Somatic cell hybrids containing only fragments of human chromosomes can also be produced by using human chromosomes with translocations and deletions.

[2520] PCR mapping of somatic cell hybrids is a rapid procedure for assigning a particular sequence to a particular chromosome. Three or more sequences can be assigned per day using a single thermal cycler. Using the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleotide sequences to design oligonucleotide primers, sublocalization can be achieved with panels of fragments from specific chromosomes. Other mapping strategies which can similarly be used to map a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequence to its chromosome include in situ hybridization (described in Fan, Y. et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 87:6223-27), pre-screening with labeled flow-sorted chromosomes, and pre-selection by hybridization to chromosome specific cDNA libraries.

[2521] Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of a DNA sequence to a metaphase chromosomal spread can further be used to provide a precise chromosomal location in one step. Chromosome spreads can be made using cells whose division has been blocked in metaphase by a chemical such as colcemid that disrupts the mitotic spindle. The chromosomes can be treated briefly with trypsin, and then stained with Giemsa. A pattern of light and dark bands develops on each chromosome, so that the chromosomes can be identified individually. The FISH technique can be used with a DNA sequence as short as 500 or 600 bases. However, clones larger than 1,000 bases have a higher likelihood of binding to a unique chromosomal location with sufficient signal intensity for simple detection. Preferably 1,000 bases, and more preferably 2,000 bases will suffice to get good results at a reasonable amount of time. For a review of this technique, see Verma et al., Human Chromosomes: A Manual of Basic Techniques (Pergamon Press, New York 1988).

[2522] Reagents for chromosome mapping can be used individually to mark a single chromosome or a single site on that chromosome, or panels of reagents can be used for marking multiple sites and/or multiple chromosomes. Reagents corresponding to noncoding regions of the genes actually are preferred for mapping purposes. Coding sequences are more likely to be conserved within gene families, thus increasing the chance of cross hybridizations during chromosomal mapping.

[2523] Once a sequence has been mapped to a precise chromosomal location, the physical position of the sequence on the chromosome can be correlated with genetic map data. (Such data are found, for example, in V. McKusick, Mendelian Inheritance in Man, available on-line through Johns Hopkins University Welch Medical Library). The relationship between a gene and a disease, mapped to the same chromosomal region, can then be identified through linkage analysis (co-inheritance of physically adjacent genes), described in, for example, Egeland, J. et al (1987) Nature, 325:783-787.

[2524] Moreover, differences in the DNA sequences between individuals affected and unaffected with a disease associated with the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene, can be determined. If a mutation is observed in some or all of the affected individuals but not in any unaffected individuals, then the mutation is likely to be the causative agent of the particular disease. Comparison of affected and unaffected individuals generally involves first looking for structural alterations in the chromosomes, such as deletions or translocations that are visible from chromosome spreads or detectable using PCR based on that DNA sequence. Ultimately, complete sequencing of genes from several individuals can be performed to confirm the presence of a mutation and to distinguish mutations from polymorphisms.

[2525] 2. Tissue Typing

[2526] The 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequences of the present invention can also be used to identify individuals from minute biological samples. The United States military, for example, is considering the use of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) for identification of its personnel. In this technique, an individual's genomic DNA is digested with one or more restriction enzymes, and probed on a Southern blot to yield unique bands for identification. This method does not suffer from the current limitations of “Dog Tags” which can be lost, switched, or stolen, making positive identification difficult. The sequences of the present invention are useful as additional DNA markers for RFLP (described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,057).

[2527] Furthermore, the sequences of the present invention can be used to provide an alternative technique which determines the actual base-by-base DNA sequence of selected portions of an individual's genome. Thus, the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleotide sequences described herein can be used to prepare two PCR primers from the 5′ and 3′ ends of the sequences. These primers can then be used to amplify an individual's DNA and subsequently sequence it.

[2528] Panels of corresponding DNA sequences from individuals, prepared in this manner, can provide unique individual identifications, as each individual will have a unique set of such DNA sequences due to allelic differences. The sequences of the present invention can be used to obtain such identification sequences from individuals and from tissue. The 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleotide sequences of the invention uniquely represent portions of the human genome. Allelic variation occurs to some degree in the coding regions of these sequences, and to a greater degree in the noncoding regions. It is estimated that allelic variation between individual humans occurs with a frequency of about once per each 500 bases. Each of the sequences described herein can, to some degree, be used as a standard against which DNA from an individual can be compared for identification purposes. Because greater numbers of polymorphisms occur in the noncoding regions, fewer sequences are necessary to differentiate individuals. The noncoding sequences of SEQ ID NO: 51, 54, 57, 60, 63, 66, 69, 72, or 75 can comfortably provide positive individual identification with a panel of perhaps 10 to 1,000 primers which each yield a noncoding amplified sequence of 100 bases. If predicted coding sequences, such as those in SEQ ID NO: 53, 56, 59, 62, 65, 68, 71, 74, or 77 are used, a more appropriate number of primers for positive individual identification would be 500-2,000.

[2529] If a panel of reagents from 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleotide sequences described herein is used to generate a unique identification database for an individual, those same reagents can later be used to identify tissue from that individual. Using the unique identification database, positive identification of the individual, living or dead, can be made from extremely small tissue samples.

[2530] 3. Use of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt Sequences in Forensic Biology

[2531] DNA-based identification techniques can also be used in forensic biology. Forensic biology is a scientific field employing genetic typing of biological evidence found at a crime scene as a means for positively identifying, for example, a perpetrator of a crime. To make such an identification, PCR technology can be used to amplify DNA sequences taken from very small biological samples such as tissues, e.g., hair or skin, or body fluids, e.g., blood, saliva, or semen found at a crime scene. The amplified sequence can then be compared to a standard, thereby allowing identification of the origin of the biological sample.

[2532] The sequences of the present invention can be used to provide polynucleotide reagents, e.g., PCR primers, targeted to specific loci in the human genome, which can enhance the reliability of DNA-based forensic identifications by, for example, providing another “identification marker” (i.e. another DNA sequence that is unique to a particular individual). As mentioned above, actual base sequence information can be used for identification as an accurate alternative to patterns formed by restriction enzyme generated fragments. Sequences targeted to noncoding regions of SEQ ID NO: 51, 54, 57, 60, 63, 66, 69, 72, or 75 are particularly appropriate for this use as greater numbers of polymorphisms occur in the noncoding regions, making it easier to differentiate individuals using this technique. Examples of polynucleotide reagents include the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleotide sequences or portions thereof, e.g., fragments derived from the noncoding regions of SEQ ID NO: 51, 54, 57, 60, 63, 66, 69, 72, or 75, having a length of at least 20 bases, preferably at least 30 bases.

[2533] The 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleotide sequences described herein can further be used to provide polynucleotide reagents, e.g., labeled or labelable probes which can be used in, for example, an in situ hybridization technique, to identify a specific tissue, e.g., brain tissue. This can be very useful in cases where a forensic pathologist is presented with a tissue of unknown origin. Panels of such 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt probes can be used to identify tissue by species and/or by organ type.

[2534] In a similar fashion, these reagents, e.g., 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt primers or probes can be used to screen tissue culture for contamination (i.e. screen for the presence of a mixture of different types of cells in a culture).

[2535] C. Predictive Medicine:

[2536] The present invention also pertains to the field of predictive medicine in which diagnostic assays, prognostic assays, and monitoring clinical trials are used for prognostic (predictive) purposes to thereby treat an individual prophylactically. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention relates to diagnostic assays for determining 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide and/or nucleic acid expression as well as 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity, in the context of a biological sample (e.g., blood, serum, cells, tissue) to thereby determine whether an individual is afflicted with a disease or disorder, or is at risk of developing a disorder, associated with aberrant or unwanted 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression or activity. The invention also provides for prognostic (or predictive) assays for determining whether an individual is at risk of developing a disorder associated with 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, nucleic acid expression or activity. For example, mutations in a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene can be assayed in a biological sample. Such assays can be used for prognostic or predictive purpose to thereby prophylactically treat an individual prior to the onset of a disorder characterized by or associated with 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, nucleic acid expression or activity.

[2537] Another aspect of the invention pertains to monitoring the influence of agents (e.g., drugs, compounds) on the expression or activity of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt in clinical trials.

[2538] These and other agents are described in further detail in the following sections.

[2539] 1. Diagnostic Assays

[2540] An exemplary method for detecting the presence or absence of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or nucleic acid in a biological sample involves obtaining a biological sample from a test subject and contacting the biological sample with a compound or an agent capable of detecting 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA, or genomic DNA) that encodes 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide such that the presence of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or nucleic acid is detected in the biological sample. In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for detecting the presence of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity in a biological sample by contacting the biological sample with an agent capable of detecting an indicator of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity such that the presence of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity is detected in the biological sample. A preferred agent for detecting 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA or genomic DNA is a labeled nucleic acid probe capable of hybridizing to 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA or genomic DNA. The nucleic acid probe can be, for example, the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid set forth in SEQ ID NO: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, or the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______, or a portion thereof, such as an oligonucleotide of at least 15, 30, 50, 100, 250 or 500 nucleotides in length and sufficient to specifically hybridize under stringent conditions to 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA or genomic DNA. Other suitable probes for use in the diagnostic assays of the invention are described herein.

[2541] A preferred agent for detecting 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide is an antibody capable of binding to 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, preferably an antibody with a detectable label. Antibodies can be polyclonal, or more preferably, monoclonal. An intact antibody, or a fragment thereof (e.g., Fab or F(ab′)2) can be used. The term “labeled”, with regard to the probe or antibody, is intended to encompass direct labeling of the probe or antibody by coupling (i.e., physically linking) a detectable substance to the probe or antibody, as well as indirect labeling of the probe or antibody by reactivity with another reagent that is directly labeled. Examples of indirect labeling include detection of a primary antibody using a fluorescently labeled secondary antibody and end-labeling of a DNA probe with biotin such that it can be detected with fluorescently labeled streptavidin. The term “biological sample” is intended to include tissues, cells and biological fluids isolated from a subject, as well as tissues, cells and fluids present within a subject. That is, the detection method of the invention can be used to detect 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA, polypeptide, or genomic DNA in a biological sample in vitro as well as in vivo. For example, in vitro techniques for detection of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA include Northern hybridizations and in situ hybridizations. In vitro techniques for detection of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide include enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), Western blots, immunoprecipitations and immunofluorescence. In vitro techniques for detection of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt genomic DNA include Southern hybridizations. Furthermore, in vivo techniques for detection of PLTR polypeptide include introducing into a subject a labeled 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antibody. For example, the antibody can be labeled with a radioactive marker whose presence and location in a subject can be detected by standard imaging techniques.

[2542] The present invention also provides diagnostic assays for identifying the presence or absence of a genetic alteration characterized by at least one of (i) aberrant modification or mutation of a gene encoding a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide; (ii) aberrant expression of a gene encoding a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide; (iii) mis-regulation of the gene; and (iv) aberrant post-translational modification of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, wherein a wild-type form of the gene encodes a polypeptide with a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity. “Misexpression or aberrant expression”, as used herein, refers to a non-wild type pattern of gene expression, at the RNA or protein level. It includes, but is not limited to, expression at non-wild type levels (e.g., over or under expression); a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the time or stage at which the gene is expressed (e.g., increased or decreased expression (as compared with wild type) at a predetermined developmental period or stage); a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of decreased expression (as compared with wild type) in a predetermined cell type or tissue type; a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the splicing size, amino acid sequence, post-transitional modification, or biological activity of the expressed polypeptide; a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the effect of an environmental stimulus or extracellular stimulus on expression of the gene (e.g., a pattern of increased or decreased expression (as compared with wild type) in the presence of an increase or decrease in the strength of the stimulus).

[2543] In one embodiment, the biological sample contains protein molecules from the test subject. Alternatively, the biological sample can contain mRNA molecules from the test subject or genomic DNA molecules from the test subject. A preferred biological sample is a serum sample isolated by conventional means from a subject.

[2544] In another embodiment, the methods further involve obtaining a control biological sample from a control subject, contacting the control sample with a compound or agent capable of detecting 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA, such that the presence of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, mRNA or genomic DNA is detected in the biological sample, and comparing the presence of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, mRNA or genomic DNA in the control sample with the presence of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, mRNA or genomic DNA in the test sample.

[2545] The invention also encompasses kits for detecting the presence of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt in a biological sample. For example, the kit can comprise a labeled compound or agent capable of detecting 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or mRNA in a biological sample; means for determining the amount of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt in the sample; and means for comparing the amount of 8099, 46455, 54414,.53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt in the sample with a standard. The compound or agent can be packaged in a suitable container. The kit can further comprise instructions for using the kit to detect 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or nucleic acid.

[2546] 2. Prognostic Assays

[2547] The diagnostic methods described herein can furthermore be utilized to identify subjects having or at risk of developing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression or activity. As used herein, the term “aberrant” includes a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression or activity which deviates from the wild type 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression or activity. Aberrant expression or activity includes increased or decreased expression or activity, as well as expression or activity which does not follow the wild type developmental pattern of expression or the subcellular pattern of expression. For example, aberrant 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression or activity is intended to include the cases in which a mutation in the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene causes the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene to be under-expressed or over-expressed and situations in which such mutations result in a non-functional 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or a polypeptide which does not function in a wild-type fashion, e.g., a protein which does not interact with or transport a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate, or one which interacts with or transports a non-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate. As used herein, the term “unwanted” includes an unwanted phenomenon involved in a biological response such as deregulated cellular proliferation. For example, the term unwanted includes a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression or activity which is undesirable in a subject.

[2548] The assays described herein, such as the preceding diagnostic assays or the following assays, can be utilized to identify a subject having or at risk of developing a disorder associated with a misregulation in 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a as a cell growth, proliferation and/or differentiation disorder. Alternatively, the prognostic assays can be utilized to identify a subject having or at risk for developing a disorder associated with a misregulation in 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a cell growth, proliferation and/or differentiation disorder, a sugar transporter associated disorder, or a potassium channel associated disorder, as described herein. Thus, the present invention provides a method for identifying a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression or activity in which a test sample is obtained from a subject and 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA or genomic DNA) is detected, wherein the presence of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or nucleic acid is diagnostic for a subject having or at risk of developing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression or activity. As used herein, a “test sample” refers to a biological sample obtained from a subject of interest. For example, a test sample can be a biological fluid (e.g., serum), cell sample, or tissue.

[2549] Furthermore, the prognostic assays described herein can be used to determine whether a subject can be administered an agent (e.g., an agonist, antagonist, peptidomimetic, protein, peptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or other drug candidate) to treat a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression or activity. For example, such methods can be used to determine whether a subject can be effectively treated with an agent for a sugar transporter-associated disorder, a potassium channel associated disorder, or phospholipid transporter-associated disorder. Thus, the present invention provides methods for determining whether a subject can be effectively treated with an agent for a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression or activity in which a test sample is obtained and 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or nucleic acid expression or activity is detected (e.g., wherein the abundance of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or nucleic acid expression or activity is diagnostic for a subject that can be administered the agent to treat a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression or activity).

[2550] The methods of the invention can also be used to detect genetic alterations in a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene, thereby determining if a subject with the altered gene is at risk for a disorder characterized by misregulation in 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a cell growth, proliferation and/or differentiation disorder. In preferred embodiments, the methods include detecting, in a sample of cells from the subject, the presence or absence of a genetic alteration characterized by at least one of an alteration affecting the integrity of a gene encoding a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt -polypeptide, or the mis-expression of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene. For example, such genetic alterations can be detected by ascertaining the existence of at least one of 1) a deletion of one or more nucleotides from a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene; 2) an addition of one or more nucleotides to a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene; 3) a substitution of one or more nucleotides of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene, 4) a chromosomal rearrangement of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene; 5) an alteration in the level of a messenger RNA transcript of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene, 6) aberrant modification of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene, such as of the methylation pattern of the genomic DNA, 7) the presence of a non-wild type splicing pattern of a messenger RNA transcript of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene, 8) a non-wild type level of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt -polypeptide, 9) allelic loss of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene, and 10) inappropriate post-translational modification of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt -polypeptide. As described herein, there are a large number of assays known in the art which can be used for detecting alterations in a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene. A preferred biological sample is a tissue or serum sample isolated by conventional means from a subject.

[2551] In certain embodiments, detection of the alteration involves the use of a probe/primer in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195 and 4,683,202), such as anchor PCR or RACE PCR, or, alternatively, in a ligation chain reaction (LCR) (see, e.g., Landegran et aL (1988) Science 241:1077-1080; and Nakazawa et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:360-364), the latter of which can be particularly useful for detecting point mutations in the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene (see Abravaya et al. (1995) Nucleic Acids Res. 23:675-682). This method can include the steps of collecting a sample of cells from a subject, isolating nucleic acid (e.g., genomic, mRNA or both) from the cells of the sample, contacting the nucleic acid sample with one or more primers which specifically hybridize to a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene under conditions such that hybridization and amplification of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene (if present) occurs, and detecting the presence or absence of an amplification product, or detecting the size of the amplification product and comparing the length to a control sample. It is anticipated that PCR and/or LCR may be desirable to use as a preliminary amplification step in conjunction with any of the techniques used for detecting mutations described herein.

[2552] Alternative amplification methods include: self sustained sequence replication (Guatelli, J. C. et al., (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:1874-1878), transcriptional amplification system (Kwoh, D. Y. et al., (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:1173-1177), Q-Beta Replicase (Lizardi, P. M. et al. (1988) Bio-Technology 6:1197), or any other nucleic acid amplification method, followed by the detection of the amplified molecules using techniques well known to those of skill in the art. These detection schemes are especially useful for the detection of nucleic acid molecules if such molecules are present in very low numbers.

[2553] In an alternative embodiment, mutations in a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene from a sample cell can be identified by alterations in restriction enzyme cleavage patterns. For example, sample and control DNA is isolated, amplified (optionally), digested with one or more restriction endonucleases, and fragment length sizes are determined by gel electrophoresis and compared. Differences in fragment length sizes between sample and control DNA indicates mutations in the sample DNA. Moreover, the use of sequence specific ribozymes (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,531) can be used to score for the presence of specific mutations by development or loss of a ribozyme cleavage site.

[2554] In other embodiments, genetic mutations in 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt can be identified by hybridizing a sample and control nucleic acids, e.g., DNA or RNA, to high density arrays containing hundreds or thousands of oligonucleotides probes (Cronin, M. T. et al. (1996) Human Mutation 7: 244-255; Kozal, M. J. et al. (1996) Nature Medicine 2: 753-759). For example, genetic mutations in 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt can be identified in two dimensional arrays containing light-generated DNA probes as described in Cronin, M. T. et al. supra. Briefly, a first hybridization array of probes can be used to scan through long stretches of DNA in a sample and control to identify base changes between the sequences by making linear arrays of sequential overlapping probes. This step allows the identification of point mutations. This step is followed by a second hybridization array that allows the characterization of specific mutations by using smaller, specialized probe arrays complementary to all variants or mutations detected. Each mutation array is composed of parallel probe sets, one complementary to the wild-type gene and the other complementary to the mutant gene.

[2555] In yet another embodiment, any of a variety of sequencing reactions known in the art can be used to directly sequence the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene and detect mutations by comparing the sequence of the sample 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt with the corresponding wild-type (control) sequence. Examples of sequencing reactions include those based on techniques developed by Maxam and Gilbert ((1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:560) or Sanger ((1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:5463). It is also contemplated that any of a variety of automated sequencing procedures can be utilized when performing the diagnostic assays ((1995) Biotechniques 19:448), including sequencing by mass spectrometry (see, e.g., PCT International Publication No. WO 94/16101; Cohen et al. (1996) Adv. Chromatogr. 36:127-162; and Griffin et al. (1993) Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 38:147-159).

[2556] Other methods for detecting mutations in the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene include methods in which protection from cleavage agents is used to detect mismatched bases in RNA/RNA or RNA/DNA heteroduplexes (Myers et aL (1985) Science 230:1242). In general, the art technique of “mismatch cleavage” starts by providing heteroduplexes of formed by hybridizing (labeled) RNA or DNA containing the wild-type 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequence with potentially mutant RNA or DNA obtained from a tissue sample. The double-stranded duplexes are treated with an agent which cleaves single-stranded regions of the duplex such as which will exist due to basepair mismatches between the control and sample strands. For instance, RNA/DNA duplexes can be treated with RNase and DNA/DNA hybrids treated with S1 nuclease to enzymatically digesting the mismatched regions. In other embodiments, either DNA/DNA or RNA/DNA duplexes can be treated with hydroxylamine or osmium tetroxide and with piperidine in order to digest mismatched regions. After digestion of the mismatched regions, the resulting material is then separated by size on denaturing polyacrylamide gels to determine the site of mutation. See, for example, Cotton et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:4397; Saleeba et al. (1992) Methods Enzymol. 217:286-295. In a preferred embodiment, the control DNA or RNA can be labeled for detection.

[2557] In still another embodiment, the mismatch cleavage reaction employs one or more proteins that recognize mismatched base pairs in double-stranded DNA (so called “DNA mismatch repair” enzymes) in defined systems for detecting and mapping point mutations in 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt cDNAs obtained from samples of cells. For example, the mutY enzyme of E. coli cleaves A at G/A mismatches and the thymidine DNA glycosylase from HeLa cells cleaves T at G/T mismatches (Hsu et al. (1994) Carcinogenesis 15:1657-1662). According to an exemplary embodiment, a probe based on a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequence, e.g., a wild-type 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequence, is hybridized to a cDNA or other DNA product from a test cell(s). The duplex is treated with a DNA mismatch repair enzyme, and the cleavage products, if any, can be detected from electrophoresis protocols or the like. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,039.

[2558] In other embodiments, alterations in electrophoretic mobility will be used to identify mutations in 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt genes. For example, single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) may be used to detect differences in electrophoretic mobility between mutant and wild type nucleic acids (Orita et al. (1989) Proc Natl. Acad. Sci USA: 86:2766, see also Cotton (1993) Mutat. Res. 285:125-144; and Hayashi (1992) Genet. Anal. Tech. Appl. 9:73-79). Single-stranded DNA fragments of sample and control 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acids will be denatured and allowed to renature. The secondary structure of single-stranded nucleic acids varies according to sequence, the resulting alteration in electrophoretic mobility enables the detection of even a single base change. The DNA fragments may be labeled or detected with labeled probes. The sensitivity of the assay may be enhanced by using RNA (rather than DNA), in which the secondary structure is more sensitive to a change in sequence. In a preferred embodiment, the subject method utilizes heteroduplex analysis to separate double stranded heteroduplex molecules on the basis of changes in electrophoretic mobility (Keen et aL (1991) Trends Genet 7:5).

[2559] In yet another embodiment the movement of mutant or wild-type fragments in polyacrylamide gels containing a gradient of denaturant is assayed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) (Myers et al. (1985) Nature 313:495). When DGGE is used as the method of analysis, DNA will be modified to insure that it does not completely denature, for example by adding a GC clamp of approximately 40 bp of high-melting GC-rich DNA by PCR. In a further embodiment, a temperature gradient is used in-place of a denaturing gradient to identify differences in the mobility of control and sample DNA (Rosenbaum and Reissner (1987) Biophys Chem 265:12753).

[2560] Examples of other techniques for detecting point mutations include, but are not limited to, selective oligonucleotide hybridization, selective amplification, or selective primer extension. For example, oligonucleotide primers may be prepared in which the known mutation is placed centrally and then hybridized to target DNA under conditions which permit hybridization only if a perfect match is found (Saiki et al. (1986) Nature 324:163); Saiki et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6230). Such allele specific oligonucleotides are hybridized to PCR amplified target DNA or a number of different mutations when the oligonucleotides are attached to the hybridizing membrane and hybridized with labeled target DNA.

[2561] Alternatively, allele specific amplification technology which depends on selective PCR amplification may be used in conjunction with the instant invention. Oligonucleotides used as primers for specific amplification may carry the mutation of interest in the center of the molecule (so that amplification depends on differential hybridization) (Gibbs et al. (1989) Nucleic Acids Res. 17:2437-2448) or at the extreme 3′ end of one primer where, under appropriate conditions, mismatch can prevent, or reduce polymerase extension (Prossner (1993) Tibtech 11:238). In addition it may be desirable to introduce a novel restriction site in the region of the mutation to create cleavage-based detection (Gasparini et al. (1992) Mol. Cell Probes 6:1). It is anticipated that in certain embodiments amplification may also be performed using Taq ligase for amplification (Barany (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 88:189). In such cases, ligation will occur only if there is a perfect match at the 3′ end of the 5′ sequence making it possible to detect the presence of a known mutation at a specific site by looking for the presence or absence of amplification.

[2562] The methods described herein may be performed, for example, by utilizing pre-packaged diagnostic kits comprising at least one probe nucleic acid or antibody reagent described herein, which may be conveniently used, e.g., in clinical settings to diagnose patients exhibiting symptoms or family history of a disease or illness involving a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene.

[2563] Furthermore, any cell type or tissue in which 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt is expressed may be utilized in the prognostic assays described herein.

[2564] 3. Monitoring of Effects During Clinical Trials

[2565] Monitoring the influence of agents (e.g., drugs) on the expression or activity of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide (e.g., the modulation of gene expression, cellular signaling, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity, phospholipid transporter activity, and/or cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, absorption, and/or secretion mechanisms) can be applied not only in basic drug screening, but also in clinical trials. For example, the effectiveness of an agent determined by a screening assay as described herein to increase 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene expression, polypeptide levels, or upregulate 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity, can be monitored in clinical trials of subjects exhibiting decreased 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene expression, polypeptide levels, or downregulated 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity. Alternatively, the effectiveness of an agent determined by a screening assay to decrease 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene expression, polypeptide levels, or downregulate 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity, can be monitored in clinical trials of subjects exhibiting increased 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene expression, polypeptide levels, or upregulated 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity. In such clinical trials, the expression or activity of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene, and preferably, other genes that have been implicated in, for example, a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disorder can be used as a “read out” or markers of the phenotype of a particular cell.

[2566] For example, and not by way of limitation, genes, including 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt , that are modulated in cells by treatment with an agent (e.g., compound, drug or small molecule) which modulates 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity (e.g., identified in a screening assay as described herein) can be identified.

[2567] Thus, to study the effect of agents on phospholipid transporter-associated disorders (e.g., disorders characterized by deregulated gene expression, cellular signaling, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity, phospholipid transporter activity, and/or cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, absorption, and/or secretion mechanisms), for example, in a clinical trial, cells can be isolated and RNA prepared and analyzed for the levels of expression of 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt and other genes implicated in the transporter-associated disorder, respectively. The levels of gene expression (e.g., a gene expression pattern) can be quantified by northern blot analysis or RT-PCR, as described herein, or alternatively by measuring the amount of polypeptide produced, by one of the methods as described herein, or by measuring the levels of activity of 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt or other genes. In this way, the gene expression pattern can serve as a marker, indicative of the physiological response of the cells to the agent. Accordingly, this response state may be determined before, and at various points during treatment of the individual with the agent.

[2568] In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method for monitoring the effectiveness of treatment of a subject with an agent (e.g., an agonist, antagonist, peptidomimetic, protein, peptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or other drug candidate identified by the screening assays described herein) including the steps of (i) obtaining a pre-administration sample from a subject prior to administration of the agent; (ii) detecting the level of expression of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the preadministration sample; (iii) obtaining one or more post-administration samples from the subject; (iv) detecting the level of expression or activity of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the post-administration samples; (v) comparing the level of expression or activity of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the pre-administration sample with the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the post administration sample or samples; and (vi) altering the administration of the agent to the subject accordingly. For example, increased administration of the agent may be desirable to increase the expression or activity of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt to higher levels than detected, i.e., to increase the effectiveness of the agent. Alternatively, decreased administration of the agent may be desirable to decrease expression or activity of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt to lower levels than detected, i.e. to decrease the effectiveness of the agent. According to such an embodiment, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression or activity may be used as an indicator of the effectiveness of an agent, even in the absence of an observable phenotypic response.

[2569] D. Methods of Treatment:

[2570] The present invention provides for both prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treating a subject at risk of (or susceptible to) a disorder or having a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression or activity, e.g. a phospholipid transporter-associated disorder. “Treatment”, as used herein, is defined as the application or administration of a therapeutic agent to a patient, or application or administration of a therapeutic agent to an isolated tissue or cell line from a patient, who has a disease or disorder, a symptom of disease or disorder or a predisposition toward a disease or disorder, with the purpose to cure, heal, alleviate, relieve, alter, remedy, ameliorate, improve or affect the disease or disorder, the symptoms of disease or disorder or the predisposition toward a disease or disorder. A therapeutic agent includes, but is not limited to, small molecules, peptides, antibodies, ribozymes and antisense oligonucleotides.

[2571] With regards to both prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treatment, such treatments may be specifically tailored or modified, based on knowledge obtained from the field of pharmacogenomics. “Pharmacogenomics”, as used herein, refers to the application of genomics technologies such as gene sequencing, statistical genetics, and gene expression analysis to drugs in clinical development and on the market. More specifically, the term refers the study of how a patient's genes determine his or her response to a drug (e.g., a patient's “drug response phenotype”, or “drug response genotype”). Thus, another aspect of the invention provides methods for tailoring an individual's prophylactic or therapeutic treatment with either the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt molecules of the present invention or 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt modulators according to that individual's drug response genotype. Pharmacogenomics allows a clinician or physician to target prophylactic or therapeutic treatments to patients who will most benefit from the treatment and to avoid treatment of patients who will experience toxic drug-related side effects.

[2572] 1. Prophylactic Methods

[2573] In one aspect, the invention provides a method for preventing in a subject, a disease or condition associated with an aberrant or unwanted 8099, 46455; 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression or activity, by administering to the subject a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt or an agent which modulates 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression or at least one 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity. Subjects at risk for a disease which is caused or contributed to by aberrant or unwanted 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression or activity can be identified by, for example, any or a combination of diagnostic or prognostic assays as described herein. Administration of a prophylactic agent can occur prior to the manifestation of symptoms characteristic of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt aberrancy, such that a disease or disorder is prevented or, alternatively, delayed in its progression. Depending on the type of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt aberrancy, for example, a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt agonist or 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antagonist agent can be used for treating the subject. The appropriate agent can be determined based on screening assays described herein.

[2574] 2. Therapeutic Methods

[2575] Another aspect of the invention pertains to methods of modulating 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression or activity for therapeutic purposes. Accordingly, in an exemplary embodiment, the modulatory method of the invention involves contacting a cell capable of expressing 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt with an agent that modulates one or more of the activities of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide activity associated with the cell, such that 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity in the cell is modulated. An agent that modulates 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide activity can be an agent as described herein, such as a nucleic acid or a polypeptide, a naturally-occurring target molecule of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide (e.g., a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt substrate), a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antibody, a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt agonist or antagonist, a peptidomimetic of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt agonist or antagonist, or other small molecule. In one embodiment, the agent stimulates one or more 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activities. Examples of such stimulatory agents include active 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide and a nucleic acid molecule encoding 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt that has been introduced into the cell. In another embodiment, the agent inhibits one or more 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activities. Examples of such inhibitory agents include antisense 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt nucleic acid molecules, anti-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt 3 antibodies, and 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt inhibitors. These modulatory methods can be performed in vitro (e.g., by culturing the cell with the agent) or, alternatively, in vivo (e.g., by administering the agent to a subject). As such, the present invention provides methods of treating an individual afflicted with a disease or disorder characterized by aberrant or unwanted expression or activity of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule. In one embodiment, the method involves administering an agent (e.g., an agent identified by a screening assay described herein), or combination of agents that modulates (e.g., upregulates or downregulates) 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression or activity. In another embodiment, the method involves administering a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule as therapy to compensate for reduced, aberrant, or unwanted 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression or activity.

[2576] Stimulation of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity is desirable in situations in which 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt is abnormally downregulated and/or in which increased 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity is likely to have a beneficial effect. Likewise, inhibition of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity is desirable in situations in which 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt is abnormally upregulated and/or in which decreased 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity is likely to have a beneficial effect.

[2577] 3. Pharmacogenomics

[2578] The 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt molecules of the present invention, as well as agents, or modulators which have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity (e.g., 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene expression) as identified by a screening assay described herein can be administered to individuals to treat (prophylactically or therapeutically), for example, disorders characterized by aberrant 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene expression, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity, membrane excitability or conductance, gene transcription, phospholipid transporter activity, cellular signaling, and/or cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, absorption, and/or secretion disorders associated with aberrant or unwanted 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt activity. In conjunction with such treatment, pharmacogenomics (i.e., the study of the relationship between an individual's genotype and that individual's response to a foreign compound or drug) may be considered. Differences in metabolism of therapeutics can lead to severe toxicity or therapeutic failure by altering the relation between dose and blood concentration of the pharmacologically active drug. Thus, a physician or clinician may consider applying knowledge obtained in relevant pharmacogenomics studies in determining whether to administer a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt molecule or 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt modulator as well as tailoring the dosage and/or therapeutic regimen of treatment with a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt molecule or 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt modulator.

[2579] Pharmacogenomics deals with clinically significant hereditary variations in the response to drugs due to altered drug disposition and abnormal action in affected persons. See, for example, Eichelbaum, M. et al. (1996) Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol. 23(10-11): 983-985 and Linder, M. W. et al. (1997) Clin. Chem. 43(2):254-266. In general, two types of pharmacogenetic conditions can be differentiated. Genetic conditions transmitted as a single factor altering the way drugs act on the body (altered drug action) or genetic conditions transmitted as single factors altering the way the body acts on drugs (altered drug metabolism). These pharmacogenetic conditions can occur either as rare genetic defects or as naturally-occurring polymorphisms. For example, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD) is a common inherited enzymopathy in which the main clinical complication is haemolysis after ingestion of oxidant drugs (anti-malarials, sulfonamides, analgesics, nitrofurans) and consumption of fava beans.

[2580] One pharmacogenomics approach to identifying genes that predict drug response, known as “a genome-wide association”, relies primarily on a high-resolution map of the human genome consisting of already known gene-related markers (e.g., a “bi-allelic” gene marker map which consists of 60,000-100,000 polymorphic or variable sites on the human genome, each of which has two variants.) Such a high-resolution genetic map can be compared to a map of the genome of each of a statistically significant number of patients taking part in a Phase II/III drug trial to identify markers associated with a particular observed drug response or side effect. Alternatively, such a high resolution map can be generated from a combination of some ten-million known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human genome. As used herein, a “SNP” is a common alteration that occurs in a single nucleotide base in a stretch of DNA. For example, a SNP may occur once per every 1000 bases of DNA. A SNP may be involved in a disease process, however, the vast majority may not be disease-associated. Given a genetic map based on the occurrence of such SNPs, individuals can be grouped into genetic categories depending on a particular pattern of SNPs in their individual genome. In such a manner, treatment regimens can be tailored to groups of genetically similar individuals, taking into account traits that may be common among such genetically similar individuals.

[2581] Alternatively, a method termed the “candidate gene approach”, can be utilized to identify genes that predict drug response. According to this method, if a gene that encodes a drugs target is known (e.g., a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide of the present invention), all common variants of that gene can be fairly easily identified in the population and it can be determined if having one version of the gene versus another is associated with a particular drug response.

[2582] As an illustrative embodiment, the activity of drug metabolizing enzymes is a major determinant of both the intensity and duration of drug action. The discovery of genetic polymorphisms of drug metabolizing enzymes (e.g., N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT 2) and cytochrome P450 enzymes CYP2D6 and CYP2C19) has provided an explanation as to why some patients do not obtain the expected drug effects or show exaggerated drug response and serious toxicity after taking the standard and safe dose of a drug. These polymorphisms are expressed in two phenotypes in the population, the extensive metabolizer (EM) and poor metabolizer (PM). The prevalence of PM is different among different populations. For example, the gene coding for CYP2D6 is highly polymorphic and several mutations have been identified in PM, which all lead to the absence of functional CYP2D6. Poor metabolizers of CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 quite frequently experience exaggerated drug response and side effects when they receive standard doses. If a metabolite is the active therapeutic moiety, PM show no therapeutic response, as demonstrated for the analgesic effect of codeine mediated by its CYP2D6-formed metabolite morphine. The other extreme are the so called ultra-rapid metabolizers who do not respond to standard doses. Recently, the molecular basis of ultra-rapid metabolism has been identified to be due to CYP2D6 gene amplification.

[2583] Alternatively, a method termed the “gene expression profiling”, can be utilized to identify genes that predict drug response. For example, the gene expression of an animal dosed with a drug (e.g., a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt molecule or 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt modulator of the present invention) can give an indication whether gene pathways related to toxicity have been turned on.

[2584] Information generated from more than one of the above pharmacogenomics approaches can be used to determine appropriate dosage and treatment regimens for prophylactic or therapeutic treatment an individual. This knowledge, when applied to dosing or drug selection, can avoid adverse reactions or therapeutic failure and thus enhance therapeutic or prophylactic efficiency when treating a subject with a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt molecule or 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt modulator, such as a modulator identified by one of the exemplary screening assays described herein.

[2585] 4. Use of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt Molecules as Surrogate Markers

[2586] The 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt molecules of the invention are also useful as markers of disorders or disease states, as markers for precursors of disease states, as markers for predisposition of disease states, as markers of drug activity, or as markers of the pharmacogenomic profile of a subject. Using the methods described herein, the presence, absence and/or quantity of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt molecules of the invention may be detected, and may be correlated with one or more biological states in vivo. For example, the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt molecules of the invention may serve as surrogate markers for one or more disorders or disease states or for conditions leading up to disease states. As used herein, a “surrogate marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates with the absence or presence of a disease or disorder, or with the progression of a disease or disorder (e.g., with the presence or absence of a tumor). The presence or quantity of such markers is independent of the disease. Therefore, these markers may serve to indicate whether a particular course of treatment is effective in lessening a disease state or disorder. Surrogate markers are of particular use when the presence or extent of a disease state or disorder is difficult to assess through standard methodologies (e.g., early stage tumors), or when an assessment of disease progression is desired before a potentially dangerous clinical endpoint is reached (e.g., an assessment of cardiovascular disease may be made using cholesterol levels as a surrogate marker, and an analysis of HIV infection may be made using HIV RNA levels as a surrogate marker, well in advance of the undesirable clinical outcomes of myocardial infarction or fully-developed AIDS). Examples of the use of surrogate markers in the art include: Koomen et al. (2000) J. Mass. Spectrom. 35: 258-264; and James (1994) AIDS Treatment News Archive 209.

[2587] The 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt molecules of the invention are also useful as pharmacodynamic markers. As used herein, a “pharmacodynamic marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates specifically with drug effects. The presence or quantity of a pharmacodynamic marker is not related to the disease state or disorder for which the drug is being administered; therefore, the presence or quantity of the marker is indicative of the presence or activity of the drug in a subject. For example, a pharmacodynamic marker may be indicative of the concentration of the drug in a biological tissue, in that the marker is either expressed or transcribed or not expressed or transcribed in that tissue in relationship to the level of the drug. In this fashion, the distribution or uptake of the drug may be monitored by the pharmacodynamic marker. Similarly, the presence or quantity of the pharmacodynamic marker may be related to the presence or quantity of the metabolic product of a drug, such that the presence or quantity of the marker is indicative of the relative breakdown rate of the drug in vivo. Pharmacodynamic markers are of particular use in increasing the sensitivity of detection of drug effects, particularly when the drug is administered in low doses. Since even a small amount of a drug may be sufficient to activate multiple rounds of marker (e.g., a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt marker) transcription or expression, the amplified marker may be in a quantity which is more readily detectable than the drug itself. Also, the marker may be more easily detected due to the nature of the marker itself; for example, using the methods described herein, anti-8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt antibodies may be employed in an immune-based detection system for a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide marker, or 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt -specific radiolabeled probes may be used to detect a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA marker. Furthermore, the use of a pharmacodynamic marker may offer mechanism-based prediction of risk due to drug treatment beyond the range of possible direct observations. Examples of the use of pharmacodynamic markers in the art include: Matsuda et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,862; Hattis et al. (1991) Env. Health Perspect. 90: 229-238; Schentag (1999) Am. J. Health-Syst. Pharm. 56 Suppl. 3: S21-S24; and Nicolau (1999) Am, J. Health-Syst. Pharm. 56 Suppl. 3: S16-S20.

[2588] The 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt molecules of the invention are also useful as pharmacogenomic markers. As used herein, a “pharmacogenomic marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates with a specific clinical drug response or susceptibility in a subject (see, e.g., McLeod et al. (1999) Eur. J. Cancer 35(12): 1650-1652). The presence or quantity of the pharmacogenomic marker is related to the predicted response of the subject to a specific drug or class of drugs prior to administration of the drug. By assessing the presence or quantity of one or more pharmacogenomic markers in a subject, a drug therapy which is most appropriate for the subject, or which is predicted to have a greater degree of success, may be selected. For example, based on the presence or quantity of RNA, or polypeptide (e.g., 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide or RNA) for specific tumor markers in a subject, a drug or course of treatment may be selected that is optimized for the treatment of the specific tumor likely to be present in the subject. Similarly, the presence or absence of a specific sequence mutation in 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt DNA may correlate 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt drug response. The use of pharmacogenomic markers therefore permits the application of the most appropriate treatment for each subject without having to administer the therapy.

[2589] VI. Electronic Apparatus Readable Media and Arrays

[2590] Electronic apparatus readable media comprising 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequence information is also provided. As used herein, “8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequence information” refers to any nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence information particular to the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt molecules of the present invention, including but not limited to full-length nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, partial nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, polymorphic sequences including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), epitope sequences, and the like. Moreover, information “related to” said 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequence information includes detection of the presence or absence of a sequence (e.g., detection of expression of a sequence, fragment, polymorphism, etc.), determination of the level of a sequence (e.g., detection of a level of expression, for example, a quantitative detection), detection of a reactivity to a sequence (e.g., detection of protein expression and/or levels, for example, using a sequence-specific antibody), and the like. As used herein, “electronic apparatus readable media” refers to any suitable medium for storing, holding or containing data or information that can be read and accessed directly by an electronic apparatus. Such media can include, but are not limited to: magnetic storage media, such as floppy discs, hard disc storage medium, and magnetic tape; optical storage media such as compact disc; electronic storage media such as RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM and the like; general hard disks and hybrids of these categories such as magnetic/optical storage media. The medium is adapted or configured for having recorded thereon 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequence information of the present invention.

[2591] As used herein, the term “electronic apparatus” is intended to include any suitable computing or processing apparatus or other device configured or adapted for storing data or information. Examples of electronic apparatus suitable for use with the present invention include stand-alone computing apparatus; networks, including a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) Internet, Intranet, and Extranet; electronic appliances such as a personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular phone, pager and the like; and local and distributed processing systems.

[2592] As used herein, “recorded” refers to a process for storing or encoding information on the electronic apparatus readable medium. Those skilled in the art can readily adopt any of the presently known methods for recording information on known media to generate manufactures comprising the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequence information.

[2593] A variety of software programs and formats can be used to store the sequence information on the electronic apparatus readable medium. For example, the sequence information can be represented in a word processing text file, formatted in commercially-available software such as WordPerfect and Microsoft Word, or represented in the form of an ASCII file, stored in a database application, such as DB2, Sybase, Oracle, or the like, as well as in other forms. Any number of dataprocessor structuring formats (e.g., text file or database) may be employed in order to obtain or create a medium having recorded thereon the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequence information.

[2594] By providing 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequence information in readable form, one can routinely access the sequence information for a variety of purposes. For example, one skilled in the art can use the sequence information in readable form to compare a target sequence or target structural motif with the sequence information stored within the data storage means. Search means are used to identify fragments or regions of the sequences of the invention which match a particular target sequence or target motif.

[2595] The present invention therefore provides a medium for holding instructions for performing a method for determining whether a subject has a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disease or disorder, wherein the method comprises the steps of determining 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequence information associated with the subject and based on the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequence information, determining whether the subject has a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disease or disorder and/or recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[2596] The present invention further provides in an electronic system and/or in a network, a method for determining whether a subject has a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a disease associated with a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt wherein the method comprises the steps of determining 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequence information associated with the subject, and based on the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequence information, determining whether the subject has a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disease or disorder, and/or recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition. The method may further comprise the step of receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject and/or acquiring from a network phenotypic information associated with the subject.

[2597] The present invention also provides in a network, a method for determining whether a subject has a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disease or disorder associated with 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt, said method comprising the steps of receiving 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequence information from the subject and/or information related thereto, receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject, acquiring information from the network corresponding to 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt and/or a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disease or disorder, and based on one or more of the phenotypic information, the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt information (e.g., sequence information and/or information related thereto), and the acquired information, determining whether the subject has a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disease or disorder. The method may further comprise the step of recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[2598] The present invention also provides a business method for determining whether a subject has a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disease or disorder, said method comprising the steps of receiving information related to 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt (e.g., sequence information and/or information related thereto), receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject, acquiring information from the network related to 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt and/or related to a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disease or disorder, and based on one or more of the phenotypic information, the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt information, and the acquired information, determining whether the subject has a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disease or disorder. The method may further comprise the step of recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[2599] The invention also includes an array comprising a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt sequence of the present invention. The array can be used to assay expression of one or more genes in the array. In one embodiment, the array can be used to assay gene expression in a tissue to ascertain tissue specificity of genes in the array. In this manner, up to about 7600 genes can be simultaneously assayed for expression, one of which can be 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt . This allows a profile to be developed showing a battery of genes specifically expressed in one or more tissues.

[2600] In addition to such qualitative determination, the invention allows the quantitation of gene expression. Thus, not only tissue specificity, but also the level of expression of a battery of genes in the tissue is ascertainable. Thus, genes can be grouped on the basis of their tissue expression per se and level of expression in that tissue. This is useful, for example, in ascertaining the relationship of gene expression between or among tissues. Thus, one tissue can be perturbed and the effect on gene expression in a second tissue can be determined. In this context, the effect of one cell type on another cell type in response to a biological stimulus can be determined. Such a determination is useful, for example, to know the effect of cell-cell interaction at the level of gene expression. If an agent is administered therapeutically to treat one cell type but has an undesirable effect on another cell type, the invention provides an assay to determine the molecular basis of the undesirable effect and thus provides the opportunity to co-administer a counteracting agent or otherwise treat the undesired effect. Similarly, even within a single cell type, undesirable biological effects can be determined at the molecular level. Thus, the effects of an agent on expression of other than the target gene can be ascertained and counteracted.

[2601] In another embodiment, the array can be used to monitor the time course of expression of one or more genes in the array. This can occur in various biological contexts, as disclosed herein, for example development of a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disease or disorder, progression of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disease or disorder, and processes, such a cellular transformation associated with the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-associated disease or disorder.

[2602] The array is also useful for ascertaining the effect of the expression of a gene on the expression of other genes in the same cell or in different cells (e.g., ascertaining the effect of 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt expression on the expression of other genes). This provides, for example, for a selection of alternate molecular targets for therapeutic intervention if the ultimate or downstream target cannot be regulated.

[2603] The array is also useful for ascertaining differential expression patterns of one or more genes in normal and abnormal cells. This provides a battery of genes (e.g., including 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt ) that could serve as a molecular target for diagnosis or therapeutic intervention.

[2604] This invention is further illustrated by the following examples which should not be construed as limiting. The contents of all references, patents and published patent applications cited throughout this application, as well as the Figures and the Sequence Listing, are incorporated herein by reference.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Identification and Characterization of Human 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, AND 67084alt cDNAs

[2605] In this example, the identification and characterization of the gene encoding human 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, full length 67084 (67084FL), and 67084alt is described.

[2606] Isolation of the Human 8099 and 46455 cDNAs

[2607] The invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of a human gene encoding a novel polypeptide, referred to herein as human 8099. The entire sequence of the human clone 8099 was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “8099.” The nucleotide sequence of the human 8099 gene is set forth in FIGS. 45A-D and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 5 1. The amino acid sequence of the human 8099 expression product is set forth in FIG. 45A-D and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 52. The 8099 polypeptide comprises 617 amino acids. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 51 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 53. Clone 8099, comprising the coding region of human 8099, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______, and assigned Accession No. ______.

[2608] The invention is further based, at least in part, on the discovery of a human gene encoding a novel polypeptide, referred to herein as human 46455. The entire sequence of the human clone 46455 was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “46455.” The nucleotide sequence of the human 46455 gene is set forth in FIG. 52A-D and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 54. The amino acid sequence of the human 46455 expression product is set forth in FIGS. 52A-D and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 55. The 46455 polypeptide comprises 528 amino acids. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 54 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 56. Clone 46455, comprising the coding region of human 46455, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______, and assigned Accession No. ______.

[2609] Analysis of the Human 8099 and 46455 Molecules

[2610] A search using the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 52 was performed against the HMM database in PFAM (FIGS. 47A-G) resulting in the identification of a sugar transporter family domain in the amino acid sequence of human 8099 at about residues 43-564 of SEQ ID NO: 52 (score=318.2), a potential FecCD family domain in the amino acid sequence of human 8099 at about residues 26-227 of SEQ ID NO: 52 (score =−218.2), and a potential monocarboxylate transporter domain in the amino acid sequence of human 8099 at about residues 29-567 of SEQ ID NO: 52 (score=−235.8).

[2611] The amino acid sequence of human 8099 was analyzed using the program PSORT (available through the Prosite website) to predict the localization of the proteins within the cell. This program assesses the presence of different targeting and localization amino acid sequences within the query sequence. The results of this analysis show that human 8099 may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum or mitochondria.

[2612] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human 8099 were further performed against the Prosite database. These searches resulted in the identification in the amino acid sequence of human 8099 of a number of potential N-glycosylation sites at about amino acid residues 371-374, 383-386, 396-399, 401-404 of SEQ ID NO: 52, a number of potential protein kinase C phosphorylation sites at about amino acid residues 220-222, 256-258, 403-405 of SEQ ID NO: 52, a number of potential casein kinase II phosphorylation sites at about amino acid residues 18-21, 75-78, 169-172, 246-249, 256-259, 264-267, 385-388, 403-406, 443-446, 520-523 of SEQ ID NO: 52, a number of potential N-myristoylation sites at about amino acid residues 51-56, 59-64, 89-94, 141-146, 165-170, 178-183, 207-212, 228-233, 395-400, 441-446, and 493-498 of SEQ ID NO: 52, a potential amidation site at about amino acid residues104-107 of SEQ ID NO: 52, a potential leucine zipper motif at about amino acid residues 112-133 of SEQ ID NO: 52, and potential sugar transport protein signature 1 domain at about amino acid residues 97-114 of SEQ ID NO: 52.

[2613] A MEMSAT analysis of the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 52 was also performed, predicting thirteen transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 8099 (SEQ ID NO: 52) at about residues 32-49, 58-74, 81-101, 109-130, 138-156, 165-184, 198-217, 279-301, 315-338, 346-364, 463-487, 499-521, and 529-549. Further analysis of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 52 (e.g., alignment with, for example, known E. coli sugar symporter proteins and a known human facilitative glucose transporter protein) showed that the second transmembrane domain at about amino acid residues 58-74 of SEQ ID NO: 52 is not utilized, resulting in the presence of twelve transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 8099 (SEQ ID NO: 52).

[2614] A search of the amino acid sequence of human 8099 was also performed against the ProDom database resulting in the identification of several transmembrane domains, a glycosyltransferase domain, and a sugar transport domain in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 52.

[2615] The human 8099 amino acid sequence was aligned with the amino acid sequence of the galactose-proton symporter GALP from E. coli using the CLUSTAL W (1.74) multiple sequence alignment program. The results of the alignment are set forth in FIG. 48A-B. The human 8099 amino acid sequence was also aligned with the amino acid sequence of the arabinose-proton symporter ARAE from E. coli using the CLUSTAL W (1.74) multiple sequence alignment program. The results of the alignment are set forth in FIG. 49A-B. The human 8099 amino acid sequence was also aligned with the amino acid sequence of the facilitative glucose transporter GLUT8 from Homo sapiens using the CLUSTAL W (1.74) multiple sequence alignment program. The results of the alignment are set forth in FIGS. 51A-B. Based on its homology to GLUT8, 8099 is also referred to herein as “GLUT8 homologue” or “GLUT8h” and can be used interchangeably throughout.

[2616] A search using the polypeptide sequence of human 46455 (SEQ ID NO: 55) was performed against the HMM database in PFAM (FIGS. 54A-G) resulting in the identification of a sugar transporter family domain in the amino acid sequence of human 46455 at about residues 58-469 of SEQ ID NO: 55 (score=−63.4), a potential sodium:galactoside symporter family domain in the amino acid sequence of human 46455 at about residues 212-505 of SEQ ID NO: 55 (score=−121.2), and a potential monocarboxylate transporter domain in the amino acid sequence of human 46455 at about residues 60-473 of SEQ ID NO: 55 (score=−208.2).

[2617] The amino acid sequence of human 46455 was analyzed using the program PSORT to predict the localization of the proteins within the cell. This program assesses the presence of different targeting and localization amino acid sequences within the query sequence. The results of this analysis show that human 46455 may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, nucleus or secretory vesicles.

[2618] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human 46455 were further performed against the Prosite database. These searches resulted in the identification in the amino acid sequence of human 46455 of a potential N-glycosylation site at about amino acid residues 199-202 of SEQ ID NO: 55, a potential cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinase C phosphorylation site at about amino acid residues 414-417 of SEQ ID NO: 55, a number of potential protein kinase C phosphorylation sites at about amino acid residues 344-346, 413-415, 442-444, and 518-520 of SEQ ID NO: 55, a number of potential casein kinase II phosphorylation sites at about amino acid residues 11-14, 943-946, 959-962, 983-986, 1074-1077, 1108-1111, and 1112-1115 of SEQ ID NO: 55, a number of potential N-myristoylation sites at about amino acid residues 89-94, 106-111, 288-293, 679-684, 767-772, 847-852, and 933-938 of SEQ ID NO: 55, an amidation site at about amino acid residues 223-226 of SEQ ID NO: 55, and an ATP/GTP-binding site motif A (P-loop) at about amino acid residues 1008-1015 of SEQ ID NO: 55.

[2619] A MEMSAT analysis of the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 55 was also performed, predicting eleven transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 46455 (SEQ ID NO: 55) at about residues 98-118, 126-145, 165-181, 188-205, 218-238, 273-294, 323-341, 357-377, 386-410, 423-441, and 462-485. Further analysis of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 55 (e.g., analysis of the hydropathy plot set forth in FIG. 53) resulted in the identification of a twelfth transmembrane domain at about amino acid residues 58-74 of SEQ ID NO: 55.

[2620] A search of the amino acid sequence of human 46455 was also performed against the ProDom database resulting in the identification of a transmembrane efflux domain in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 55.

[2621] The human 46455 amino acid sequence was aligned with the amino acid sequence of Z92825 from C. elegans using the CLUSTAL W (1.74) multiple sequence alignment program. The results of the alignment are set forth in FIGS. 55A-B.

[2622] Isolation of the Human 54414 and 53763 cDNA

[2623] The invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of genes encoding novel members of the potassium channel family. The entire sequence of human clone Fbh54414 was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “54414”. The entire sequence of human clone Fbh53763 was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “53763”.

[2624] The nucleotide sequence encoding the human 54414 is shown in FIGS. 56A-G and is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 57. The protein encoded by this nucleic acid comprises about 1118 amino acids and has the amino acid sequence shown in FIGS. 56A-G and set forth as SEQ ID NO: 58. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 57 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 59. Clone Fbh54414, comprising the coding region of human 54414, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______, and assigned Accession No. ______.

[2625] The nucleotide sequence encoding the human 53763 is shown in FIGS. 60A-D and is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 60. The protein encoded by this nucleic acid comprises about 638 amino acids and has the amino acid sequence shown in FIGS. 60A-D and set forth as SEQ ID NO: 61. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 60 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 62. Clone Fbh53763, comprising the coding region of human 53763, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______, and assigned Accession No. ______.

[2626] Analysis of the Human 54414 and 53763 Molecules

[2627] The amino acid sequences of human 54414 was analyzed using the program PSORT to predict the localization of the proteins within the cell. The results of the analyses show that human 54414 may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, the nucleus, secretory vesicles, or the mitochondria.

[2628] Analysis of the amino acid sequences of human 54414 was performed using MEMSAT. The amino acid sequence of human 54414 was also compared to the amino acid sequences of known potassium transporters (FIGS. 59A-D). This analysis resulted in the identification of six possible transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 54414 at residues 64-83, 104-127, 135-153, 161-173, 199-217, and 257-274 of SEQ ID NO: 58 (FIG. 57).

[2629] Searches of the amino acid sequences of human 54414 were performed against the HMM database (FIGS. 58A-B). These searches resulted in the identification of an “ion transport protein domain”, at about residues 104-277 of SEQ ID NO: 58 (score=62.4).

[2630] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human 54414 were further performed against the Prosite™ database. These searches resulted in the identification of several possible N-glycosylation sites at about amino acids residues 66-69, 99-102, 290-293, 545-548, 554-557, 573-576, 981-984, and 1106-1109 of SEQ ID NO: 58, several possible cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation sites at about amino acids residues 625-628, 994-997, 1002-1005, and 1100-1103 of SEQ ID NO: 58, several possible protein kinase C phosphorylation sites at about amino acid residues 43-45, 59-61, 68-70, 126-128, 158-160, 254-256, 298-300, 308-310, 354-356, 385-387, 464-466, 605-607, 903-905, 939-941, 947-949, 1005-1007, 1012-1014, 1030-1032, and 1099-1101 of SEQ ID NO: 58, several possible casein kinase II phosphorylation sites at about amino acid residues 43-46, 115-118, 338-341, 386-389, 393-396, 485-488, 556-559, 651-654, 655-658, 663-666, 784-787, 837-840, 867-870, 907-910, 926-929, 943-946, 959-962, 983-986, 1074-1077, 1108-1111, and 1112-1115 of SEQ ID NO: 58, several possible N-myristoylation sites at about amino acid residues 89-94, 106-111, 288-293, 679-684, 767-772, 847-852, and 933-938 of SEQ ID NO: 58, a possible amidation site at about amino acid residues 223-226 of SEQ ID NO: 58, and a possible ATP/GTP-binding site motif A (P-loop) at about amino acid residues 1008-1015 of SEQ ID NO: 58.

[2631] The amino acid sequence of human 53763 was analyzed using the program PSORT to predict the localization of the proteins within the cell. The results of the analyses further show that human 53763 may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, the mitochondria, or the nucleus.

[2632] Analysis of the amino acid sequences of human 53763 was performed using MEMSAT. The amino acid sequence of human 53763 was also compared to the amino acid sequences of known potassium transporters (FIGS. 63A-B). This analysis resulted in the identification of six possible transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 53763 at residues 230-248, 287-303, 314-335, 346-368, 382-402, and 451-473 of SEQ ID NO: 61 (FIG. 61).

[2633] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human 53763 were also performed against the HMM database (FIGS. 62A-E). These searches resulted in the identification of a “NADH-ubiquinone/plastoquinone oxidoreductase domain” at about residues 317-467 of SEQ ID NO: 61 (score=−81.7), an “ion transport protein domain” at about residues 281-472 of SEQ ID NO: 61 (score=116.9), and a “K⁺ channel tetramerisation domain” at about residues 8-156 of SEQ ID NO: 61 (score=156.7).

[2634] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human 53763 were also performed against the Prosite™ database. These searches resulted in the identification in the amino acid sequence of human 53763 a number of potential N-glycosylation sites at amino acid residues 84-84, 259-262, 266-269, 518-521, and 536-539 of SEQ ID NO: 61, a potential cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation site at amino acid residues 561-564 of SEQ ID NO: 61, protein kinase C phosphorylation sites at amino acid residues 21-23, 25-27, 86-88, 120-122, 155-157, 205-207, 224-226, 336-338, 374-376, and 564-566 of SEQ ID NO: 61, casein kinase II phosphorylation sites at amino acid residues 17-20, 49-52, 146-149, 283-286, 378-381, 414-417, 520-523, 541-544, 546-549, 553-556, 564-567, and 579-582 of SEQ ID NO: 61, and N-myristoylation sites at amino acid residues 31-36, 76-81, 83-88, 89-94, 142-147, 176-181, 191-196, 199-204, 407-412, 450-455, 477-482, 590-595, and 606-611 of SEQ ID NO: 61.

[2635] Searches of the amino acid sequences of human 54414 and human 53763 were also performed against the ProDom database. A potassium ionic calcium activated domain and two potassium ionic subunits were identified in the amino acid sequence of 54414 (SEQ ID NO: 58). Several transmembrane domains and transport family domains were identified in the amino acid sequence of 53763 (SEQ ID NO: 61).

[2636] The amino acid sequences of human 54414 and human 53763 were further analyzed for the presence of a “pore domain”, also known as a “P-region domain”. A pore domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 54414 at about residues 229-250 of SEQ ID NO: 58. A pore domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 53763 at about residues 426-441 of SEQ ID NO: 61.

[2637] The amino acid sequences of human 54414 and human 53763 were also analyzed for the presence of a “potassium channel signature sequence motif” (see Joiner, W. J. et al. (1998) Nat. Neurosci. 1:462-469 and references cited therein). A potassium channel signature sequence motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 54414 at about residues 239-246 of SEQ ID NO: 58. A potassium channel signature sequence motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 53763 at about residues 436-441 of SEQ ID NO: 61.

[2638] The amino acid sequence of human 53763 was also analyzed for the presence of a “voltage sensor motif”. A voltage sensor motif was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 53763 at about residues 348-363 of SEQ ID NO: 61. Positively charged amino acid residues in the voltage sensor motif were identified about residues 348, 351, 354, 357, 360, and 363 of SEQ ID NO: 55.

[2639] Isolation of the Human 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt cDNAs

[2640] The invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of a human gene encoding novel polypeptides, referred to herein as human 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, and 67084alt. The entire sequence of the human clone 67076 was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “67076.” The nucleotide sequence of the human 67076 gene is set forth in FIGS. 64A-H and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 63. The amino acid sequence of the human 67076 expression product is set forth in FIGS. 64A-H and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 64. The 67076 polypeptide comprises 1129 amino acids. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 63 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 65. Clone 67076, comprising the coding region of human 67076, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______, and assigned Accession No. ______.

[2641] The entire sequence of the human clone 67102 as determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “67102.” The nucleotide sequence of the human gene is set forth in FIGS. 68A-I and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 66. The amino acid sequence of the human 67102 expression product is set forth in FIGS. 68A-I and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 67. The 67102 polypeptide comprises 1426 amino acids. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 66 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 68. Clone 67102, comprising the coding region of human 67102, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______, and assigned Accession No. ______.

[2642] The entire sequence of the human clone 44181 was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “44181.” The nucleotide sequence of the human 44181 gene is set forth in FIGS. 72A-J and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 69. The amino acid sequence of the human 44181 expression product is set forth in FIGS. 72A-J and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 70. The 44181 polypeptide comprises 1177 amino acids. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 69 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 71. Clone 44181, comprising the coding region of human 44181, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______, and assigned Accession No. ______.

[2643] The entire sequence of the human clone 67084FL was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “67084FL.” The nucleotide sequence of the human 67084FL gene is set forth in FIGS. 76A-G and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 72. The amino acid sequence of the human 67084FL expression product is set forth in FIGS. 76A-G and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 73. The 67084FL polypeptide comprises 1084 amino acids. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 72 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 74. Clone 67084FL, comprising the coding region of human 67084FL, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______, and assigned Accession No. ______.

[2644] The entire sequence of the human clone 67084alt was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “67084alt.” The nucleotide sequence of the human 67084alt gene is set forth in FIGS. 80A-G and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 75. The amino acid sequence of the human 67084alt expression product is set forth in FIGS. 80A-G and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 76. The 67084alt polypeptide comprises 1095 amino acids. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 75 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 77. Clone 67084alt, comprising the coding region of human 67084alt, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATTC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______, and assigned Accession No. ______.

[2645] Analysis of the Human 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt Molecules

[2646] The amino acid sequences of human 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt were analyzed for the presence of sequence motifs specific for P-type ATPases (as defined in Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497 and Fagan, M. J. and Saier, M. H. (1994) J. Mol. Evol. 38:57).

[2647] These analyses resulted in the identification of a P-type ATPase sequence I motif in the amino acid sequence of human 67076 at residues 173-181 of SEQ ID NO: 64, in the amino acid sequence of human 67102 at residues 208-216 of SEQ ID NO: 67, in the amino acid sequence of human 44181 at residues 173-181 of SEQ ID NO: 70, in the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL at residues 213-221 of SEQ ID NO: 73, and in the amino acid sequence of human 67084alt at residues 213-221 of SEQ ID NO: 76.

[2648] These analyses also resulted in the identification of a P-type ATPase sequence 2 motif in the amino acid sequence of human 67076 at residues 406-415 of SEQ ID NO: 64, in the amino acid sequence of human 67102 at residues 435-444 of SEQ ID NO: 67, in the amino acid sequence of human 44181 at residues 404-413 of SEQ ID NO: 70, in the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL at residues 413-422 of SEQ ID NO: 73, and in the amino acid sequence of human 67084alt at residues 413-422 of SEQ ID NO: 76.

[2649] These analyses further resulted in the identification of a P-type ATPase sequence 3 motif in the amino acid sequence of human 67076 at residues 813-824 of SEQ ID NO: 64, in the amino acid sequence of human 67102 at residues 1054-1064 of SEQ ID NO: 67, in the amino acid sequence of human 44181 at residues 819-829 of SEQ ID NO: 70, in the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL at residues 820-830 of SEQ ID NO: 73, and in the amino acid sequence of human 67084alt at residues 820-830 of SEQ ID NO: 76.

[2650] The amino acid sequences of human 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, and 67084alt were also analyzed for the presence of phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues (as defined in Tang, X. et al. (1996) Science 272:1495-1497). These analyses also resulted in the identification of phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues in the amino acid sequence of human 67076 at residues 174, 177, 407, 813, 823, and 824 of SEQ ID NO: 64. These analyses resulted in the identification of phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues 208, 209, 212, 436, 1054, 1063, and 1064 in the amino acid sequence of human 67102 at residues of SEQ ID NO: 67. These analyses further resulted in the identification of phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues 174, 177, 405, 819, 928, and 929 in the amino acid sequence of human 44181 at residues of SEQ ID NO: 70. These analyses further resulted in the identification of phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues 214, 217, 820, 829, and 830 in the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL at residues of SEQ ID NO: 73. These analyses still further resulted in the identification of phospholipid transporter specific amino acid residues 214, 217, 820, 829, and 830 in the amino acid sequence of human 67084alt at residues of SEQ ID NO: 76.

[2651] The amino acid sequences of human 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, and 67084alt were also analyzed for the presence of extramembrane domains. An N-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67076 at residues 105-291 of SEQ ID NO: 64. A C-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67076 at residues 366-872 of SEQ ID NO: 64. An N-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67102 at residues 141-321 of SEQ ID NO: 67. A C-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67102 at residues 391-581 of SEQ ID NO: 67. An N-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 44181 at residues 105-289 of SEQ ID NO: 70. A C-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 44181 at residues 364-877 of SEQ ID NO: 70. An N-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL at residues 145-330 of SEQ ID NO: 73. A C-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL at residues 380-886 of SEQ ID NO: 73. An N-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67084alt at residues 145-330 of SEQ ID NO: 76. A C-terminal large extramembrane domain was identified in the amino acid sequence of human 67084alt at residues 380-886 of SEQ ID NO: 76.

[2652] The amino acid sequence of human 67076 was analyzed using the program PSORT to predict the localization of the proteins within the cell. This program assesses the presence of different targeting and localization amino acid sequences within the query sequence. The results of this analysis predict that human 67076 may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum.

[2653] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human 67076 were further performed against the Prosite database. These searches resulted in the identification in the amino acid sequence of human 67076 of a number of potential N-glycosylation sites at amino acid residues121-124, 392-395, 761-764, 992-995, and 1098-1101 of SEQ ID NO: 64, a number of potential cAMP-and cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation sites at amino acid residues135-138, 545-548, 1091-1094, and 1102-1105 of SEQ ID NO: 64, a number of potential protein kinase C phosphorylation sites at amino acid residues 47-49, 138-140, 204-206, 250-252, 254-256, 278-280, 308-310, 328-330, 334-336, 408-410, 680-682, 701-703, 708-710, 733-735, 736-738, 1008-1010, 1094-1096, 1100-1102, 1109-1111, and 1113-1115 of SEQ ID NO: 64, a number of casein kinase II phosphorylation sites at amino acid residues 30-33, 264-267, 282-285, 328-331, 413-416, 442-445, 449-452, 494-497, 646-649, 693-704-707, 762-765, 813-816, 924-927, 982-985, and 1121-1124 of SEQ ID NO: 64, a number of potential tyrosine kinase phosphorylation sites at amino acid residues 252-258, 739-747 of SEQ ID NO: 64, a number of N-myristoylation sites at amino acid residues 388-393, 440-445, 482-487, 514-519, 564-569, 753-758, and 807-812 of SEQ ID NO: 64, an ATP/GTP-binding site motif (P-loop) at amino acid residues 271-278 of SEQ ID NO: 64, and an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site at amino acid residues 409-415 of SEQ ID NO: 64.

[2654] A MEMSAT analysis of the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 64 was also performed, predicting three potential transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 67076 (SEQ ID NO: 64). However, a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis (FIG. 65) resulted in the identification of ten transmembrane domains. Accordingly, the 67076 protein of SEQ ID NO: 64 is predicted to have at least ten transmembrane domains, identified as transmembrane (TM) domains 1 through 10, at about residues 57-77, 84-105, 292-313, 345-365, 863-883, 905-926, 956-977, 989-1009, 1021-1041, and 1060-1087.

[2655] A search using the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 64 was performed against the HMM database in PFAM resulting in the identification of a potential hydrolase domain in the amino acid sequence of human 67076 at about residues 403-837 of SEQ ID NO: 64 (score=12.7).

[2656] A search of the amino acid sequence of human 67076 was also performed against the ProDom database resulting in the identification of several hydrolase domains and phosphorylation domains in the amino acid sequence of 67076 (SEQ ID NO: 64).

[2657] The amino acid sequence of human 67102 was analyzed using the program PSORT. The results of this analysis predict that human 67102 may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum.

[2658] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human 67102 were further performed against the Prosite database. These searches resulted in the identification in the amino acid sequence of human 67102 of a number of potential N-glycosylation sites at amino acid residues 29-32, 303-306, 1365-1368, and 1397-1400 of SEQ ID NO: 67, a glycosaminoglycan attachment site at amino acid residues 526-529 of SEQ ID NO: 67, a number of potential cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation sites at amino acid residues 38-41, 451-545, 635-638, and 777-780 of SEQ ID NO: 67, a number of protein kinase C phosphorylation sites at amino acid residues 47-49, 78-80, 161-163, 240-242, 262-264, 280-282, 437-439, 500-502, 563-565, 633-635, 644-646, 695-697, 743-745, 774-776, 827-829, 1000-1002, 1360-1362, and 1371-1373 of SEQ ID NO: 67, a number of potential casein kinase II phosphorylation sites at amino acid residues 20-23, 161-164, 176-179, 184-187, 199-202, 210-213, 232-235, 241-244, 262-265, 312-315, 345-348, 405-408, 442-445, 471-474, 477-480, 543-546, 621-624, 644-647, 670-673, 693-696, 727-730, 850-853, 866-869, 892-895, 977-980, 1074-1077, 1141-1144, 1199-1202, 1221-1224, 1339-1342, 1399-1402, and 1403-1406 of SEQ ID NO: 67, two tyrosine kinase phosphorylation sites at amino acid residues 21-28 and 847-854 of SEQ ID NO: 67, a number of potential N-myristoylation sites at amino acid residues 69-74, 341-346, 488-493, 510-515, 519-524, 525-530, 651-656, 703-708, 714-719, 901-906, 955-960, 992-997, 1070-1075, 1139-1144, 1229-1234, and 1261-1266 of SEQ ID NO: 67, two potential amidation sites at amino acid residues 36-39 and 1371-1374 of SEQ ID NO: 67, two ATP/GTP-binding site motif A (P-loop) at amino acid residues 996-1003 and 1364-1371, an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site at amino acid residues 438-444 of SEQ ID NO: 67, and a prokaryotic membrane lipoprotein lipid attachment site at amino acid residues 26-36 of SEQ ID NO: 67.

[2659] A MEMSAT analysis of the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 67 was also performed, predicting ten potential transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 67102 (SEQ ID NO: 67) at about residues 98-115, 122-140, 322-344, 366-390, 582-601, 752-770, 1145-1166, 1225-1246, 1253-1276, and 1298-1317.

[2660] A search using the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 67 was performed against the HMM database in PFAM resulting in the identification of a potential hydrolase domain in the amino acid sequence of human 67102 at about residues 432-1077 of SEQ ID NO: 67 (score=1.5), and the identification of a potential DUF6 domain in the amino acid sequence of human 67102 at about residues 1127-1271 of SEQ ID NO: 67 (score=−24.6).

[2661] A search of the amino acid sequence of human 67102 was also performed against the ProDom database resulting in the identification of several hydrolase domains and phosphorylation domains in the amino acid sequence of 667102 (SEQ ID NO: 67).

[2662] The amino acid sequence of human 44181 was analyzed using the program PSORT. The results of this analysis predict that human 44181 may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum.

[2663] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human 44181 were further performed against the Prosite database. These searches resulted in the identification in the amino acid sequence of human 44181 of a number of potential N-glycosylation sites at amino acid residues 331-334, 390-393, 449-452, 461-464, 477-480, 786-789, and 998-1001 of SEQ ID NO: 70, a number of potential cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation sites at amino acid residues 577-580, 633-636, and 750-753 of SEQ ID NO: 70, a number of protein kinase C phosphorylation sites at amino acid residues 46-48, 163-165, 276-278, 332-334, 406-408, 470-472, 574-576, 636-638, 957-959, 1014-1016, and 1102-1104 of SEQ ID NO: 70, a number of potential casein kinase C phosphorylation sites at amino acid residues 115-118, 262-265, 280-283, 411-414, 473-476, 520-523, 527-530, 636-639, 678-681, 737-740, 906-909, 929-932, 1100-1103, 1154-1157, and 1170-1173 of SEQ ID NO: 70, a potential tyrosine kinase phosphorylation site at amino acid residues 316-322 of SEQ ID NO: 70, a number of potential N-myristoylation sites at amino acid residues 131-136, 596-601, 766-771, and 993-998 of SEQ ID NO: 70, and an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site at amino acid residues 407-413 of SEQ ID NO: 70.

[2664] A MEMSAT analysis of the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 70 was also performed, predicting three potential transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 44181 (SEQ ID NO: 70). However, a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis (FIG. 73) resulted in the identification of ten transmembrane domains. Accordingly, the 44181 protein (SEQ ID NO: 70) is predicted to have at least ten transmembrane domains, which are identified as transmembrane (TM) domains 1 through 10, at about residues 56-72, 87-103, 290-311, 343-363, 878-898, 911-931, 961-982, 995-1015, 1027-1047, and 1062-1086.

[2665] A search using the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 70 was performed against the HMM database in PFAM resulting in the identification of a potential E1-E2 ATPase domain in the amino acid sequence of human 44181 at about residues 126-164 of SEQ ID NO: 70 (score=8.6), the identification of a potential DUF132 domain in the amino acid sequence of human 44181 at about residues 579-719 of SEQ ID NO: 70 (score=−72.9), and the identification of a potential hydrolase domain in the amino acid sequence of human 44181 at about residues 401-842 of SEQ ID NO: 70 (score=42.8).

[2666] A search of the amino acid sequence of human 44181 was also performed against the ProDom database A search of the amino acid sequence of human 44181 was also performed against the ProDom database resulting in the identification of several hydrolase domains and phosphorylation domains in the amino acid sequence of 44181 (SEQ ID NO: 70).

[2667] A Clustal W (1.74) alignment of the amino acid sequence of human 44181 (SEQ ID NO: 70) and human potential phospholipid-transporting ATPase IR (ATIR; GenBank Accession No.:Q9Y2G3) revealed some sequence homology between 44181 and Accession No.:Q9Y2G3.

[2668] The amino acid sequence of human 67084FL was analyzed using the program PSORT. The results of this analysis predict that human 67084FL may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum.

[2669] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL were further performed against the Prosite database. These searches resulted in the identification in the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL of a number of potential N-glycosylation sites at amino acid residues 310-313, 464-467, and 529-532 of SEQ ID NO: 73, a potential cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation site at amino acid residues 1071-1074 of SEQ ID NO: 73, a number of protein kinase C phosphorylation sites 82-84, 168-170, 204-206, 301-303, 371-373, 415-417, 486-488, 585-587, 666-668, 744-746, 800-802, 813-815, 872-874, 957-959, and 1009-1011 of SEQ ID NO: 73, a number of potential casein kinase II phosphorylation sites at amino acid residues 265-268, 301-304, 402-405, 422-425, 535-538, 596-599, 661-664, 686-689, and 745-748 of SEQ ID NO: 73, a tyrosine kinase phosphorylation site at amino acid residues 813-816 of SEQ ID NO: 73, a number of potential N-myristoylation sites at amino acid residues 292-297, 462-467, 568-573, 606-611, 824-829, 887-892, and 1026-1031 of SEQ ID NO: 73, a potential amidation site at amino acid residues 813-816 of SEQ ID NO: 73, a prokaryotic membrane lipoprotein lipid attachment site at amino acid residues 105-115, a leucine zipper pattern at amino acid residues 325-346, and an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site at amino acid residues 416-422 of SEQ ID NO: 73.

[2670] A MEMSAT analysis of the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 73 was also performed, predicting nine potential transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL (SEQ ID NO: 73). However, a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis (FIG. 77) resulted in the identification of ten transmembrane domains. Accordingly, the 67084FL protein of SEQ ID NO: 73 is predicted to have at least ten transmembrane domains, which are identified as transmembrane (TM) domains 1 through 10, at about residues 104-120, 124-144, 331-350, 357-374, 887-903, 912-931, 961-983, 990-1008, 1015-1035, and 1043-1067.

[2671] A search using the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 73 was performed against the HMM database in PFAM resulting in the identification of two potential E1-E2 ATPase in the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL at about residues 171-199 of SEQ ID NO: 73 (score=3.0) and 277-305 of SEQ ID NO: 73 (score=13.0), and a hydrolase domain at about residues 410-843 of SEQ ID NO: 73 (score=19.2).

[2672] A search of the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL was also performed against the ProDom database resulting in the identification of several hydrolase domains, phosphorylation domains, and ATPase domains in the amino acid sequence of 67084FL (SEQ ID NO: 73).

[2673] A Clustal W (1.74) alignment of the amino acid sequence of human 67084FL (SEQ ID NO: 73) and human membrane transport protein (MTRP-1; GenBank Accession No.:Y71056, International Publication No. WO 2000/26245-A2) revealed some sequence homology between 67084FL and Accession No.: Y71056.

[2674] The amino acid sequence of human 67084alt was analyzed using the program PSORT. The results of this analysis predict that human 67084alt may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum.

[2675] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human 67084alt were further performed against the Prosite database. These searches resulted in the identification in the amino acid sequence of human 67084alt of a number of potential N-glycosylation sites at amino acid residues 310-313, 464-467, and 529-532 of SEQ ID NO: 76, a potential cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation site at amino acid residues 1083-1086, a number of protein kinase C phosphorylation sites at amino acid residues 82-84, 168-170, 204-2-6, 301-303, 371-373, 415-417, 486-488, 585-587, 666-668, 744-746, 800-802, 813-815, 872-874, 957-959, and 1009-1011 of SEQ ID NO: 76, a number of potential casein kinase II phosphorylation sites at amino acid residues 265-268, 301-304, 402-405, 422-445, 535-538, 596-599, 661-664, 686-689, and 745-748 of SEQ ID NO: 76, a tyrosine kinase phosphorylation site at amino acid residues 641-648, a number of potential N-myristoylation sites at amino acid residues 292-297, 462-467, 568-573, 606-611, 824-829, 887-892, and 1026-1031 of SEQ ID NO: 76, a potential amidation site at amino acid residues 813-816 of SEQ ID NO: 76, a potential prokaryotic membrane lipoprotein lipid attachment site at amino acid residues 105-115 of SEQ ID NO: 76, a leucine zipper pattern at amino acid residues 325-346 of SEQ ID NO: 76, and an E1-E2 ATPases phosphorylation site at amino acid residues 416-422 of SEQ ID NO: 76.

[2676] A MEMSAT analysis of the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 76 was also performed, predicting nine potential transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human 67084alt (SEQ ID NO: 76). However, a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis (FIG. 81) resulted in the identification often transmembrane domains. Accordingly, the 67084alt protein of SEQ ID NO: 76 is predicted to have at least ten transmembrane domains, which are identified as transmembrane (TM) domains 1 through 10, at about residues 104-120, 124-144, 331-350, 357-374, 887-903, 912-931, 961-983, 990-1008, 1015-1035, and 1043-1067.

[2677] A search using the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 76 was performed against the HMM database in PFAM resulting in the identification of two potential E1-E2 ATPase in the amino acid sequence of human 67084alt at about residues 42-70 of SEQ ID NO: 76 (score=3.0) and 105-133 of SEQ ID NO: 76 (score 13.0), and a potential hydrolase domain at about amino acid residues 410-843 of SEQ ID NO: 76 (score=19.2).

[2678] A search of the amino acid sequence of human 67084alt was also performed against the ProDom database resulting in the identification of several hydrolase domains, phosphorylation domains, and ATPase domains in the amino acid sequence of 67084alt (SEQ ID NO: 76).

[2679] A Clustal W (1.74) alignment of the amino acid sequence of human 67084alt (SEQ ID NO: 64) and human membrane transport protein (MTRP-1; GenBank Accession No.:Y71056, International Publication No. WO 2000/26245-A2) revealed some sequence homology between 67084alt and Accession No.: Y71056.

Example 2 Tissue Expression of Human 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, Full Length 67084 (67084FL), AND 67084ALT mRNA

[2680] Tissue Distribution of Human 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, and 67084alt mRNA Using Taqman™ Analysis

[2681] This example describes the tissue distribution of human 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt mRNA in a variety of cells and tissues, as determined using the TaqMan™ procedure. The Taqman™ procedure is a quantitative, reverse transcription PCR-based approach for detecting mRNA. The RT-PCR reaction exploits the 5′ nuclease activity of AmpliTaq Gold™ DNA Polymerase to cleave a TaqMan™ probe during PCR. Briefly, cDNA was generated from the samples of interest, e.g., lung, ovary, colon, and breast normal and tumor samples, and used as the starting material for PCR amplification. In addition to the 5′ and 3′ gene-specific primers, a gene-specific oligonucleotide probe (complementary to the region being amplified) was included in the reaction (i.e., the Taqman™ probe). The TaqMan™ probe includes the oligonucleotide with a fluorescent reporter dye covalently linked to the 5′ end of the probe (such as FAM (6-carboxyfluorescein), TET (6-carboxy-4,7,2′,7′-tetrachlorofluorescein), JOE (6-carboxy-4,5-dichloro-2,7-dimethoxyfluorescein), or VIC) and a quencher dye (TAMRA (6-carboxy-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylrhodamine) at the 3′ end of the probe.

[2682] During the PCR reaction, cleavage of the probe separates the reporter dye and the quencher dye, resulting in increased fluorescence of the reporter. Accumulation of PCR products is detected directly by monitoring the increase in fluorescence of the reporter dye. When the probe is intact, the proximity of the reporter dye to the quencher dye results in suppression of the reporter fluorescence. During PCR, if the target of interest is present, the probe specifically anneals between the forward and reverse primer sites. The 5′-3′ nucleolytic activity of the AmpliTaq™ Gold DNA Polymerase cleaves the probe between the reporter and the quencher only if the probe hybridizes to the target. The probe fragments are then displaced from the target, and polymerization of the strand continues. The 3′ end of the probe is blocked to prevent extension of the probe during PCR. This process occurs in every cycle and does not interfere with the exponential accumulation of product. RNA was prepared using the trizol method and treated with DNase to remove contaminating genomic DNA. cDNA was synthesized using standard techniques. Mock cDNA synthesis in the absence of reverse transcriptase resulted in samples with no detectable PCR amplification of the control gene confirms efficient removal of genomic DNA contamination.

[2683] Tissue Distribution of Human 8099

[2684] A human tissue panel was tested revealing highest expression of human 8099 mRNA in congestive heart failure (CHF) heart, normal prostate, and brain (see Table 1, below). TABLE 1 β 2 Tissue Type Mean Mean ∂∂ ct Expression Artery normal 30.83 22.31 8.52 2.7241 Aorta diseased 32.77 22.32 10.45 0.7149 Vein normal 29.41 20.23 9.18 1.724 Coronary SMC 31.2 20.91 10.3 0.7932 HUVEC 32.16 21.38 10.78 0.5687 Hemangioma 32.86 19.66 13.21 0.1059 Heart normal 28.05 20.43 7.62 5.0834 Heart CHF 26.98 20.68 6.3 12.6914 Kidney 27.76 20.45 7.3 6.3238 Skeletal Muscle 29.7 22.17 7.53 5.4294 Adipose normal 34.16 20.59 13.56 0.0828 Pancreas 33.23 22.29 10.94 0.5108 primary osteoblasts 32 20.61 11.39 0.3726 Osteoclasts (diff) 30.9 17.55 13.35 0.0958 Skin normal 34.12 22.45 11.68 0.3058 Spinal cord normal 31.93 21.07 10.87 0.5362 Brain Cortex normal 28.4 22.34 6.06 14.9885 Brain Hypothalamus normal 29.68 22.35 7.34 6.1936 Nerve 32.96 22.25 10.72 0.5949 DRG (Dorsal Root Ganglion) 30.81 22.15 8.65 2.4808 Breast normal 31.91 21.14 10.77 0.5747 Breast tumor 32.73 20.93 11.81 0.2785 Ovary normal 30.41 19.82 10.6 0.6465 Ovary Tumor 28.36 19.06 9.31 1.5755 Prostate Normal 27.29 19.77 7.52 5.4482

[2685] Tissue Distribution of Human 46455

[2686] A human vessel and tissue panel was tested revealing highest expression of human 46455 mRNA in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), erythroid cells, normal artery, megakaryocytes, kidney, and CHF heart. 46455 was expressed at higher levels in lung tumor, breast tumor, and colon tumor versus normal lung, breast and colon tissues, indicating a possible role for 46455 in cellular proliferation disorders (see Table 2, below). TABLE 2 Tissue Type Mean β 2 Mean ∂∂ Ct Expression Artery normal 28.05 24.09 2.67 157.6722 Aorta diseased 28.75 23.66 3.79 72.0429 Vein normal 27.75 21.72 4.75 37.1627 Coronary SMC 28.2 25.12 1.78 290.176 HUVEC 24.18 22.59 0.29 817.9021 Hemangioma 25.15 20.98 2.88 135.8419 Heart normal 26.44 21.82 3.33 99.4421 Heart CHF 25.54 21.09 3.15 112.6563 Kidney 25.98 21.49 3.2 108.8188 Skeletal Muscle 28.22 24.14 2.79 144.586 Adipose normal 28.38 22.21 4.88 33.9605 Pancreas 27.91 23.22 3.4 94.4045 primary osteoblasts 27.11 21.85 3.97 63.8133 Osteoclasts (diff) 23.64 18.8 3.55 85.3775 Skin normal 28.43 23.27 3.88 68.1567 Spinal cord normal 26.88 22.12 3.47 90.2456 Brain Cortex normal 26.42 23.4 1.73 301.452 Brain Hypothalamus normal 28.1 23.55 3.26 104.386 Nerve 28.59 23.88 3.43 92.7827 DRG (Dorsal Root Ganglion) 28.33 23.76 3.28 102.9489 Breast normal 27.31 22.32 3.7 76.9465 Breast tumor 26.47 22.11 3.07 119.0797 Ovary normal 26.59 22.16 3.13 113.8337 Ovary Tumor 28.47 21.84 5.33 24.8605 Prostate Normal 27.09 21.68 4.12 57.5117 Prostate Tumor 26.51 21.58 3.64 80.2141 Salivary glands 27.16 20.81 5.07 29.8733 Colon normal 26.3 20 5 31.1419 Colon Tumor 25.09 20.52 3.29 102.5927 Lung normal 26.02 19.75 4.98 31.6862 Lung tumor 25.09 21.31 2.48 178.6243 Lung COPD 25.26 19.71 4.26 52.193 Colon IBD 26.3 18.91 6.1 14.5786 Liver normal 27.66 21.8 4.57 42.101 Liver fibrosis 29.31 24.09 3.92 65.8351 Spleen normal 27.41 21.41 4.71 38.2075 Tonsil normal 25.23 19.32 4.63 40.5262 Lymph node normal 26.15 20.35 4.51 43.8889 Small intestine normal 28.23 21.73 5.22 26.8302 Skin-Decubitus 27.18 22.82 3.06 119.908 Synovium 28 21.12 5.59 20.6889 BM-MNC 26.13 19.32 5.51 21.9445 Activated PBMC 25.2 17.95 5.96 16.12 Neutrophils 24.45 19.5 3.65 79.66 Megakaryocytes 22.5 18.95 2.26 208.772 Erythroid 24.2 21.69 1.23 427.7975

[2687] Tissue Distribution of Human 53763

[2688] A human vessel and tissue panel was tested revealing highest expression of human 53763 mRNA in normal brain cortex, normal hypothalamus, prostate tumnor, normal prostate, dorsal root ganglion, and normal breast tissue (see Table 3, below). TABLE 3 Tissue Type Mean β 2 Mean ∂∂ Ct Expression Artery normal 40 22.41 16.07 0 Aorta diseased 40 22.05 16.44 0 Vein normal 40 19.75 18.74 0 Coronary SMC 35.16 21.86 11.79 0 HUVEC 40 20.41 18.08 0 Hemangioma 40 18.52 19.96 0 Heart normal 39.43 19.55 18.37 0 Heart CHF 40 18.98 19.5 0 Kidney 39.44 19.76 18.16 0 Skeletal Muscle 38.97 21.57 15.89 0 Adipose normal 40 20.09 18.4 0 Pancreas 38.91 20.84 16.56 0 primary osteoblasts 40 19.87 18.61 0 Osteoclasts (diff) 40 17.09 21.4 0 Skin normal 39.59 21.22 16.86 0 Spinal cord normal 31.72 20.14 10.07 0.9303 Brain Cortex normal 23.07 21.56 0.01 996.5403 Brain Hypothalamus normal 26.15 20.98 3.65 79.3844 Nerve 39.08 21.23 16.33 0 DRG (Dorsal Root Ganglion) 31.66 21.3 8.86 2.1596 Breast normal 27.25 20.41 5.33 24.9468 Breast tumor 40 20.02 18.46 0 Ovary normal 40 19.66 18.83 0 Ovary Tumor 40 19.7 18.79 0 Prostate Normal 29.68 19.32 8.85 2.1671 Prostate Tumor 28.14 19.95 6.67 9.8204 Salivary glands 40 18.97 19.52 0 Colon normal 39.09 17.8 19.78 0 Colon Tumor 40 18.63 19.86 0 Lung normal 40 17.49 21 0 Lung tumor 39.66 19.81 18.34 0 Lung COPD 40 17.97 20.52 0 Colon IBD 40 17.3 21.18 0 Liver normal 40 19.57 18.91 0 Liver fibrosis 40 21.34 17.15 0 Spleen normal 40 19.27 19.22 0 Tonsil normal 33.5 16.75 15.24 0.0258 Lymph node normal 38.61 18.4 18.7 0 Small intestine normal 36.56 19.96 15.08 0 Skin-Decubitus 39.43 20.41 17.51 0 Synovium 40 19.32 19.16 0 BM-MNC 40 18.21 20.27 0 Activated PBMC 38.88 17.5 19.88 0 Neutrophils 40 18.38 20.11 0 Megakaryocytes 40 18.09 20.39 0 Erythroid 40 21.23 17.25 0

[2689] Tissue Distribution of Human 67076

[2690] A human vessel panel was tested revealing highest expression of human 67076 mRNA in normal aorta, diseased artery, and static HUVEC (see Table 4, below). TABLE 4 Tissue Type Mean β 2 Mean ∂∂ Ct Expression Aortic SMC 25.58 21.16 4.42 46.8762 Coronary SMC 29.11 24.36 4.76 36.906 Huvec Static 23.55 20.59 2.96 128.0696 Huvec LSS 23.41 20.06 3.35 98.073 H/Adipose/MET 8 27.7 20.51 7.18 6.8723 H/Artery/Normal/Carotid/ 26.82 19.34 7.48 5.6014 CLN 595 H/Artery/Normal/Carotid/ 28.79 20.41 8.37 3.0226 CLN 598 H/Artery/normal/NDR 352 29.41 21.68 7.73 4.7102 H/IM Artery/Normal/ 32.65 23.77 8.88 2.1152 AMC 73 H/Muscular Artery/ 29.2 23.34 5.87 17.1577 Normal/AMC 236 H/Muscular Artery/ 29.68 22.56 7.13 7.1393 Normal/AMC 254/ H/Muscular Artery/ 29.63 22.25 7.37 6.0452 Normal/AMC 259 H/Muscular Artery/ 30.12 22.67 7.45 5.7191 Normal/AMC 261 H/Muscular Artery/ 30.2 24.2 6 15.6792 Normal/AMC 275 H/Aorta/Diseased/PIT 732 30.73 22.36 8.38 3.0121 H/Aorta/Diseased/PIT 710 29.6 23.14 6.46 11.3199 H/Aorta/Diseased/PIT 711 29.35 22.63 6.72 9.4531 H/Aorta/Diseased/PIT 712 28.77 22.02 6.75 9.2585 H/Artery/Diseased/ 26.11 19.41 6.71 9.585 iliac/NDR 753 H/Artery/Diseased/ 29.82 20.34 9.47 1.4101 Tibial/PIT 679 H/Vein/Normal/ 31.66 21.07 10.59 0.6488 SaphenousAMC 107 H/Vein/Normal/NDR 239 33.13 21.65 11.49 0.3477 H/Vein/Normal/ 29.71 20.59 9.12 1.7972 Saphenous/NDR 237 H/Vein/Normal/PIT 1010 28.34 22.05 6.3 12.6914 H/Vein/Normal/AMC 191 28.64 22.15 6.49 11.164 H/Vein/Normal/AMC 130 27.41 21.27 6.14 14.1309 H/Vein/Normal/AMC 188 30.56 24.09 6.46 11.3199 H/Vein/Normal/AMC 196 29.89 20.93 8.96 2.008 H/Vein/Normal/AMC 211 32.55 23.52 9.03 1.9196 H/Vein/Normal/AMC 214 30.93 22.99 7.95 4.058 M/Artery/Diseased/ 24.56 23.05 1.5 352.3302 CAR 1174 M/Artery/Diseased/ 24.98 19.89 5.09 29.2585 CAR 1175 M/Aorta/Normal/PRI 286 25.52 18.68 6.84 8.7288 M/Artery/Normal/PRI 324 25.13 20.65 4.48 44.8111 M/Aorta/Normal/PRI 264 24.14 24.74 −0.6 1515.7166 M/Artery/Normal/PRI 320 24.93 20.29 4.64 40.1071 M/Vein/Normal/PRI 328 26.67 20.04 6.63 10.0965 HUVEC Vehicle 26.64 21 5.63 20.1232 HUVEC Mev 25.54 20.3 5.25 26.3692 HAEC Vehicle 25.7 20.66 5.04 30.2903 HAEC Mev 27.84 22.41 5.43 23.1957

[2691] Tissue Distribution of Human 67102

[2692] A human tissue panel was tested revealing highest expression of human 67102 mRNA in normal kidney tissue and diseased artery (see Table 5, below). TABLE 5 Tissue Type Mean β 2 Mean ∂∂ Ct Expression Aortic SMC 28.34 21.88 6.47 11.2807 Coronary SMC 29.98 23.11 6.88 8.5196 Huvec Static 27.55 21.41 6.14 14.18 Huvec LSS 27.72 21.12 6.59 10.3444 H/Adipose/MET 8 30.56 20.57 9.99 0.9834 H/Artery/Normal/Carotid/ 31.42 20.3 11.13 0.4478 CLN 595 H/Artery/Normal/Carotid/ 32.23 21.69 10.54 0.6717 CLN 598 H/Artery/normal/NDR 352 31.34 22.44 8.9 2.0933 H/IM Artery/Normal/AMC 73 33.46 23.98 9.48 1.4003 H/Muscular Artery/Normal/ 30.48 23.52 6.96 8.0321 AMC 236 H/Muscular Artery/Normal/ 33.9 24.07 9.82 1.1025 AMC 247 H/Muscular Artery/Normal/ 31.12 23.43 7.68 4.8594 AMC 254/ H/Muscular Artery/Normal/ 30.47 23.07 7.4 5.9208 AMC 259 H/Muscular Artery/Normal/ 31.32 22.92 8.4 2.9501 AMC 261 H/Muscular Artery/Normal/ 31.31 24.78 6.53 10.8212 AMC 275 H/Aorta/Diseased/PIT 732 31.73 22.76 8.97 1.9942 H/Aorta/Diseased/PIT 710 30.33 23.36 6.97 7.9767 H/Aorta/Diseased/PIT 711 31.02 23.3 7.72 4.7265 H/Aorta/Diseased/PIT 712 30.57 22.71 7.86 4.3043 H/Artery/Diseased/iliac/ 27.22 20.07 7.15 7.041 NDR 753 H/Artery/Diseased/Tibial/ 32 21.19 10.81 0.557 PIT 679 H/Vein/Normal/ 31.57 22.08 9.49 1.3859 SaphenousAMC 107 H/Vein/Normal/NDR 239 33.44 22.16 11.28 0.4021 H/Vein/Normal/Saphenous/ 31.32 21.01 10.31 0.7877 NDR 237 H/Vein/Normal/PIT 1010 29.86 22.36 7.5 5.5243 H/Vein/Normal/AMC 191 30.36 22.53 7.84 4.3796 H/Vein/Normal/AMC 130 30.08 22.32 7.75 4.6293 H/Vein/Normal/AMC 188 32.93 25.01 7.92 4.129 H/Vein/Normal/AMC 196 32.24 21.61 10.64 0.6288 H/Vein/Normal/AMC 211 36.16 23.51 12.65 0 H/Vein/Normal/AMC 214 35.59 24 11.6 0 M/Artery/Diseased/ 29.73 21.84 7.89 4.2011 CAR 1175 M/Aorta/Normal/543 34.84 29.17 5.67 19.6408 M/Artery/Diseased/CAR 1174 31.11 26.59 4.52 43.5857 M/Pancreas/PRI 2 32.48 26.33 6.15 14.082 M/Kidney/Normal/MPI 88 30.23 26.84 3.38 96.0547 M/Kidney/Normal/MPI 282 29.34 25.94 3.4 95.0612 HUVEC Vehicle 29.25 21.45 7.8 4.4871 HUVEC Mev 28.16 20.87 7.29 6.3899 HAEC Vehicle 28.14 21.16 6.97 7.9491 HAEC Mev 29.61 22.66 6.95 8.088

[2693] In addition, a human vessel panel was tested, which revealed high expression of human 67102 mRNA in normal artery, HUVEC, coronary smooth muscle cells, diseased aorta, and normal hypothalamus (see Table, 6, below). TABLE 6 Tissue Type Mean β 2 Mean ∂∂ Ct Expression Artery normal 27.32 21.75 5.57 21.0505 Aorta diseased 28.27 21.71 6.55 10.6353 Vein normal 30.38 19.83 10.55 0.6693 Coronary SMC 28.61 22.23 6.38 12.0485 HUVEC 26.32 20.32 6 15.5709 Hemangioma 25.91 19.07 6.83 8.7895 Heart normal 27.16 19.98 7.17 6.9441 Heart CHF 27.2 19.06 8.14 3.545 Kidney 25.54 19.59 5.96 16.12 Skeletal Muscle 30.52 21.5 9.03 1.9196 Adipose normal 30.11 19.95 10.15 0.8771 Pancreas 29.57 21.23 8.33 3.1076 primary osteoblasts 28.09 19.85 8.23 3.3191 Osteoclasts (diff) 29.79 17.02 12.77 0.1432 Skin normal 29.31 21.41 7.89 4.2011 Spinal cord normal 28.3 20.36 7.93 4.0863 Brain Cortex normal 28.25 22.04 6.21 13.5084 Brain Hypothalamus normal 28.93 21.49 7.44 5.7589 Nerve 28.34 21.3 7.04 7.5989 DRG (Dorsal Root Ganglion) 29.16 21.11 8.04 3.7994 Breast normal 27.81 20.47 7.34 6.1508 Breast tumor 29.08 20.41 8.68 2.4466 Ovary normal 26.44 19.7 6.74 9.3878 Ovary Tumor 30.93 19.6 11.34 0.3871 Prostate Normal 28.11 19.48 8.63 2.5241 Prostate Tumor 27.68 19.68 8 3.9063 Salivary glands 28.9 19.18 9.71 1.194 Colon Tumor 27.98 18.82 9.16 1.742 Lung normal 26.96 17.4 9.56 1.3202 Lung tumor 27.82 19.64 8.19 3.4361 Lung COPD 26.38 17.66 8.72 2.3633 Colon IBD 28.27 17.29 10.98 0.4934 Liver normal 29.14 19.58 9.56 1.3248 Liver fibrosis 29.89 21.08 8.8 2.2358 Spleen normal 26.95 19.09 7.86 4.3193 Tonsil normal 25.01 16.8 8.21 3.3654 Lymph node normal 26.3 18.22 8.09 3.6828 Small intestine normal 29.03 19.59 9.45 1.4347 Skin-Decubitus 27.66 20.32 7.34 6.1722 Synovium 28.22 19.23 8.98 1.9804 BM-MNC 29.57 18.46 11.12 0.4509 Activated PBMC 28.38 17.25 11.14 0.4447 Neutrophils 27.43 18.4 9.04 1.8997 Megakaryocytes 26.72 17.88 8.84 2.1822 Erythroid 31.52 21.26 10.26 0.8183 Colon normal 30.07 19.25 10.82 0.5551

[2694] Tissue Distribution of Human 44181

[2695] A human vessel panel was tested revealing highest expression of human 44181 mRNA in LSS HUVEC (see Table 7, below). TABLE 7 Tissue Type Mean β 2 Mean ∂∂ Ct Expression Static Huvec 25.37 19.18 6.19 13.697 LSS Huvec 25.7 20.02 5.68 19.4377 Aortic SMC 28.75 20.32 8.43 2.9095 Coronary SMC 28.52 21.2 7.31 6.3019 H/Adipose/MET 9 36.07 18.41 17.66 0 Diseased Heart/PIT 1 29.28 21.15 8.13 3.5697 H/Artery/Normal/ 37.9 18.32 19.59 0 Carotid/CLN 595 H/Artery/Normal/ 39.97 19.49 20.48 0 Carotid/CLN 598 H/Artery/normal/NDR 352 40 20.2 19.8 0 H/Artery/Normal/AMC 150 40 22.27 17.73 0 H/Artery/Normal/AMC 73 40 23.84 16.16 0 IMA/AMC 247 39.73 22.79 16.95 0 IMA/AMC 254 33.79 22.23 11.56 0.3324 IMA/AMC 259 33.68 21.12 12.56 0.1656 IMA/AMC 261 34.73 21.23 13.5 0.0863 IMA/AMC 275 40 24.52 15.48 0 IMA/AMC 279 30.89 22.41 8.48 0 H/Artery/Diseased/ 36.59 18.43 18.16 0 iliac/NDR 753 H/Artery/Diseased/ 40 19.84 20.16 0 Tibial/PIT 679 Aorta/Diseased/PIT 732 34.74 21.32 13.41 0.0916 Aorta/Diseased/PIT 710 33.04 22.48 10.56 0.6624 Aorta/Diseased/PIT 711 31.89 22.09 9.8 1.1218 Aorta/Diseased/PIT 712 32.92 22.09 10.84 0.5474 H/Vein/Normal/Saphenous/ 32.66 16.82 15.83 0.0172 NDR 721 H/Vein/Normal/ 40 20 20 0 SaphenousAMC 107 H/Vein/Normal/NDR 239 40 20.61 19.39 0 H/Vein/Normal/Saphenous/ 40 19.1 20.9 0 NDR 237 H/Vein/Normal/NDR 235 40 21.34 18.66 0 H/Vein/Normal/MPI 1101 33.56 19.59 13.98 0.0621 HMVEC/Vehicle/24 hr 30.04 17.84 12.2 0.2125 HMVEC/Mev/24 hr/1X 29.77 18 11.76 0.2883 HMVEC/MEV/24 HR/2.5X 30.32 18.67 11.65 0.3112 HMVEC/MEV/48 HR/1X 31.58 18.8 12.79 0.1417 HMVEC/MEV/48 HR/2.5X 31.77 18.37 13.4 0.0922 HUVEC/Vehicle/24 hr 30.5 18.15 12.36 0.1909 HUVEC/Mev/24 hr/1X 30.28 17.52 12.76 0.1442 HUVEC/MEV/24 HR/2.5X 29.35 19.18 10.18 0.865 HUVEC/MEV/48 HR/1X 35.68 21.54 14.14 0 HUVEC/MEV/48 HR/2.5X 34.7 23 11.7 0.3016

[2696] Tissue Distribution of Human 67084

[2697] A human vessel panel was tested revealing highest expression of human 67084 mRNA in HUVEC, LSS HUVEC, and coronary smooth muscle cells (see Table 8, below). TABLE 8 Tissue Type Mean β 2 Mean ∂∂ Ct Expression Aortic SMC 25.92 19.23 6.7 9.6517 Coronary SMC 26.59 20.36 6.23 13.3224 Huvec Static 23.39 18.5 4.88 33.843 Huvec LSS 24.31 18.32 5.99 15.7883 H/Adipose/MET 9 26.4 18.46 7.94 4.0721 H/Artery/Normal/Carotid/ 26.83 18.84 8 3.9198 CLN 595 H/Artery/Normal/Carotid/ 28.49 20.16 8.34 3.0968 CLN 598 H/Artery/normal/NDR 352 27.12 20.32 6.8 8.9432 H/IM Artery/Normal/AMC 73 31.48 23.36 8.12 3.607 H/Muscular Artery/Normal/ 30.93 23.56 7.38 6.0243 AMC 236 H/Muscular Artery/Normal/ 33.77 24.84 8.92 2.0645 AMC 247 H/Muscular Artery/Normal/ 30.69 23.68 7 7.7855 AMC 254/ H/Muscular Artery/Normal/ 29.9 22.12 7.78 4.5497 AMC 259 H/Muscular Artery/Normal/ 29.93 21.13 8.8 2.2436 AMC 261 H/Muscular Artery/Normal/ 30.29 22.97 7.33 6.2367 AMC 275 H/Aorta/Diseased/PIT 732 29.02 21.35 7.67 4.8932 H/Aorta/Diseased/PIT 710 31.36 22.8 8.56 2.6496 H/Aorta/Diseased/PIT 711 31.31 22.6 8.71 2.3963 H/Aorta/Diseased/PIT 712 31.4 22.48 8.92 2.0645 H/Artery/Diseased/iliac/ 25.37 17.73 7.64 4.996 NDR 753 H/Artery/Diseased/Tibial/ 28.55 19.45 9.11 1.816 PIT 679 H/Vein/Normal/ 29.48 21.11 8.38 3.0121 SaphenousAMC 107 H/Vein/Normal/Saphenous/ 28.67 19.86 8.8 2.2358 NDR 237 H/Vein/Normal/PIT 1010 28.31 20.55 7.76 4.5973 H/Vein/Normal/AMC 191 29.25 20.77 8.47 2.8104 H/Vein/Normal/AMC 130 28.32 20.45 7.88 4.2598 H/Vein/Normal/AMC 188 31.68 24.61 7.06 7.4943 H/Vein/Normal/NDR 239 35.65 29.23 6.42 0 HUVEC Vehicle 26.86 20.14 6.71 9.5188 HUVEC Mev 25.83 18.52 7.3 6.3238 HAEC Vehicle 26.57 19.64 6.94 8.1443 HAEC Mev 27.81 21.13 6.67 9.7864

Example 3 Expression of Recombinant 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, OR 67084ALT Polypeptide in Bacterial Cells

[2698] In this example, human 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt is expressed as a recombinant glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion polypeptide in E. coli and the fusion polypeptide is isolated and characterized. Specifically, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt is fused to GST and this fusion polypeptide is expressed in E. coli, e.g., strain PEB199. Expression of the GST-PLTR fusion polypeptide in PEB199 is induced with IPTG. The recombinant fusion polypeptide is purified from crude bacterial lysates of the induced PEB199 strain by affinity chromatography on glutathione beads. Using polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis of the polypeptide purified from the bacterial lysates, the molecular weight of the resultant fusion polypeptide is determined.

Example 4 Expression of Recombinant 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, OR 67084ALT Polypeptides in COS Cells

[2699] To express the human 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene in COS cells, the pcDNA/Amp vector by Invitrogen Corporation (San Diego, Calif.) is used. This vector contains an SV40 origin of replication, an ampicillin resistance gene, an E. coli replication origin, a CMV promoter followed by a polylinker region, and an SV40 intron and polyadenylation site. A DNA fragment encoding the entire PLTR polypeptide and an HA tag (Wilson et al. (1984) Cell 37:767) or a FLAG tag fused in-frame to its 3′ end of the fragment is cloned into the polylinker region of the vector, thereby placing the expression of the recombinant polypeptide under the control of the CMV promoter.

[2700] To construct the plasmid, the human 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt DNA sequence is amplified by PCR using two primers. The 5′ primer contains the restriction site of interest followed by approximately twenty nucleotides of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt coding sequence starting from the initiation codon; the 3′ end sequence contains complementary sequences to the other restriction site of interest, a translation stop codon, the HA tag or FLAG tag and the last 20 nucleotides of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt coding sequence. The PCR amplified fragment and the pcDNA/Amp vector are digested with the appropriate restriction enzymes and the vector is dephosphorylated using the CIAP enzyme (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.). Preferably the two restriction sites chosen are different so that the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt gene is inserted in the correct orientation. The ligation mixture is transformed into E. coli cells (strains HB101, DH5α, SURE, available from Stratagene Cloning Systems, La Jolla, Calif., can be used), the transformed culture is plated on ampicillin media plates, and resistant colonies are selected. Plasmid DNA is isolated from transformants and examined by restriction analysis for the presence of the correct fragment.

[2701] COS cells are subsequently transfected with the human 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-pcDNA/Amp plasmid DNA using the calcium phosphate or calcium chloride co-precipitation methods, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, lipofection, or electroporation. Other suitable methods for transfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989. The expression of the IC54420 polypeptide is detected by radiolabeling (³⁵S-methionine or ³⁵S-cysteine available from NEN, Boston, Mass., can be used) and immunoprecipitation (Harlow, E. and Lane, D. Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1988) using an HA specific monoclonal antibody. Briefly, the cells are labeled for 8 hours with ³⁵S-methionine (or ³⁵S-cysteine). The culture media are then collected and the cells are lysed using detergents (RIPA buffer, 150 mM NaCl, 1% NP-40, 0.1 % SDS, 0.5% DOC, 50 mM Tris, pH 7.5). Both the cell lysate and the culture media are precipitated with an HA specific monoclonal antibody. Precipitated polypeptides are then analyzed by SDS-PAGE.

[2702] Alternatively, DNA containing the human 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt coding sequence is cloned directly into the polylinker of the pcDNA/Amp vector using the appropriate restriction sites. The resulting plasmid is transfected into COS cells in the manner described above, and the expression of the 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt polypeptide is detected by radiolabeling and immunoprecipitation using a 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, or 67084alt-specific monoclonal antibody.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[2703] The uptake of amino acids in mammalian cells is mediated by energy-dependent and passive amino acid transporters with different but overlapping specificities. Different cells contain a distinct set of transport systems in their plasma membranes. Most energy-dependent transporters are coupled to the countertransport of K⁺ or to the cotransport of Na⁺ or Cl⁻. Passive transporters are either facilitated transporters or channels. The transport of amino acids is important in such functions as protein synthesis, hormone metabolism, nerve transmission, cellular activation, regulation of cell growth, production of metabolic energy, synthesis of purines and pyrimidines, nitrogen metabolism, and/or biosynthesis of urea. Catagna, et al. (1997) The Journal of Experimental Biology 200:269-286. Examples of important amino acid transport systems and their physiological roles follow.

[2704] L-glutamate is the major mediator of excitatory neurotransmission in the mammalian central nervous system. At least four different glutamate transporters have been cloned, EAAC1, GLT-1, GLAST, and EAAT4. Catagna, et al. (1997) The Journal of Experimental Biology 200:269-286. L-glutamate is stored in synaptic vesicles at presynaptic terminals and released into the synaptic cleft to act on glutamate receptors. Glutamate is involved in most aspects of brain function including cognition, memory, and learning. The role of amino acid transporters in keeping the extracellular concentration of glutamate low is important for the following reasons: (1) to ensure a high signal-to-noise ratio during neurotransmission; and (2) to prevent neuronal cell death resulting from excessive activation of glutamate receptors. Glutamate transporters play a role in stroke, central nervous system ischemia, seizures, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Seal (1999) Annu. Rev. Pharmacol. Toxicol. 39:431-56.

[2705] A defect in cystine transport during renal cystine reabsorption results in cystinuria, an autosomal recessive disorder and a common hereditary cause of nephrolithiasis. The low solubility of cystine in urine favors formation of cystine-containing kidney stones. At least 2 separate amino acid transporters are involved in cystine transport: one located in the proximal tubule S1 segment and the other located in the proximal tubule S3 segment. It is believed that the D2/NBAT amino acid transport system transports cystine at the proximal tubule S3 segment.

[2706] Cationic amino acid (CAT) transporters are needed for protein synthesis, urea synthesis (arginine), and as precursors of bioactive molecules. Palacin, et al. Physiological Reviews 78(4):969-1054. Arginine is the immediate precursor for the synthesis of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide acts as a vasodilator where it plays an important role in the regulation of blood flow and blood pressure. Nitric oxide is also important in neurotransmission. Arginine is also a precursor for the synthesis of creatine, which is a high energy phosphate source for muscle contraction. Ornithine is required for the synthesis of polyamines, which are important in cell and tissue growth.

[2707] Growth factors, cytokines, and hormones modulate amino acid transport. Kilberg, et al. (1993) Annu. Rev. Nutr. 13:137-65. For example, epidermal growth factor stimulates amino acid transport Systems A and L in rat kidney cells. Glucagon and glucocorticoid hormones are known to stimulate Systems A and N. Both TNF and IL-1 stimulate System ASC-mediated glutamine uptake by cultured porcine endothelial cells. Further, TGF-β stimulates both Systems A and L in rat kidney cells.

[2708] Given the important role of amino acid transporters in regulating a wide variety of cellular processes, there exists a need for the identification of novel amino acid transporters as well as modulators of such transporters for use in a variety of pharmaceutical and therapeutic applications.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[2709] The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel amino acid transporter family members, referred to herein as “Human Amino Acid Transporter” or “HAAT” nucleic acid and protein molecules. The HAAT nucleic acid and protein molecules of the present invention are useful as modulating agents in regulating a variety of cellular processes, e.g., protein synthesis, hormone metabolism, nerve transmission, cellular activation, regulation of cell growth, production of metabolic energy, synthesis of purines and pyrimidines, nitrogen metabolism, and/or biosynthesis of urea. Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding HAAT proteins or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments suitable as primers or hybridization probes for the detection of HAAT-encoding nucleic acids.

[2710] In one embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that includes the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93. In another embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that encodes a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 92. In another embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that includes the nucleotide sequence contained in the plasmid deposited with ATCC® as Accession Number ______.

[2711] In still other embodiments, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules including nucleotide sequences that are substantially identical (e.g., 80% identical) to the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93. The invention further features isolated nucleic acid molecules including at least 30 contiguous nucleotides of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93. In another embodiment, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence that is substantially identical (e.g., 80% identical) to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 92. Also featured are nucleic acid molecules which encode allelic variants of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 92. In addition to isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding full-length polypeptides, the present invention also features nucleic acid molecules which encode fragments, for example, biologically active or antigenic fragments, of the full-length polypeptides of the present invention (e.g., fragments including at least 10 contiguous amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 92). In still other embodiments, the invention features nucleic acid molecules that are complementary to, antisense to, or hybridize under stringent conditions to the isolated nucleic acid molecules described herein.

[2712] In a related aspect, the invention provides vectors including the isolated nucleic acid molecules described herein (e.g., HAAT-encoding nucleic acid molecules). Such vectors can optionally include nucleotide sequences encoding heterologous polypeptides. Also featured are host cells including such vectors (e.g., host cells including vectors suitable for producing HAAT nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides).

[2713] In another aspect, the invention features isolated HAAT polypeptides and/or biologically active or antigenic fragments thereof. Exemplary embodiments feature a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 92, a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 92, a polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid molecule including a nucleotide sequence at least 80% identical to the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93. Also featured are fragments of the full-length polypeptides described herein (e.g., fragments including at least 10 contiguous amino acid residues of the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 92) as well as allelic variants of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 92.

[2714] The HAAT polypeptides and/or biologically active or antigenic fragments thereof, are useful, for example, as reagents or targets in assays applicable to treatment and/or diagnosis of HAAT associated or related disorders. In one embodiment, a HAAT polypeptide or fragment thereof has a HAAT activity. In another embodiment, a HAAT polypeptide or fragment thereof has at least one or more of the following domains, sites, or motifs: a transmembrane domain, a transmembrane amino acid transporter domain, and optionally, has a HAAT activity. In a related aspect, the invention features antibodies (e.g., antibodies which specifically bind to any one of the polypeptides, as described herein) as well as fusion polypeptides including all or a fragment of a polypeptide described herein.

[2715] The present invention further features methods for detecting HAAT polypeptides and/or HAAT nucleic acid molecules, such methods featuring, for example, a probe, primer or antibody described herein. Also featured are kits for the detection of HAAT polypeptides and/or HAAT nucleic acid molecules. In a related aspect, the invention features methods for identifying compounds which bind to and/or modulate the activity of a HAAT polypeptide or HAAT nucleic acid molecule described herein. Also featured are methods for modulating a HAAT activity.

[2716] Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[2717] The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel amino acid transporter family members, referred to herein as “Human Amino Acid Transporter” or “HAAT” nucleic acid and protein molecules, also referred to interchangeably herein as “FBH5829FL” nucleic acid and protein molecules. These novel molecules are capable of transporting alanine, serine, proline, glutamine, and N-methyl amino acids across cellular membranes and, thus, play a role in or function in a variety of cellular processes, e.g., protein synthesis, hormone metabolism, nerve transmission, cellular activation, regulation of cell growth, production of metabolic energy, synthesis of purines and pyrimidines, nitrogen metabolism, and/or biosynthesis of urea. Thus, the HAAT molecules of the present invention provide novel diagnostic targets and therapeutic agents to control HAAT-associated disorders, as defined herein.

[2718] The term “treatment” as used herein, is defined as the application or administration of a therapeutic agent to a patient, or application or administration of a therapeutic agent to an isolated tissue or cell line from a patient, who has a disease, a symptom of disease or a predisposition toward a disease, with the purpose to cure, heal, alleviate, relieve, alter, remedy, ameliorate, improve or affect the disease, the symptoms of disease or the predisposition toward disease. A therapeutic agent includes, but is not limited to, small molecules, peptides, antibodies, ribozymes and antisense oligonucleotides.

[2719] The term “family” when referring to the protein and nucleic acid molecules of the invention is intended to mean two or more proteins or nucleic acid molecules having a common structural domain or motif and having sufficient amino acid or nucleotide sequence homology as defined herein. Such family members can be naturally or non-naturally occurring and can be from either the same or different species. For example, a family can contain a first protein of human origin as well as other distinct proteins of human origin or alternatively, can contain homologues of non-human origin, e.g., rat or mouse proteins. Members of a family can also have common functional characteristics.

[2720] For example, the family of HAAT polypeptides comprise at least one “transmembrane domain” and preferably at least two, three, four, five, fix, seven, eight, nine, ten, or eleven transmembrane domains. As used herein, the term “transmembrane domain” includes an amino acid sequence of about 15-45 amino acid residues in length which spans the plasma membrane. More preferably, a transmembrane domain includes about at least 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, or 45 amino acid residues and spans the plasma membrane. Transmembrane domains are rich in hydrophobic residues, and typically have an alpha-helical structure. In a preferred embodiment, at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or more of the amino acids of a transmembrane domain are hydrophobic, e.g., leucines, isoleucines, alanines, valines, phenylalanines, prolines or methionines. Transmembrane domains are described in, for example, Zagotta W. N. et al, (1996) Annual Rev. Neurosci. 19: 235-263, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. A MEMSAT analysis and a structural, hydrophobicity, and antigenicity analysis resulted in the identification of ten transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of HAAT (SEQ ID NO: 92) at about residues 68-92, 135-156, 190-207, 214-232, 256-274, 287-308, 334-356, 373-390, 397-421, and 435-453 as set forth in FIGS. 85 and 87. Manual analysis of the amino acid sequence of human HAAT resulted in the identification of an additional transmembrane domain at amino acids 42-65 of SEQ ID NO: 92.

[2721] The family of HAAT polypeptides also comprises at least one “transmembrane amino acid transporter protein domain.” As used herein, the term “transmembrane amino acid transporter protein domain” includes transmembrane domains found in amino acid sequences that are involved in the transport of amino acids across a membrane. There are a wide range of amino acid transporter proteins that may be classified into a multitude of different amino acid transporter systems. A listing of some of the different amino acid transporter systems follows.

[2722] System A

[2723] System A transports small aliphatic amino acids including alanine, serine, proline, glutamine and is wide expressed in mammalian cells including myocytes and hepatocytes. In the intestine, system A is localized to basolateral membranes where it absorbs amino acids from the blood for the metabolic requirement of enterocytes. (Stevens, et al. (1984) A. Rev. Physiol. 46:417-433). System A is Na⁺-coupled, tolerates Li⁺ and is pH sensitive. (Christensen, et al. (1965) J. Biol. Chem. 240:3609-3616). System A recognize N-methyl amino acids, and (N-methylamino)-α-isobutyric acid (MeAIB) is a characteristic substrate. System A is regulated by amino acid deprivation, hormones, growth factors and hyperosmotic stress. For example, insulin stimulates system A activity in both liver and skeletal muscle, and glucagon also stimulates it synergistically in hepatocytes. (Le Cam, et al. (1978) Diabetologia 15:1835-1853).

[2724] System ASC

[2725] System ASC provides cell with the amino acids alanine, threonine, serine, cysteine. System ASC is distinguishable from system A because (1) it does not recognize (N-methylamino)-α-isobutyric acid (MeAIB), and (2) neutral amino acid uptake is relatively pH-insensitive.

[2726] Systems B. B⁰, and B⁰⁺

[2727] Systems B, B⁰, and B⁰⁺ mediate the absorption of aliphate, branched-chain and aromatic amino acids. B⁰⁺ also accepts dibasic amino acids. (Van Winkle, et al. (1988) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 947:173-208.) Systems B, B⁰, and B⁰⁺ are Na⁺-dependent. Systems B and B⁰ have a broader specificity for neutral amino acids than systems A and ASC. Systems B and B⁰ are present in intestinal and renal epithelial brush-border membranes. (Stevens, et al. (1984) A. Rev. Physiol. 46:417-433). System B⁰⁺ is both Na⁺ and Cl⁻-coupled. (Van Winkle (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260:12118-12123.)

[2728] System b⁰⁺

[2729] The mouse blastocyst transport system b⁰⁺ mediates Na⁺ independent, high affinity transport of neutral and dibasic amino acids. It is expressed in kidney and intestinal epithelia.

[2730] System N

[2731] System N is Na⁺ coupled and specific for neutral amino acids. It has a more restricted tissue distribution than systems A, ASC, B, B⁰, and B⁰⁺. It is expressed in liver and muscle. In liver, system N is involved in the transport of glutamine, asparagine and histidine and it plays an important role in glutamine metabolism. Kilberg, et al. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255:4011-4019.

[2732] System GLY

[2733] System GLY is specific for glycine and sarcosine and is found in liver, erythrocytes, and brain.

[2734] System β

[2735] System β is specific for β-amino acids and taurine. Given its high abundance in the brain, it is thought to play a role in neurotransmission.

[2736] The Imino System

[2737] The iminio system is specific for proline and was described in brush border membranes of intestinal enterocytes. The iminio system accounts for 60% of the Na⁺-dependent uptake of proline in brush-border membranes and is specific for imino acids and MeAIB.

[2738] System L

[2739] System L transport branched-chain and aromatic amino acids. System L is Na⁺-independent. In the brain, system L is the major transport system of the blood-brain barrier and of glial cells. The bicyclic amino acid 2-aminobicyclo(2,2,1)heptane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH) is a characteristic substrate of system L.

[2740] System X⁻ _(AG)

[2741] System X⁻ _(AG) is an electrogenic Na⁺-dependent acidic amino acid transport system that has been found in both epithelial cells and neurons. In the central nervous system, glutamate plays an important role as excitatory neurotransmitter. To terminate signal transmission, glutamate is removed from the extracellular fluid in the synaptic cleft surrounding the receptors by specialized uptake systems in neurons and glial cells because there are no enzymatic pathways for transmitter inactivation.

[2742] System y⁺

[2743] System y⁺ takes up cationic acid. System y⁺ also takes up some neutral amino acids in the presence of Na⁺, resulting in electrogenic transport.

[2744] System x⁻ _(c)

[2745] System x⁻ _(c) is a Na⁺-independent, Cl⁻ dependent, cystine/glutamate exchange. System x⁻ _(c) has been found in fibroblasts, macrophages, endothelial cells, glial cells, and hepatocytes.

[2746] Isolated proteins of the present invention, preferably HAAT proteins, have an amino acid sequence sufficiently homologous to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 92, or are encoded by a nucleotide sequence sufficiently homologous to SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93. As used herein, the term “sufficiently homologous” refers to a first amino acid or nucleotide sequence which contains a sufficient or minimum number of identical or equivalent (e.g., an amino acid residue which has a similar side chain) amino acid residues or nucleotides to a second amino acid or nucleotide sequence such that the first and second amino acid or nucleotide sequences share common structural domains or motifs and/or a common functional activity. For example, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share common structural domains having at least 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homology or identity across the amino acid sequences of the domains and contain at least one and preferably two structural domains or motifs, are defined herein as sufficiently homologous. Furthermore, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share at least 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homology or identity and share a common functional activity are defined herein as sufficiently homologous. In a preferred embodiment, amino acid or nucleotide sequences share percent identity across the full or entire length of the amino acid or nucleotide sequence being aligned, for example, when the sequences are globally aligned (e.g., as determined by the ALIGN algorithm as defined herein).

[2747] In a preferred embodiment, a HAAT protein includes at least one or more of the following domains, sites, or motifs: a transmembrane domain, a transmembrane amino acid transporter domain and has an amino acid sequence at least about 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homologous or identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 92, or the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______.

[2748] As used interchangeably herein, a “HAAT activity”, “amino acid transporter activity”, “biological activity of HAAT”, or “functional activity of HAAT”, includes an activity exerted or mediated by a HAAT protein, polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule on a HAAT responsive cell or on a HAAT substrate, as determined in vivo or in vitro, according to standard techniques. In one embodiment, a HAAT activity is a direct activity, such as an association with a HAAT target molecule. As used herein, a “target molecule” or “binding partner” is a molecule with which a HAAT protein binds or interacts in nature, such that HAAT-mediated function is achieved. A HAAT target molecule can be a non-HAAT molecule or a HAAT protein or polypeptide of the present invention. In an exemplary embodiment, a HAAT target molecule is a HAAT substrate (e.g., an amino acid). A HAAT activity can also be an indirect activity, such as a protein synthesis activity mediated by interaction of the HAAT protein with a HAAT substrate.

[2749] In a preferred embodiment, a HAAT activity is at least one of the following activities: (i) interaction with a HAAT substrate or target molecule (e.g., an amino acid); (ii) transport of a HAAT substrate or target molecule (e.g., an amino acid) from one side of a cellular membrane to the other; (iii) conversion of a HAAT substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., glucose production); (iv) interaction with a second non-HAAT protein; (v) modulation of substrate or target molecule location (e.g., modulation of amino acid location within a cell and/or location with respect to a cellular membrane); (vi) maintenance of amino acid gradients; (vii) modulation of hormone metabolism and/or nerve transmission (e.g., either directly or indirectly); (viii) modulation of cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and production of metabolic energy; and/or (ix) modulation of amino acid homeostasis.

[2750] The nucleotide sequence of the isolated human HAAT cDNA and the predicted amino acid sequence encoded by the HAAT cDNA are shown in FIGS. 84A-B and in SEQ ID NO: 91 and 92, respectively. A plasmid containing the human HAAT cDNA was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on and assigned Accession Number ______. This deposit will be maintained under the terms of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure. This deposit were made merely as a convenience for those of skill in the art and is not an admission that a deposit is required under 35 U.S.C. §112.

[2751] The human HAAT gene, which is approximately 2397 nucleotides in length, encodes a protein which is approximately 485 amino acid residues in length.

[2752] Various aspects of the invention are described in further detail in the following subsections:

[2753] I. Isolated Nucleic Acid Molecules

[2754] One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated nucleic acid molecules that encode HAAT proteins or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments sufficient for use as hybridization probes to identify HAAT-encoding nucleic acid molecules (e.g., HAAT mRNA) and fragments for use as PCR primers for the amplification or mutation of HAAT nucleic acid molecules. As used herein, the term “nucleic acid molecule” is intended to include DNA molecules (e.g., cDNA or genomic DNA) and RNA molecules (e.g., mRNA) and analogs of the DNA or RNA generated using nucleotide analogs. The nucleic acid molecule can be single-stranded or double-stranded, but preferably is double-stranded DNA.

[2755] The term “isolated nucleic acid molecule” includes nucleic acid molecules which are separated from other nucleic acid molecules which are present in the natural source of the nucleic acid. For example, with regards to genomic DNA, the term “isolated” includes nucleic acid molecules which are separated from the chromosome with which the genomic DNA is naturally associated. Preferably, an “isolated” nucleic acid is free of sequences which naturally flank the nucleic acid (i.e., sequences located at the 5′ and 3′ ends of the nucleic acid) in the genomic DNA of the organism from which the nucleic acid is derived. For example, in various embodiments, the isolated HAAT nucleic acid molecule can contain less than about 5 kb, 4 kb, 3 kb, 2 kb, 1 kb, 0.5 kb or 0.1 kb of nucleotide sequences which naturally flank the nucleic acid molecule in genomic DNA of the cell from which the nucleic acid is derived. Moreover, an “isolated” nucleic acid molecule, such as a cDNA molecule, can be substantially free of other cellular material, or culture medium when produced by recombinant techniques, or substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized.

[2756] A nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, e.g., a nucleic acid molecule having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or a portion thereof, can be isolated using standard molecular biology techniques and the sequence information provided herein. Using all or a portion of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, as hybridization probes, HAAT nucleic acid molecules can be isolated using standard hybridization and cloning techniques (e.g., as described in Sambrook, J. et al. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd), ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989).

[2757] Moreover, a nucleic acid molecule encompassing all or a portion of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ can be isolated by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using synthetic oligonucleotide primers designed based upon the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______.

[2758] A nucleic acid of the invention can be amplified using cDNA, mRNA or alternatively, genomic DNA, as a template and appropriate oligonucleotide primers according to standard PCR amplification techniques. The nucleic acid so amplified can be cloned into an appropriate vector and characterized by DNA sequence analysis. Furthermore, oligonucleotides corresponding to HAAT nucleotide sequences can be prepared by standard synthetic techniques, e.g., using an automated DNA synthesizer.

[2759] In one embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93. This cDNA may comprise sequences encoding the human HAAT protein (e.g., the “coding region”, from nucleotides 69-1526), as well as 5′ untranslated sequence (nucleotides 1-68) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1527-2397) of SEQ ID NO: 91. Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 91 (e.g., nucleotides 69-1526, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 93). Accordingly, in another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises SEQ ID NO: 93 and nucleotides 1-68 of SEQ ID NO: 91. In yet another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 93 and nucleotides 1527-2397 of SEQ ID NO: 91. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93.

[2760] In still another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises a nucleic acid molecule which is a complement of the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number , or a portion of any of these nucleotide sequences. A nucleic acid molecule which is complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number , is one which is sufficiently complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, such that it can hybridize to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, thereby forming a stable duplex.

[2761] In still another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least about 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93 (e.g., to the entire length of the nucleotide sequence), or to the nucleotide sequence (e.g., the entire length of the nucleotide sequence) of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or a portion or complement of any of these nucleotide sequences. In one embodiment, a nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least (or no greater than) 50-100, 100-250, 250-500, 500-750, 750-1000, 1000-1250, 1250-1500, 1500-1750, 1750-2000, 2000-2250, 2250-2500, 2500-2750, 2750-3000 or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______.

[2762] Moreover, the nucleic acid molecule of the invention can comprise only a portion of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, for example, a fragment which can be used as a probe or primer or a fragment encoding a portion of a HAAT protein, e.g., a biologically active portion of a HAAT protein. The nucleotide sequence determined from the cloning of the HAAT gene allows for the generation of probes and primers designed for use in identifying and/or cloning other HAAT family members, as well as HAAT homologues from other species. The probe/primer (e.g., oligonucleotide) typically comprises substantially purified oligonucleotide. The oligonucleotide typically comprises a region of nucleotide sequence that hybridizes under stringent conditions to at least about 12 or 15, preferably about 20 or 25, more preferably about 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, or 75 consecutive nucleotides of a sense sequence of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, of an anti-sense sequence of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or of a naturally occurring allelic variant or mutant of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. In another embodiment, a fragment comprises at least 8, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 475, 500, 550, 575, 600, 650 or more nucleic acids (e.g., contiguous or consecutive nucleotides) of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or of a naturally occurring allelic variant or mutant of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number.

[2763] Exemplary probes or primers are at least (or no greater than) 12 or 15, 20 or 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75 or more nucleotides in length and/or comprise consecutive nucleotides of an isolated nucleic acid molecule described herein. Also included within the scope of the present invention are probes or primers comprising contiguous or consecutive nucleotides of an isolated nucleic acid molecule described herein, but for the difference of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 bases within the probe or primer sequence. Probes based on the HAAT nucleotide sequences can be used to detect (e.g., specifically detect) transcripts or genomic sequences encoding the same or homologous proteins. In preferred embodiments, the probe further comprises a label group attached thereto, e.g., the label group can be a radioisotope, a fluorescent compound, an enzyme, or an enzyme co-factor. In another embodiment a set of primers is provided, e.g., primers suitable for use in a PCR, which can be used to amplify a selected region of a HAAT sequence, e.g., a domain, region, site or other sequence described herein. The primers should be at least 5, 10, or 50 base pairs in length and less than 100, or less than 200, base pairs in length. The primers should be identical, or differ by no greater than 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 bases when compared to a sequence disclosed herein or to the sequence of a naturally occurring variant. Such probes can be used as a part of a diagnostic test kit for identifying cells or tissue which misexpress a HAAT protein, such as by measuring a level of a HAAT-encoding nucleic acid in a sample of cells from a subject, e.g., detecting HAAT mRNA levels or determining whether a genomic HAAT gene has been mutated or deleted.

[2764] A nucleic acid fragment encoding a “biologically active portion of a HAAT protein” can be prepared by isolating a portion of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, which encodes a polypeptide having a HAAT biological activity (the biological activities of the HAAT proteins are described herein), expressing the encoded portion of the HAAT protein (e.g., by recombinant expression in vitro) and assessing the activity of the encoded portion of the HAAT protein. In an exemplary embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule is at least 50-100, 100-250, 250-500, 500-700, 750-1000, 1000-1250, 1250-1500, 1500-1750, 1750-2000, 2000-2250, 2250-2400 or more nucleotides in length and encodes a protein having a HAAT activity (as described herein).

[2765] The invention further encompasses nucleic acid molecules that differ from the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, due to degeneracy of the genetic code and thus encode the same HAAT proteins as those encoded by the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. In another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention has a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence which differs by at least 1, but no greater than 5, 10, 20, 50 or 100 amino acid residues from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 92, or the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule encodes the amino acid sequence of human HAAT. If an alignment is needed for this comparison, the sequences should be aligned for maximum homology.

[2766] Nucleic acid variants can be naturally occurring, such as allelic variants (same locus), homologues (different locus), and orthologues (different organism) or can be non naturally occurring. Non-naturally occurring variants can be made by mutagenesis techniques, including those applied to polynucleotides, cells, or organisms. The variants can contain nucleotide substitutions, deletions, inversions and insertions. Variation can occur in either or both the coding and non-coding regions. The variations can produce both conservative and non-conservative amino acid substitutions (as compared in the encoded product).

[2767] Allelic variants result, for example, from DNA sequence polymorphisms within a population (e.g., the human population) that lead to changes in the amino acid sequences of the HAAT proteins. Such genetic polymorphism in the HAAT genes may exist among individuals within a population due to natural allelic variation. As used herein, the terms “gene” and “recombinant gene” refer to nucleic acid molecules which include an open reading frame encoding a HAAT protein, preferably a mammalian HAAT protein, and can further include non-coding regulatory sequences, and introns.

[2768] Accordingly, in one embodiment, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode a naturally occurring allelic variant of a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 92, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, wherein the nucleic acid molecule hybridizes to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, for example, under stringent hybridization conditions.

[2769] Allelic variants of HAAT, e.g., human HAAT, include both functional and non-functional HAAT proteins. Functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the HAAT protein that maintain the ability to, e.g., bind or interact with a HAAT substrate or target molecule, transport a HAAT substrate or target molecule (e.g., an amino acid) across a cellular membrane and/or modulate protein synthesis, hormone metabolism, nerve transmission, cellular activation, regulation of cell growth, production of metabolic energy, synthesis of purines and pyrimidines, nitrogen metabolism, and/or biosynthesis of urea. Functional allelic variants will typically contain only conservative substitution of one or more amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 92, or substitution, deletion or insertion of non-critical residues in non-critical regions of the protein.

[2770] Non-functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the HAAT protein, e.g., human HAAT, that do not have the ability to, e.g., bind or interact with a HAAT substrate or target molecule, transport a HAAT substrate or target molecule (e.g., an amino acid) across a cellular membrane and/or modulate protein synthesis, hormone metabolism, nerve transmission, cellular activation, regulation of cell growth, production of metabolic energy, synthesis of purines and pyrimidines, nitrogen metabolism, and/or biosynthesis of urea. Non-functional allelic variants will typically contain a non-conservative substitution, a deletion, or insertion, or premature truncation of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 92, or a substitution, insertion, or deletion in critical residues or critical regions of the protein.

[2771] The present invention further provides non-human orthologues (e.g., non-human orthologues of the human HAAT protein). Orthologues of the human HAAT protein are proteins that are isolated from non-human organisms and possess the same HAAT substrate or target molecule binding mechanisms, amino acid transporting activity and/or modulation of nitrogen metabolism mechanisms of the human HAAT proteins. Orthologues of the human HAAT protein can readily be identified as comprising an amino acid sequence that is substantially homologous to SEQ ID NO: 92.

[2772] Moreover, nucleic acid molecules encoding other HAAT family members and, thus, which have a nucleotide sequence which differs from the HAAT sequences of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, another HAAT cDNA can be identified based on the nucleotide sequence of human HAAT. Moreover, nucleic acid molecules encoding HAAT proteins from different species, and which, thus, have a nucleotide sequence which differs from the HAAT sequences of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, a mouse or monkey HAAT cDNA can be identified based on the nucleotide sequence of a human HAAT.

[2773] Nucleic acid molecules corresponding to natural allelic variants and homologues of the HAAT cDNAs of the invention can be isolated based on their homology to the HAAT nucleic acids disclosed herein using the cDNAs disclosed herein, or a portion thereof, as a hybridization probe according to standard hybridization techniques under stringent hybridization conditions. Nucleic acid molecules corresponding to natural allelic variants and homologues of the HAAT cDNAs of the invention can further be isolated by mapping to the same chromosome or locus as the HAAT gene.

[2774] Orthologues, homologues and allelic variants can be identified using methods known in the art (e.g., by hybridization to an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, for example, under stringent hybridization conditions). In one embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention is at least 15, 20, 25, 30 or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. In other embodiment, the nucleic acid is at least 50-100, 100-250, 250-500, 500-700, 750-1000, 1000-1250, 1250-1500, 1500-1750, 1750-2000, 2000-2250, 2250-2400 or more nucleotides in length (e.g., 2397 nucleotides in length).

[2775] As used herein, the term “hybridizes under stringent conditions” is intended to describe conditions for hybridization and washing under which nucleotide sequences that are significantly identical or homologous to each other remain hybridized to each other. Preferably, the conditions are such that sequences at least about 70%, more preferably at least about 80%, even more preferably at least about 85% or 90% identical to each other remain hybridized to each other. Such stringent conditions are known to those skilled in the art and can be found in Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Ausubel et al., eds., John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1995), sections 2, 4, and 6. Additional stringent conditions can be found in Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Sambrook et al., Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989), chapters 7, 9, and 11. A preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 4× sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC), at about 65-70° C. (or alternatively hybridization in 4× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 42-50° C.) followed by one or more washes in 1× SSC, at about 65-70° C. A preferred, non-limiting example of highly stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 1× SSC, at about 65-70° C. (or alternatively hybridization in 1× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 42-50° C.) followed by one or more washes in 0.3× SSC, at about 65-70° C. A preferred, non-limiting example of reduced stringency hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 4× SSC, at about 50-60° C. (or alternatively hybridization in 6× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 40-45° C.) followed by one or more washes in 2× SSC, at about 50-60° C. Ranges intermediate to the above-recited values, e.g., at 65-70° C. or at 42-50° C. are also intended to be encompassed by the present invention. SSPE (1×SSPE is 0.15M NaCl, 10 mM NaH₂PO₄, and 1.25 mM EDTA, pH 7.4) can be substituted for SSC (1× SSC is 0.15M NaCl and 15 mM sodium citrate) in the hybridization and wash buffers; washes are performed for 15 minutes each after hybridization is complete. The hybridization temperature for hybrids anticipated to be less than 50 base pairs in length should be 5-10° C. less than the melting temperature (T_(m)) of the hybrid, where T_(m) is determined according to the following equations. For hybrids less than 18 base pairs in length, T_(m)(° C.)=2(# of A+T bases)+4(# of G+C bases). For hybrids between 18 and 49 base pairs in length, T_(m)(° C.)=81.5+16.6(log₁₀[Na⁺])+0.41(%G+C)−(600/N), where N is the number of bases in the hybrid, and [Na⁺] is the concentration of sodium ions in the hybridization buffer ([Na⁺] for 1× SSC=0.165 M). It will also be recognized by the skilled practitioner that additional reagents may be added to hybridization and/or wash buffers to decrease non-specific hybridization of nucleic acid molecules to membranes, for example, nitrocellulose or nylon membranes, including but not limited to blocking agents (e.g., BSA or salmon or herring sperm carrier DNA), detergents (e.g., SDS), chelating agents (e.g., EDTA), Ficoll, PVP and the like. When using nylon membranes, in particular, an additional preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions is hybridization in 0.25-0.5M NaH₂PO₄, 7% SDS at about 65° C., followed by one or more washes at 0.02M NaH₂PO₄, 1% SDS at 65° C. (see e.g., Church and Gilbert (1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:1991-1995), or alternatively 0.2× SSC, 1% SDS.

[2776] Preferably, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93 corresponds to a naturally-occurring nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, a “naturally-occurring” nucleic acid molecule refers to an RNA or DNA molecule having a nucleotide sequence that occurs in nature (e.g., encodes a natural protein).

[2777] In addition to naturally-occurring allelic variants of the HAAT sequences that may exist in the population, the skilled artisan will further appreciate that changes can be introduced by mutation into the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, thereby leading to changes in the amino acid sequence of the encoded HAAT proteins, without altering the functional ability of the HAAT proteins. For example, nucleotide substitutions leading to amino acid substitutions at “non-essential” amino acid residues can be made in the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. A “non-essential” amino acid residue is a residue that can be altered from the wild-type sequence of HAAT (e.g., the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 92) without altering the biological activity, whereas an “essential” amino acid residue is required for biological activity. For example, amino acid residues that are conserved among the HAAT proteins of the present invention, e.g., those present in a transmembrane amino acid transporter domain, are predicted to be particularly unamenable to alteration. Furthermore, additional amino acid residues that are conserved between the HAAT proteins of the present invention and other members of the amino acid transporter family (e.g., those that are amino acid transporter specific amino acid residues) are not likely to be amenable to alteration.

[2778] Accordingly, another aspect of the invention pertains to nucleic acid molecules encoding HAAT proteins that contain changes in amino acid residues that are not essential for activity. Such HAAT proteins differ in amino acid sequence from SEQ ID NO: 92, yet retain biological activity. In one embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein, wherein the protein comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% 99% or more homologous to SEQ ID NO: 92, e.g., to the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 92.

[2779] An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a HAAT protein homologous to the protein of SEQ ID NO: 92 can be created by introducing one or more nucleotide substitutions, additions or deletions into the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, such that one or more amino acid substitutions, additions or deletions are introduced into the encoded protein. Mutations can be introduced into SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ by standard techniques, such as site-directed mutagenesis and PCR-mediated mutagenesis. Preferably, conservative amino acid substitutions are made at one or more predicted non-essential amino acid residues. A “conservative amino acid substitution” is one in which the amino acid residue is replaced with an amino acid residue having a similar side chain. Families of amino acid residues having similar side chains have been defined in the art. These families include amino acids with basic side chains (e.g., lysine, arginine, histidine), acidic side chains (e.g., aspartic acid, glutamic acid), uncharged polar side chains (e.g., glycine, asparagine, glutamine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, cysteine, tryptophan), nonpolar side chains (e.g., alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, proline, phenylalanine, methionine), beta-branched side chains (e.g., threonine, valine, isoleucine) and aromatic side chains (e.g., tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, histidine). Thus, a predicted nonessential amino acid residue in a HAAT protein is preferably replaced with another amino acid residue from the same side chain family. Alternatively, in another embodiment, mutations can be introduced randomly along all or part of a HAAT coding sequence, such as by saturation mutagenesis, and the resultant mutants can be screened for HAAT biological activity to identify mutants that retain activity. Following mutagenesis of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, the encoded protein can be expressed recombinantly and the activity of the protein can be determined.

[2780] In a preferred embodiment, a mutant HAAT protein can be assayed for the ability to (i) interact with a HAAT substrate or target molecule (e.g., an amino acid); (ii) transport a HAAT substrate or target molecule (e.g., an amino acid) from one side of a cellular membrane to the other; (iii) convert a HAAT substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., glucose production); (iv) interact with a second non-HAAT protein; (v) modulate substrate or target molecule location (e.g., modulation of amino acid location within a cell and/or location with respect to a cellular membrane); (vi) maintain amino acid gradients; (vii) modulate hormone metabolism and/or nerve transmission (e.g. either directly or indirectly); and/or (viii) modulate cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and production of metabolic energy.

[2781] In addition to the nucleic acid molecules encoding HAAT proteins described above, another aspect of the invention pertains to isolated nucleic acid molecules which are antisense thereto. In an exemplary embodiment, the invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule which is antisense to a HAAT nucleic acid molecule (e.g., is antisense to the coding strand of a HAAT nucleic acid molecule). An “antisense” nucleic acid comprises a nucleotide sequence which is complementary to a “sense” nucleic acid encoding a protein, e.g., complementary to the coding strand of a double-stranded cDNA molecule or complementary to an mRNA sequence. Accordingly, an antisense nucleic acid can hydrogen bond to a sense nucleic acid. The antisense nucleic acid can be complementary to an entire HAAT coding strand, or to only a portion thereof. In one embodiment, an antisense nucleic acid molecule is antisense to “coding region sequences” of the coding strand of a nucleotide sequence encoding HAAT. The term “coding region sequences” refers to the region of the nucleotide sequence comprising codons which are translated into amino acid residues (e.g., the coding region sequences of human HAAT corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 93). In another embodiment, the antisense nucleic acid molecule is antisense to a “noncoding region” of the coding strand of a nucleotide sequence encoding HAAT. The term “noncoding region” refers to 5′ and/or 3′ sequences which flank the coding region sequences that are not translated into amino acids (also referred to as 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions).

[2782] Given the coding strand sequences encoding HAAT disclosed herein (e.g., SEQ ID NO: 93), antisense nucleic acids of the invention can be designed according to the rules of Watson and Crick base pairing. The antisense nucleic acid molecule can be complementary to coding region sequences of HAAT mRNA, but more preferably is an oligonucleotide which is antisense to only a portion of the HAAT mRNA. An antisense oligonucleotide can be, for example, about 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, or more nucleotides in length. An antisense nucleic acid of the invention can be constructed using chemical synthesis and enzymatic ligation reactions using procedures known in the art. For example, an antisense nucleic acid (e.g., an antisense oligonucleotide) can be chemically synthesized using naturally occurring nucleotides or variously modified nucleotides designed to increase the biological stability of the molecules or to increase the physical stability of the duplex formed between the antisense and sense nucleic acids, e.g., phosphorothioate derivatives and acridine substituted nucleotides can be used. Examples of modified nucleotides which can be used to generate the antisense nucleic acid include 5-fluorouracil, 5-bromouracil, 5-chlorouracil, 5-iodouracil, hypoxanthine, xantine, 4-acetylcytosine, 5-(carboxyhydroxylmethyl) uracil, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyl-2-thiouridine, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyluracil, dihydrouracil, beta-D-galactosylqueosine, inosine, N6-isopentenyladenine, 1-methylguanine, 1-methylinosine, 2,2-dimethylguanine, 2-methyladenine, 2-methylguanine, 3-methylcytosine, 5-methylcytosine, N6-adenine, 7-methylguanine, 5-methylaminomethyluracil, 5-methoxyaminomethyl-2-thiouracil, beta-D-mannosylqueosine, 5′-methoxycarboxymethyluracil, 5-methoxyuracil, 2-methylthio-N6-isopentenyladenine, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), wybutoxosine, pseudouracil, queosine, 2-thiocytosine, 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 2-thiouracil, 4-thiouracil, 5-methyluracil, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid methylester, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 3-(3-amino-3-N-2-carboxypropyl) uracil, (acp3)w, and 2,6-diaminopurine. Alternatively, the antisense nucleic acid can be produced biologically using an expression vector into which a nucleic acid has been subcloned in an antisense orientation (i.e., RNA transcribed from the inserted nucleic acid will be of an antisense orientation to a target nucleic acid of interest, described further in the following subsection).

[2783] The antisense nucleic acid molecules of the invention are typically administered to a subject or generated in situ such that they hybridize with or bind to cellular mRNA and/or genomic DNA encoding a HAAT protein to thereby inhibit expression of the protein, e.g., by inhibiting transcription and/or translation. The hybridization can be by conventional nucleotide complementarity to form a stable duplex, or, for example, in the case of an antisense nucleic acid molecule which binds to DNA duplexes, through specific interactions in the major groove of the double helix. An example of a route of administration of antisense nucleic acid molecules of the invention include direct injection at a tissue site. Alternatively, antisense nucleic acid molecules can be modified to target selected cells and then administered systemically. For example, for systemic administration, antisense molecules can be modified such that they specifically bind to receptors or antigens expressed on a selected cell surface, e.g., by linking the antisense nucleic acid molecules to peptides or antibodies which bind to cell surface receptors or antigens. The antisense nucleic acid molecules can also be delivered to cells using the vectors described herein. To achieve sufficient intracellular concentrations of the antisense molecules, vector constructs in which the antisense nucleic acid molecule is placed under the control of a strong pol II or pol III promoter are preferred.

[2784] In yet another embodiment, the antisense nucleic acid molecule of the invention is an α-anomeric nucleic acid molecule. An α-anomeric nucleic acid molecule forms specific double-stranded hybrids with complementary RNA in which, contrary to the usual β-units, the strands run parallel to each other (Gaultier et al. (1987) Nucleic Acids. Res. 15:6625-6641). The antisense nucleic acid molecule can also comprise a 2′-o-methylribonucleotide (Inoue et al. (1987) Nucleic Acids Res. 15:6131-6148) or a chimeric RNA-DNA analogue (Inoue et al. (1987) FEBS Lett. 215:327-330).

[2785] In still another embodiment, an antisense nucleic acid of the invention is a ribozyme. Ribozymes are catalytic RNA molecules with ribonuclease activity which are capable of cleaving a single-stranded nucleic acid, such as an mRNA, to which they have a complementary region. Thus, ribozymes (e.g., hammerhead ribozymes (described in Haseloff and Gerlach (1988) Nature 334:585-591)) can be used to catalytically cleave HAAT mRNA transcripts to thereby inhibit translation of HAAT mRNA. A ribozyme having specificity for a HAAT-encoding nucleic acid can be designed based upon the nucleotide sequence of a HAAT cDNA disclosed herein (i.e., SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______). For example, a derivative of a Tetrahymena L-19 IVS RNA can be constructed in which the nucleotide sequence of the active site is complementary to the nucleotide sequence to be cleaved in a HAAT-encoding mRNA. See, e.g., Cech et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,071; and Cech et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,742. Alternatively, HAAT mRNA can be used to select a catalytic RNA having a specific ribonuclease activity from a pool of RNA molecules. See, e.g., Bartel, D. and Szostak, J. W. (1993) Science 261:1411-1418.

[2786] Alternatively, HAAT gene expression can be inhibited by targeting nucleotide sequences complementary to the regulatory region of the HAAT (e.g., the HAAT promoter and/or enhancers; e.g., nucleotides 1-68 of SEQ ID NO: 91) to form triple helical structures that prevent transcription of the HAAT gene in target cells. See generally, Helene, C. (1991) Anticancer Drug Des. 6(6):569-84; Helene, C. et al. (1992) Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 660:27-36; and Maher, L. J. (1992) Bioessays 14(12):807-15.

[2787] In yet another embodiment, the HAAT nucleic acid molecules of the present invention can be modified at the base moiety, sugar moiety or phosphate backbone to improve, e.g., the stability, hybridization, or solubility of the molecule. For example, the deoxyribose phosphate backbone of the nucleic acid molecules can be modified to generate peptide nucleic acids (see Hyrup, B. and Nielsen, P. E. (1996) Bioorg. Med. Chem. 4(1):5-23). As used herein, the terms “peptide nucleic acids” or “PNAs” refer to nucleic acid mimics, e.g., DNA mimics, in which the deoxyribose phosphate backbone is replaced by a pseudopeptide backbone and only the four natural nucleobases are retained. The neutral backbone of PNAs has been shown to allow for specific hybridization to DNA and RNA under conditions of low ionic strength. The synthesis of PNA oligomers can be performed using standard solid phase peptide synthesis protocols as described in Hyrup and Nielsen (1996) supra and Perry-O'Keefe et al. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:14670-675.

[2788] PNAs of HAAT nucleic acid molecules can be used in therapeutic and diagnostic applications. For example, PNAs can be used as antisense or antigene agents for sequence-specific modulation of gene expression by, for example, inducing transcription or translation arrest or inhibiting replication. PNAs of HAAT nucleic acid molecules can also be used in the analysis of single base pair mutations in a gene, (e.g., by PNA-directed PCR clamping); as ‘artificial restriction enzymes’ when used in combination with other enzymes, (e.g., S1 nucleases (Hyrup and Nielsen (1996) supra)); or as probes or primers for DNA sequencing or hybridization (Hyrup and Nielsen (1996) supra; Perry-O'Keefe et al. (1996) supra).

[2789] In another embodiment, PNAs of HAAT can be modified, (e.g., to enhance their stability or cellular uptake), by attaching lipophilic or other helper groups to PNA, by the formation of PNA-DNA chimeras, or by the use of liposomes or other techniques of drug delivery known in the art. For example, PNA-DNA chimeras of HAAT nucleic acid molecules can be generated which may combine the advantageous properties of PNA and DNA. Such chimeras allow DNA recognition enzymes (e.g., RNase H and DNA polymerases) to interact with the DNA portion while the PNA portion would provide high binding affinity and specificity. PNA-DNA chimeras can be linked using linkers of appropriate lengths selected in terms of base stacking, number of bonds between the nucleobases, and orientation (Hyrup and Nielsen (1996) supra). The synthesis of PNA-DNA chimeras can be performed as described in Hyrup and Nielsen (1996) supra and Finn, P. J. et al. (1996) Nucleic Acids Res. 24(17):3357-63. For example, a DNA chain can be synthesized on a solid support using standard phosphoramidite coupling chemistry and modified nucleoside analogs, e.g., 5′-(4-methoxytrityl)amino-5′-deoxy-thymidine phosphoramidite, can be used as a between the PNA and the 5′ end of DNA (Mag, M. et al. (1989) Nucleic Acid Res. 17:5973-88). PNA monomers are then coupled in a stepwise manner to produce a chimeric molecule with a 5′ PNA segment and a 3′ DNA segment (Finn, P. J. et al. (1996) supra). Alternatively, chimeric molecules can be synthesized with a 5′ DNA segment and a 3′ PNA segment (Peterser, K. H. et al. (1975) Bioorganic Med. Chem. Lett. 5:1119-11124).

[2790] In other embodiments, the oligonucleotide may include other appended groups such as peptides (e.g., for targeting host cell receptors in vivo), or agents facilitating transport across the cell membrane (see, e.g., Letsinger et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6553-6556; Lemaitre et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:648-652; PCT Publication No. W088/09810) or the blood-brain barrier (see, e.g., PCT Publication No. W089/10134). In addition, oligonucleotides can be modified with hybridization-triggered cleavage agents (See, e.g., Krol et al. (1988) Bio-Techniques 6:958-976) or intercalating agents (See, e.g., Zon (1988) Pharm. Res. 5:539-549). To this end, the oligonucleotide may be conjugated to another molecule, (e.g., a peptide, hybridization triggered cross-linking agent, transport agent, or hybridization-triggered cleavage agent).

[2791] II. Isolated HAAT Proteins and Anti-HAAT Antibodies

[2792] One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated or recombinant HAAT proteins and polypeptides, and biologically active portions thereof, as well as polypeptide fragments suitable for use as immunogens to raise anti-HAAT antibodies. In one embodiment, native HAAT proteins can be isolated from cells or tissue sources by an appropriate purification scheme using standard protein purification techniques. In another embodiment, HAAT proteins are produced by recombinant DNA techniques. Alternative to recombinant expression, a HAAT protein or polypeptide can be synthesized chemically using standard peptide synthesis techniques.

[2793] An “isolated” or “purified” protein or biologically active portion thereof is substantially free of cellular material or other contaminating proteins from the cell or tissue source from which the HAAT protein is derived, or substantially free from chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized. The language “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of HAAT protein in which the protein is separated from cellular components of the cells from which it is isolated or recombinantly produced. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of HAAT protein having less than about 30% (by dry weight) of non-HAAT protein (also referred to herein as a “contaminating protein”), more preferably less than about 20% of non-HAAT protein, still more preferably less than about 10% of non-HAAT protein, and most preferably less than about 5% non-HAAT protein. When the HAAT protein or biologically active portion thereof is recombinantly produced, it is also preferably substantially free of culture medium, i.e., culture medium represents less than about 20%, more preferably less than about 10%, and most preferably less than about 5% of the volume of the protein preparation.

[2794] The language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of HAAT protein in which the protein is separated from chemical precursors or other chemicals which are involved in the synthesis of the protein. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of HAAT protein having less than about 30% (by dry weight) of chemical precursors or non-HAAT chemicals, more preferably less than about 20% chemical precursors or non-HAAT chemicals, still more preferably less than about 10% chemical precursors or non-HAAT chemicals, and most preferably less than about 5% chemical precursors or non-HAAT chemicals.

[2795] As used herein, a “biologically active portion” of a HAAT protein includes a fragment of a HAAT protein which participates in an interaction between a HAAT molecule and a non-HAAT molecule (e.g., a HAAT substrate such as an amino acid). Biologically active portions of a HAAT protein include peptides comprising amino acid sequences sufficiently homologous to or derived from the HAAT amino acid sequences, e.g., the amino acid sequences shown in SEQ ID NO: 92, which include sufficient amino acid residues to exhibit at least one activity of a HAAT protein. Typically, biologically active portions comprise a domain or motif with at least one activity of the HAAT protein, e.g., (i) interaction with a HAAT substrate or target molecule (e.g., an amino acid); (ii) transport of a HAAT substrate or target molecule (e.g., an amino acid) from one side of a cellular membrane to the other; (iii) conversion of a HAAT substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., glucose production); (iv) interaction with a second non-HAAT protein; (v) modulation of substrate or target molecule location (e.g., modulation of amino acid location within a cell and/or location with respect to a cellular membrane); (vi) maintenance of amino acid gradients; (vii) modulation of hormone metabolism and/or nerve transmission (e.g., either directly or indirectly); (viii) modulation of cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and production of metabolic energy; and/or (ix) modulation of amino acid homeostasis. A biologically active portion of a HAAT protein can be a polypeptide which is, for example, 10, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 475, or 485 or more amino acids in length. Biologically active portions of a HAAT protein can be used as targets for developing agents which modulate a HAAT mediated activity, e.g., any of the aforementioned HAAT activities.

[2796] In one embodiment, a biologically active portion of a HAAT protein comprises at least one at least one or more of the following domains, sites, or motifs: a transmembrane domain, a transmembrane amino acid transporter domain, and/or one or more amino acid transporter specific amino acid residues. Moreover, other biologically active portions, in which other regions of the protein are deleted, can be prepared by recombinant techniques and evaluated for one or more of the functional activities of a native HAAT protein.

[2797] Another aspect of the invention features fragments of the protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 92, for example, for use as immunogens. In one embodiment, a fragment comprises at least 5 amino acids (e.g., contiguous or consecutive amino acids) of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 92, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______. In another embodiment, a fragment comprises at least 8, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 or more amino acids (e.g., contiguous or consecutive amino acids) of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 92, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______.

[2798] In a preferred embodiment, a HAAT protein has an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 92. In other embodiments, the HAAT protein is substantially identical to SEQ ID NO: 92, and retains the functional activity of the protein of SEQ ID NO: 92, yet differs in amino acid sequence due to natural allelic variation or mutagenesis, as described in detail in subsection I above. In another embodiment, the HAAT protein is a protein which comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to SEQ ID NO: 92.

[2799] In another embodiment, the invention features a HAAT protein which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence at least about 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or a complement thereof. This invention further features a HAAT protein which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or a complement thereof.

[2800] To determine the percent identity of two amino acid sequences or of two nucleic acid sequences, the sequences are aligned for optimal comparison purposes (e.g., gaps can be introduced in one or both of a first and a second amino acid or nucleic acid sequence for optimal alignment and non-homologous sequences can be disregarded for comparison purposes). In a preferred embodiment, the length of a reference sequence aligned for comparison purposes is at least 30%, preferably at least 40%, more preferably at least 50%, even more preferably at least 60%, and even more preferably at least 70%, 80%, or 90% of the length of the reference sequence (e.g., when aligning a second sequence to the HAAT amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 92 having 485 amino acid residues, at least 157, preferably at least 276, more preferably at least 395, and even more preferably at least 414 amino acid residues are aligned). The amino acid residues or nucleotides at corresponding amino acid positions or nucleotide positions are then compared. When a position in the first sequence is occupied by the same amino acid residue or nucleotide as the corresponding position in the second sequence, then the molecules are identical at that position (as used herein, amino acid or nucleic acid “identity” is equivalent to amino acid or nucleic acid “homology”). The percent identity between the two sequences is a function of the number of identical positions shared by the sequences, taking into account the number of gaps, and the length of each gap, which need to be introduced for optimal alignment of the two sequences.

[2801] The comparison of sequences and determination of percent identity between two sequences can be accomplished using a mathematical algorithm. In a preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid sequences is determined using the Needleman and Wunsch (J. Mol. Biol. (48):444-453 (1970)) algorithm which has been incorporated into the GAP program in the GCG software package (available at the Genetics Computer Group web site entitled “Solutions for Nucleic Acid and Protein Analysis”) using either a Blossum 62 matrix or a PAM250 matrix, and a gap weight of 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, or 4 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. In yet another preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two nucleotide sequences is determined using the GAP program in the GCG software package (available at the Genetics Computer Group web site entitled “Solutions for Nucleic Acid and Protein Analysis”), using a NWSgapdna.CMP matrix and a gap weight of 40, 50, 60, 70, or 80 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. A preferred, non-limiting example of parameters to be used in conjunction with the GAP program include a Blosum 62 scoring matrix with a gap penalty of 12, a gap extend penalty of 4, and a frameshift gap penalty of 5.

[2802] In another embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid or nucleotide sequences is determined using the algorithm of Meyers and Miller (Comput. Appl. Biosci. 4:11-17 (1988)) which has been incorporated into the ALIGN program (version 2.0 or version 2.0U), using a PAM120 weight residue table, a gap length penalty of 12 and a gap penalty of 4.

[2803] The nucleic acid and protein sequences of the present invention can further be used as a “query sequence” to perform a search against public databases to, for example, identify other family members or related sequences. Such searches can be performed using the NBLAST and XBLAST programs (version 2.0) of Altschul et al. (1990) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-10. BLAST nucleotide searches can be performed with the NBLAST program, score=100, wordlength=12 to obtain nucleotide sequences homologous to HAAT nucleic acid molecules of the invention. BLAST protein searches can be performed with the XBLAST program, score=50, wordlength=3 to obtain amino acid sequences homologous to HAAT protein molecules of the invention. To obtain gapped alignments for comparison purposes, Gapped BLAST can be utilized as described in Altschul et al. (1997) Nucleic Acids Res. 25(17):3389-3402. When utilizing BLAST and Gapped BLAST programs, the default parameters of the respective programs (e.g., XBLAST and NBLAST) can be used. See the National Center for Biotechnology Information web site.

[2804] The invention also provides HAAT chimeric or fusion proteins. As used herein, a HAAT “chimeric protein” or “fusion protein” comprises a HAAT polypeptide operatively linked to a non-HAAT polypeptide. A “HAAT polypeptide” refers to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to HAAT, whereas a “non-HAAT polypeptide” refers to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to a protein which is not substantially homologous to the HAAT protein, e.g., a protein which is different from the HAAT protein and which is derived from the same or a different organism. Within a HAAT fusion protein the HAAT polypeptide can correspond to all or a portion of a HAAT protein. In a preferred embodiment, a HAAT fusion protein comprises at least one biologically active portion of a HAAT protein. In another preferred embodiment, a HAAT fusion protein comprises at least two biologically active portions of a HAAT protein. Within the fusion protein, the term “operatively linked” is intended to indicate that the HAAT polypeptide and the non-HAAT polypeptide are fused in-frame to each other. The non-HAAT polypeptide can be fused to the N-terminus or C-terminus of the HAAT polypeptide.

[2805] For example, in one embodiment, the fusion protein is a GST-HAAT fusion protein in which the HAAT sequences are fused to the C-terminus of the GST sequences. Such fusion proteins can facilitate the purification of recombinant HAAT. In another embodiment, the fusion protein is a HAAT protein containing a heterologous signal sequence at its N-terminus. In certain host cells (e.g., mammalian host cells), expression and/or secretion of HAAT can be increased through use of a heterologous signal sequence.

[2806] The HAAT fusion proteins of the invention can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions and administered to a subject in vivo. The HAAT fusion proteins can be used to affect the bioavailability of a HAAT substrate. Use of HAAT fusion proteins may be useful therapeutically for the treatment of disorders caused by, for example, (i) aberrant modification or mutation of a gene encoding a HAAT protein; (ii) mis-regulation of the HAAT gene; and (iii) aberrant post-translational modification of a HAAT protein.

[2807] Moreover, the HAAT-fusion proteins of the invention can be used as immunogens to produce anti-HAAT antibodies in a subject, to purify HAAT substrates, and in screening assays to identify molecules which inhibit or enhance the interaction with or transport of amino acids by a HAAT protein.

[2808] Preferably, a HAAT chimeric or fusion protein of the invention is produced by standard recombinant DNA techniques. For example, DNA fragments coding for the different polypeptide sequences are ligated together in-frame in accordance with conventional techniques, for example by employing blunt-ended or stagger-ended termini for ligation, restriction enzyme digestion to provide for appropriate termini, filling-in of cohesive ends as appropriate, alkaline phosphatase treatment to avoid undesirable joining, and enzymatic ligation. In another embodiment, the fusion gene can be synthesized by conventional techniques including automated DNA synthesizers. Alternatively, PCR amplification of gene fragments can be carried out using anchor primers which give rise to complementary overhangs between two consecutive gene fragments which can subsequently be annealed and reamplified to generate a chimeric gene sequence (see, for example, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, eds. Ausubel et al. John Wiley & Sons: 1992). Moreover, many expression vectors are commercially available that already encode a fusion moiety (e.g., a GST polypeptide). A HAAT-encoding nucleic acid can be cloned into such an expression vector such that the fusion moiety is linked in-frame to the HAAT protein.

[2809] The present invention also pertains to variants of the HAAT proteins which function as either HAAT agonists (mimetics) or as HAAT antagonists. Variants of the HAAT proteins can be generated by mutagenesis, e.g., discrete point mutation or truncation of a HAAT protein. An agonist of the HAAT proteins can retain substantially the same, or a subset, of the biological activities of the naturally occurring form of a HAAT protein. An antagonist of a HAAT protein can inhibit one or more of the activities of the naturally occurring form of the HAAT protein by, for example, competitively modulating a HAAT-mediated activity of a HAAT protein. Thus, specific biological effects can be elicited by treatment with a variant of limited function. In one embodiment, treatment of a subject with a variant having a subset of the biological activities of the naturally occurring form of the protein has fewer side effects in a subject relative to treatment with the naturally occurring form of the HAAT protein.

[2810] In one embodiment, variants of a HAAT protein which function as either HAAT agonists (mimetics) or as HAAT antagonists can be identified by screening combinatorial libraries of mutants, e.g., truncation mutants, of a HAAT protein for HAAT protein agonist or antagonist activity. In one embodiment, a variegated library of HAAT variants is generated by combinatorial mutagenesis at the nucleic acid level and is encoded by a variegated gene library. A variegated library of HAAT variants can be produced by, for example, enzymatically ligating a mixture of synthetic oligonucleotides into gene sequences such that a degenerate set of potential HAAT sequences is expressible as individual polypeptides, or alternatively, as a set of larger fusion proteins (e.g., for phage display) containing the set of HAAT sequences therein. There are a variety of methods which can be used to produce libraries of potential HAAT variants from a degenerate oligonucleotide sequence. Chemical synthesis of a degenerate gene sequence can be performed in an automatic DNA synthesizer, and the synthetic gene then ligated into an appropriate expression vector. Use of a degenerate set of genes allows for the provision, in one mixture, of all of the sequences encoding the desired set of potential HAAT sequences. Methods for synthesizing degenerate oligonucleotides are known in the art (see, e.g., Narang, S. A. (1983) Tetrahedron 39:3; Itakura et al. (1984) Annu. Rev. Biochem. 53:323; Itakura et al. (1984) Science 198:1056; Ike et al. (1983) Nucleic Acid Res. 11:477.

[2811] In addition, libraries of fragments of a HAAT protein coding sequence can be used to generate a variegated population of HAAT fragments for screening and subsequent selection of variants of a HAAT protein. In one embodiment, a library of coding sequence fragments can be generated by treating a double stranded PCR fragment of a HAAT coding sequence with a nuclease under conditions wherein nicking occurs only about once per molecule, denaturing the double stranded DNA, renaturing the DNA to form double stranded DNA which can include sense/antisense pairs from different nicked products, removing single stranded portions from reformed duplexes by treatment with S1 nuclease, and ligating the resulting fragment library into an expression vector. By this method, an expression library can be derived which encodes N-terminal, C-terminal and internal fragments of various sizes of the HAAT protein.

[2812] Several techniques are known in the art for screening gene products of combinatorial libraries made by point mutations or truncation, and for screening cDNA libraries for gene products having a selected property. Such techniques are adaptable for rapid screening of the gene libraries generated by the combinatorial mutagenesis of HAAT proteins. The most widely used techniques, which are amenable to high through-put analysis, for screening large gene libraries typically include cloning the gene library into replicable expression vectors, transforming appropriate cells with the resulting library of vectors, and expressing the combinatorial genes under conditions in which detection of a desired activity facilitates isolation of the vector encoding the gene whose product was detected. Recursive ensemble mutagenesis (REM), a new technique which enhances the frequency of functional mutants in the libraries, can be used in combination with the screening assays to identify HAAT variants (Arkin and Youvan (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:7811-7815; Delagrave et al. (1993) Protein Eng. 6(3):327-331).

[2813] In one embodiment, cell based assays can be exploited to analyze a variegated HAAT library. For example, a library of expression vectors can be transfected into a cell line which ordinarily responds to HAAT in a particular HAAT substrate-dependent manner. The transfected cells are then contacted with HAAT and the effect of the expression of the mutant on the HAAT substrate can be detected, e.g., amino acid transport (e.g., by measuring amino acid levels inside the cell or its various cellular compartments, within various cellular membranes, or in the extracellular medium), and/or gene transcription. Plasmid DNA can then be recovered from the cells which score for increased or decreased levels of amino acid transport, and the individual clones further characterized.

[2814] An isolated HAAT protein, or a portion or fragment thereof, can be used as an immunogen to generate antibodies that bind HAAT using standard techniques for polyclonal and monoclonal antibody preparation. A full-length HAAT protein can be used or, alternatively, the invention provides antigenic peptide fragments of HAAT for use as immunogens. The antigenic peptide of HAAT comprises at least 8 amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 92 and encompasses an epitope of HAAT such that an antibody raised against the peptide forms a specific immune complex with HAAT. Preferably, the antigenic peptide comprises at least 10 amino acid residues, more preferably at least 15 amino acid residues, even more preferably at least 20 amino acid residues, and most preferably at least 30 amino acid residues.

[2815] Preferred epitopes encompassed by the antigenic peptide are regions of HAAT that are located on the surface of the protein, e.g., hydrophilic regions, as well as regions with high antigenicity (see, for example, FIG. 85).

[2816] A HAAT immunogen typically is used to prepare antibodies by immunizing a suitable subject (e.g., rabbit, goat, mouse, or other mammal) with the immunogen. An appropriate immunogenic preparation can contain, for example, recombinantly expressed HAAT protein or a chemically-synthesized HAAT polypeptide. The preparation can further include an adjuvant, such as Freund's complete or incomplete adjuvant, or similar immunostimulatory agent. Immunization of a suitable subject with an immunogenic HAAT preparation induces a polyclonal anti-HAAT antibody response.

[2817] Accordingly, another aspect of the invention pertains to anti-HAAT antibodies. The term “antibody” as used herein refers to immunoglobulin molecules and immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules, i.e., molecules that contain an antigen binding site which specifically binds (immunoreacts with) an antigen, such as HAAT. Examples of immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules include F(ab) and F(ab′)₂ fragments which can be generated by treating the antibody with an enzyme such as pepsin. The invention provides polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies that bind HAAT. The term “monoclonal antibody” or “monoclonal antibody composition”, as used herein, refers to a population of antibody molecules that contain only one species of an antigen binding site capable of immunoreacting with a particular epitope of HAAT. A monoclonal antibody composition thus typically displays a single binding affinity for a particular HAAT protein with which it immunoreacts.

[2818] Polyclonal anti-HAAT antibodies can be prepared as described above by immunizing a suitable subject with a HAAT immunogen. The anti-HAAT antibody titer in the immunized subject can be monitored over time by standard techniques, such as with an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using immobilized HAAT. If desired, the antibody molecules directed against HAAT can be isolated from the mammal (e.g., from the blood) and further purified by well known techniques, such as protein A chromatography to obtain the IgG fraction. At an appropriate time after immunization, e.g., when the anti-HAAT antibody titers are highest, antibody-producing cells can be obtained from the subject and used to prepare monoclonal antibodies by standard techniques, such as the hybridoma technique originally described by Kohler and Milstein (1975) Nature 256:495-497 (see also Brown et al. (1981) J. Immunol. 127:539-46; Brown et al. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255:4980-83; Yeh et al. (1976) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 76:2927-31; and Yeh et al. (1982) Int. J. Cancer 29:269-75), the more recent human B cell hybridoma technique (Kozbor et al. (1983) Immunol. Today 4:72), the EBV-hybridoma technique (Cole et al. (1985), Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, Inc., pp. 77-96) or trioma techniques. The technology for producing monoclonal antibody hybridomas is well known (see generally Kenneth, R. H. in Monoclonal Antibodies: A New Dimension In Biological Analyses, Plenum Publishing Corp., New York, N.Y. (1980); Lerner, E. A. (1981) Yale J. Biol. Med., 54:387-402; Gefter, M. L. et al. (1977) Somatic Cell Genet. 3:231-36). Briefly, an immortal cell line (typically a myeloma) is fused to lymphocytes (typically splenocytes) from a mammal immunized with a HAAT immunogen as described above, and the culture supernatants of the resulting hybridoma cells are screened to identify a hybridoma producing a monoclonal antibody that binds HAAT.

[2819] Any of the many well known protocols used for fusing lymphocytes and immortalized cell lines can be applied for the purpose of generating an anti-HAAT monoclonal antibody (see, e.g., Galfre, G. et al. (1977) Nature 266:55052; Gefter et al. (1997) supra; Lerner (1981) supra; Kenneth, Monoclonal Antibodies, supra). Moreover, the ordinarily skilled worker will appreciate that there are many variations of such methods which also would be useful. Typically, the immortal cell line (e.g., a myeloma cell line) is derived from the same mammalian species as the lymphocytes. For example, murine hybridomas can be made by fusing lymphocytes from a mouse immunized with an immunogenic preparation of the present invention with an immortalized mouse cell line. Preferred immortal cell lines are mouse myeloma cell lines that are sensitive to culture medium containing hypoxanthine, aminopterin and thymidine (“HAT medium”). Any of a number of myeloma cell lines can be used as a fusion partner according to standard techniques, e.g., the P3-NS1/1-Ag4-1, P3-x63-Ag8.653 or Sp2/O-Ag14 myeloma lines. These mycloma lines are available from ATCC. Typically, HAT-sensitive mouse mycloma cells are fused to mouse splenocytes using polyethylene glycol (“PEG”). Hybridoma cells resulting from the fusion are then selected using HAT medium, which kills unfused and unproductively fused mycloma cells (unfused splenocytes die after several days because they are not transformed). Hybridoma cells producing a monoclonal antibody of the invention are detected by screening the hybridoma culture supernatants for antibodies that bind HAAT, e.g., using a standard ELISA assay.

[2820] Alternative to preparing monoclonal antibody-secreting hybridomas, a monoclonal anti-HAAT antibody can be identified and isolated by screening a recombinant combinatorial immunoglobulin library (e.g., an antibody phage display library) with HAAT to thereby isolate immunoglobulin library members that bind HAAT. Kits for generating and screening phage display libraries are commercially available (e.g., the Pharmacia Recombinant Phage Antibody System, Catalog No. 27-9400-01; and the Stratagene SurZAP™ Phage Display Kit, Catalog No. 240612). Additionally, examples of methods and reagents particularly amenable for use in generating and screening antibody display library can be found in, for example, Ladner et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409; Kang et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/18619; Dower et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 91/17271; Winter et al. PCT International Publication WO 92/20791; Markland et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/15679; Breitling et al. PCT International Publication WO 93/01288; McCafferty et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/01047; Garrard et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/09690; Ladner et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 90/02809; Fuchs et al. (1991) Biotechnology (NY) 9:1369-1372; Hay et al. (1992) Hum. Antibod. Hybridomas 3:81-85; Huse et al. (1989) Science 246:1275-1281; Griffiths et al. (1993) EMBO J. 12:725-734; Hawkins et al. (1992) J. Mol. Biol. 226:889-896; Clackson et al. (1991) Nature 352:624-628; Gram et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:3576-3580; Garrard et al. (1991) Biotechnology (NY) 9:1373-1377; Hoogenboom et al. (1991) Nucleic Acids Res. 19:4133-4137; Barbas et al. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:7978-7982; and McCafferty et al. (1990) Nature 348:552-554.

[2821] Additionally, recombinant anti-HAAT antibodies, such as chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies, comprising both human and non-human portions, which can be made using standard recombinant DNA techniques, arc within the scope of the invention. Such chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies can be produced by recombinant DNA techniques known in the art, for example using methods described in Robinson et al. International Application No. PCT/US86/02269; Akira, et al. European Patent Application 184,187; Taniguchi, M., European Patent Application 171,496; Morrison et al. European Patent Application 173,494; Neuberger et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 86/01533; Cabilly et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,567; Cabilly et al. European Patent Application 125,023; Better et al. (1988) Science 240:1041-1043; Liu et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:3439-3443; Liu et al. (1987) J. Immunol. 139:3521-3526; Sun et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:214-218; Nishimura et al. (1987) Cancer Res. 47:999-1005; Wood et al. (1985) Nature 314:446-449; and Shaw et al. (1988) J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 80:1553-1559); Morrison, S. L. (1985) Science 229:1202-1207; Oi et al. (1986) Biotechniques 4:214; Winter U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,539; Jones et al. (1986) Nature 321:552-525; Verhoeyen et al. (1988) Science 239:1534; and Beidler et al. (1988) J. Immunol. 141:4053-4060.

[2822] An anti-HAAT antibody (e.g., monoclonal antibody) can be used to isolate HAAT by standard techniques, such as affinity chromatography or immunoprecipitation. An anti-HAAT antibody can facilitate the purification of natural HAAT from cells and of recombinantly produced HAAT expressed in host cells. Moreover, an anti-HAAT antibody can be used to detect HAAT protein (e.g., in a cellular lysate or cell supernatant) in order to evaluate the abundance and pattern of expression of the HAAT protein. Anti-HAAT antibodies can be used diagnostically to monitor protein levels in tissue as part of a clinical testing procedure, e.g., to, for example, determine the efficacy of a given treatment regimen. Detection can be facilitated by coupling (i.e., physically linking) the antibody to a detectable substance. Examples of detectable substances include various enzymes, prosthetic groups, fluorescent materials, luminescent materials, bioluminescent materials, and radioactive materials. Examples of suitable enzymes include horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, β-galactosidase, or acetylcholinesterase; examples of suitable prosthetic group complexes include streptavidin/biotin and avidin/biotin; examples of suitable fluorescent materials include umbelliferone, fluorescein, fluorescein isothiocyanate, rhodamine, dichlorotriazinylamine fluorescein, dansyl chloride or phycoerythrin; an example of a luminescent material includes luminol; examples of bioluminescent materials include luciferase, luciferin, and aequorin, and examples of suitable radioactive material include ¹²⁵I, ¹³¹I, 35S or ³H.

[2823] III. Recombinant Expression Vectors and Host Cells

[2824] Another aspect of the invention pertains to vectors, for example recombinant expression vectors, containing a HAAT nucleic acid molecule or vectors containing a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a HAAT protein (or a portion thereof). As used herein, the term “vector” refers to a nucleic acid molecule capable of transporting another nucleic acid to which it has been linked. One type of vector is a “plasmid”, which refers to a circular double stranded DNA loop into which additional DNA segments can be ligated. Another type of vector is a viral vector, wherein additional DNA segments can be ligated into the viral genome. Certain vectors are capable of autonomous replication in a host cell into which they are introduced (e.g., bacterial vectors having a bacterial origin of replication and episomal mammalian vectors). Other vectors (e.g., non-episomal mammalian vectors) are integrated into the genome of a host cell upon introduction into the host cell, and thereby are replicated along with the host genome. Moreover, certain vectors are capable of directing the expression of genes to which they are operatively linked. Such vectors are referred to herein as “expression vectors”. In general, expression vectors of utility in recombinant DNA techniques are often in the form of plasmids. In the present specification, “plasmid” and “vector” can be used interchangeably as the plasmid is the most commonly used form of vector. However, the invention is intended to include such other forms of expression vectors, such as viral vectors (e.g., replication defective retroviruses, adenoviruses and adeno-associated viruses), which serve equivalent functions.

[2825] The recombinant expression vectors of the invention comprise a nucleic acid of the invention in a form suitable for expression of the nucleic acid in a host cell, which means that the recombinant expression vectors include one or more regulatory sequences, selected on the basis of the host cells to be used for expression, which is operatively linked to the nucleic acid sequence to be expressed. Within a recombinant expression vector, “operably linked” is intended to mean that the nucleotide sequence of interest is linked to the regulatory sequence(s) in a manner which allows for expression of the nucleotide sequence (e.g., in an in vitro transcription/translation system or in a host cell when the vector is introduced into the host cell). The term “regulatory sequence” is intended to include promoters, enhancers and other expression control elements (e.g., polyadenylation signals). Such regulatory sequences are described, for example, in Goeddel (1990) Methods Enzymol. 185:3-7. Regulatory sequences include those which direct constitutive expression of a nucleotide sequence in many types of host cells and those which direct expression of the nucleotide sequence only in certain host cells (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory sequences). It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the design of the expression vector can depend on such factors as the choice of the host cell to be transformed, the level of expression of protein desired, and the like. The expression vectors of the invention can be introduced into host cells to thereby produce proteins or peptides, including fusion proteins or peptides, encoded by nucleic acids as described herein (e.g., HAAT proteins, mutant forms of HAAT proteins, fusion proteins, and the like).

[2826] Accordingly, an exemplary embodiment provides a method for producing a protein, preferably a HAAT protein, by culturing in a suitable medium a host cell of the invention (e.g., a mammalian host cell such as a non-human mammalian cell) containing a recombinant expression vector, such that the protein is produced.

[2827] The recombinant expression vectors of the invention can be designed for expression of HAAT proteins in prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells. For example, HAAT proteins can be expressed in bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells (using baculovirus expression vectors) yeast cells or mammalian cells. Suitable host cells are discussed further in Goeddel (1990) supra. Alternatively, the recombinant expression vector can be transcribed and translated in vitro, for example using T7 promoter regulatory sequences and T7 polymerase.

[2828] Expression of proteins in prokaryotes is most often carried out in E. coli with vectors containing constitutive or inducible promoters directing the expression of either fusion or non-fusion proteins. Fusion vectors add a number of amino acids to a protein encoded therein, usually to the amino terminus of the recombinant protein. Such fusion vectors typically serve three purposes: 1) to increase expression of recombinant protein; 2) to increase the solubility of the recombinant protein; and 3) to aid in the purification of the recombinant protein by acting as a ligand in affinity purification. Often, in fusion expression vectors, a proteolytic cleavage site is introduced at the junction of the fusion moiety and the recombinant protein to enable separation of the recombinant protein from the fusion moiety subsequent to purification of the fusion protein. Such enzymes, and their cognate recognition sequences, include Factor Xa, thrombin and enterokinase. Typical fusion expression vectors include pGEX (Pharmacia Biotech Inc; Smith, D. B. and Johnson, K. S. (1988) Gene 67:31-40), pMAL (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.) and pRIT5 (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.) which fuse glutathione S-transferase (GST), maltose E binding protein, or protein A, respectively, to the target recombinant protein.

[2829] Purified fusion proteins can be utilized in HAAT activity assays, (e.g., direct assays or competitive assays described in detail below), or to generate antibodies specific for HAAT proteins, for example. In a preferred embodiment, a HAAT fusion protein expressed in a retroviral expression vector of the present invention can be utilized to infect bone marrow cells, which are subsequently transplanted into irradiated recipients. The pathology of the subject recipient is then examined after sufficient time has passed (e.g., six (6) weeks).

[2830] Examples of suitable inducible non-fusion E. coli expression vectors include pTrc (Amann et al. (1988) Gene 69:301-315) and pET 11d (Studier et al. (1990) Methods Enzymol. 185:60-89). Target gene expression from the pTrc vector relies on host RNA polymerase transcription from a hybrid trp-lac fusion promoter. Target gene expression from the pET 11d vector relies on transcription from a T7 gn10-lac fusion promoter mediated by a coexpressed viral RNA polymerase (T7 gn1). This viral polymerase is supplied by host strains BL21(DE3) or HMS174(DE3) from a resident prophage harboring a T7 gn1 gene under the transcriptional control of the lacUV 5 promoter.

[2831] One strategy to maximize recombinant protein expression in E. coli is to express the protein in a host bacteria with an impaired capacity to proteolytically cleave the recombinant protein (Gottesman, S. (1990) Methods Enzymol. 185:119-128). Another strategy is to alter the nucleic acid sequence of the nucleic acid to be inserted into an expression vector so that the individual codons for each amino acid are those preferentially utilized in E. coli (Wada et al. (1992) Nucleic Acids Res. 20:2111-2118). Such alteration of nucleic acid sequences of the invention can be carried out by standard DNA synthesis techniques.

[2832] In another embodiment, the HAAT expression vector is a yeast expression vector. Examples of vectors for expression in yeast S. cerevisiae include pYepSec1 (Baldari et al. (1987) EMBO J. 6:229-234), pMFa (Kurjan and Herskowitz (1982) Cell 30:933-943), pJRY88 (Schultz et al. (1987) Gene 54:113-123), pYES2 (Invitrogen Corporation, San Diego, Calif.), and picZ (Invitrogen Corp., San Diego, Calif.).

[2833] Alternatively, HAAT proteins can be expressed in insect cells using baculovirus expression vectors. Baculovirus vectors available for expression of proteins in cultured insect cells (e.g., Sf9 cells) include the pAc series (Smith et al. (1983) Mol. Cell Biol. 3:2156-2165) and the pVL series (Lucklow and Summers (1989) Virology 170:31-39).

[2834] In yet another embodiment, a nucleic acid of the invention is expressed in mammalian cells using a mammalian expression vector. Examples of mammalian expression vectors include pCDM8 (Seed, B. (1987) Nature 329:840) and pMT2PC (Kaufman et al. (1987) EMBO J. 6:187-195). When used in mammalian cells, the expression vector's control functions are often provided by viral regulatory elements. For example, commonly used promoters are derived from polyoma, Adenovirus 2, cytomegalovirus and Simian Virus 40. For other suitable expression systems for both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells see chapters 16 and 17 of Sambrook, J. et al. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd), ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989.

[2835] In another embodiment, the recombinant mammalian expression vector is capable of directing expression of the nucleic acid preferentially in a particular cell type (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory elements are used to express the nucleic acid). Tissue-specific regulatory elements are known in the art. Non-limiting examples of suitable tissue-specific promoters include the albumin promoter (liver-specific; Pinkert et al. (1987) Genes Dev. 1:268-277), lymphoid-specific promoters (Calame and Eaton (1988) Adv. Immunol. 43:235-275), in particular promoters of T cell receptors (Winoto and Baltimore (1989) EMBO J. 8:729-733) and immunoglobulins (Banerji et al. (1983) Cell 33:729-740; Queen and Baltimore (1983) Cell 33:741-748), neuron-specific promoters (e.g., the neurofilament promoter; Byrne and Ruddle (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:5473-5477), pancreas-specific promoters (Edlund et al. (1985) Science 230:912-916), and mammary gland-specific promoters (e.g., milk whey promoter; U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,316 and European Application Publication No. 264,166). Developmentally-regulated promoters are also encompassed, for example the murine hox promoters (Kessel and Gruss (1990) Science 249:374-379) and the α-fetoprotein promoter (Campes and Tilghman (1989) Genes Dev. 3:537-546).

[2836] The invention further provides a recombinant expression vector comprising a DNA molecule of the invention cloned into the expression vector in an antisense orientation. That is, the DNA molecule is operatively linked to a regulatory sequence in a manner which allows for expression (by transcription of the DNA molecule) of an RNA molecule which is antisense to HAAT mRNA. Regulatory sequences operatively linked to a nucleic acid cloned in the antisense orientation can be chosen which direct the continuous expression of the antisense RNA molecule in a variety of cell types, for instance viral promoters and/or enhancers, or regulatory sequences can be chosen which direct constitutive, tissue specific or cell type specific expression of antisense RNA. The antisense expression vector can be in the form of a recombinant plasmid, phagemid or attenuated virus in which antisense nucleic acids are produced under the control of a high efficiency regulatory region, the activity of which can be determined by the cell type into which the vector is introduced. For a discussion of the regulation of gene expression using antisense genes see Weintraub, H. et al. “Antisense RNA as a molecular tool for genetic analysis”, Reviews—Trends in Genetics, Vol.1(1)1986.

[2837] Another aspect of the invention pertains to host cells into which a HAAT nucleic acid molecule of the invention is introduced, e.g., a HAAT nucleic acid molecule within a vector (e.g., a recombinant expression vector) or a HAAT nucleic acid molecule containing sequences which allow it to homologously recombine into a specific site of the host cell's genome. The terms “host cell” and “recombinant host cell” are used interchangeably herein. It is understood that such terms refer not only to the particular subject cell but to the progeny or potential progeny of such a cell. Because certain modifications may occur in succeeding generations due to either mutation or environmental influences, such progeny may not, in fact, be identical to the parent cell, but are still included within the scope of the term as used herein.

[2838] A host cell can be any prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell. For example, a HAAT protein can be expressed in bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells, yeast or mammalian cells (such as Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) or COS cells). Other suitable host cells are known to those skilled in the art.

[2839] Vector DNA can be introduced into prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells via conventional transformation or transfection techniques. As used herein, the terms “transformation” and “transfection” are intended to refer to a variety of art-recognized techniques for introducing foreign nucleic acid (e.g., DNA) into a host cell, including calcium phosphate or calcium chloride co-precipitation, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, lipofection, or electroporation. Suitable methods for transforming or transfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook, et al. (Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd), ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), and other laboratory manuals.

[2840] For stable transfection of mammalian cells, it is known that, depending upon the expression vector and transfection technique used, only a small fraction of cells may integrate the foreign DNA into their genome. In order to identify and select these integrants, a gene that encodes a selectable marker (e.g., resistance to antibiotics) is generally introduced into the host cells along with the gene of interest. Preferred selectable markers include those which confer resistance to drugs, such as G418, hygromycin and methotrexate. Nucleic acid encoding a selectable marker can be introduced into a host cell on the same vector as that encoding a HAAT protein or can be introduced on a separate vector. Cells stably transfected with the introduced nucleic acid can be identified by drug selection (e.g., cells that have incorporated the selectable marker gene will survive, while the other cells die).

[2841] A host cell of the invention, such as a prokaryotic or eukaryotic host cell in culture, can be used to produce (i.e., express) a HAAT protein. Accordingly, the invention further provides methods for producing a HAAT protein using the host cells of the invention. In one embodiment, the method comprises culturing the host cell of the invention (into which a recombinant expression vector encoding a HAAT protein has been introduced) in a suitable medium such that a HAAT protein is produced. In another embodiment, the method further comprises isolating a HAAT protein from the medium or the host cell.

[2842] The host cells of the invention can also be used to produce non-human transgenic animals. For example, in one embodiment, a host cell of the invention is a fertilized oocyte or an embryonic stem cell into which HAAT-coding sequences have been introduced. Such host cells can then be used to create non-human transgenic animals in which exogenous HAAT sequences have been introduced into their genome or homologous recombinant animals in which endogenous HAAT sequences have been altered. Such animals are useful for studying the function and/or activity of a HAAT protein and for identifying and/or evaluating modulators of HAAT activity. As used herein, a “transgenic animal” is a non-human animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a rodent such as a rat or mouse, in which one or more of the cells of the animal includes a transgene. Other examples of transgenic animals include non-human primates, sheep, dogs, cows, goats, chickens, amphibians, and the like. A transgene is exogenous DNA which is integrated into the genome of a cell from which a transgenic animal develops and which remains in the genome of the mature animal, thereby directing the expression of an encoded gene product in one or more cell types or tissues of the transgenic animal. As used herein, a “homologous recombinant animal” is a non-human animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a mouse, in which an endogenous HAAT gene has been altered by homologous recombination between the endogenous gene and an exogenous DNA molecule introduced into a cell of the animal, e.g., an embryonic cell of the animal, prior to development of the animal.

[2843] A transgenic animal of the invention can be created by introducing a HAAT-encoding nucleic acid into the male pronuclei of a fertilized oocyte, e.g., by microinjection or retroviral infection, and allowing the oocyte to develop in a pseudopregnant female foster animal. The HAAT cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 91 can be introduced as a transgene into the genome of a non-human animal. Alternatively, a non-human homologue of a human HAAT gene, such as a rat or mouse HAAT gene, can be used as a transgene. Alternatively, a HAAT gene homologue, such as another HAAT family member, can be isolated based on hybridization to the HAAT cDNA sequences of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ (described further in subsection I above) and used as a transgene. Intronic sequences and polyadenylation signals can also be included in the transgene to increase the efficiency of expression of the transgene. A tissue-specific regulatory sequence(s) can be operably linked to a HAAT transgene to direct expression of a HAAT protein to particular cells. Methods for generating transgenic animals via embryo manipulation and microinjection, particularly animals such as mice, have become conventional in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,736,866 and 4,870,009, both by Leder et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,191 by Wagner et al. and in Hogan, B., Manipulating the Mouse Embryo, (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1986). Similar methods are used for production of other transgenic animals. A transgenic founder animal can be identified based upon the presence of a HAAT transgene in its genome and/or expression of HAAT mRNA in tissues or cells of the animals. A transgenic founder animal can then be used to breed additional animals carrying the transgene. Moreover, transgenic animals carrying a transgene encoding a HAAT protein can further be bred to other transgenic animals carrying other transgenes.

[2844] To create a homologous recombinant animal, a vector is prepared which contains at least a portion of a HAAT gene into which a deletion, addition or substitution has been introduced to thereby alter, e.g., functionally disrupt, the HAAT gene. The HAAT gene can be a human gene (e.g., the cDNA of SEQ ID NO: 93), but more preferably, is a non-human homologue of a human HAAT gene (e.g., a cDNA isolated by stringent hybridization with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 91), For example, a mouse HAAT gene can be used to construct a homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule, e.g., a vector, suitable for altering an endogenous HAAT gene in the mouse genome. In a preferred embodiment, the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule is designed such that, upon homologous recombination, the endogenous HAAT gene is functionally disrupted (i.e., no longer encodes a functional protein; also referred to as a “knock out” vector). Alternatively, the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule can be designed such that, upon homologous recombination, the endogenous HAAT gene is mutated or otherwise altered but still encodes functional protein (e.g., the upstream regulatory region can be altered to thereby alter the expression of the endogenous HAAT protein). In the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule, the altered portion of the HAAT gene is flanked at its 5′ and 3′ ends by additional nucleic acid sequence of the HAAT gene to allow for homologous recombination to occur between the exogenous HAAT gene carried by the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule and an endogenous HAAT gene in a cell, e.g., an embryonic stem cell. The additional flanking HAAT nucleic acid sequence is of sufficient length for successful homologous recombination with the endogenous gene. Typically, several kilobases of flanking DNA (both at the 5′ and 3′ ends) are included in the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule (see, e.g., Thomas, K. R. and Capecchi, M. R. (1987) Cell 51:503 for a description of homologous recombination vectors). The homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule is introduced into a cell, e.g., an embryonic stem cell line (e.g., by electroporation) and cells in which the introduced HAAT gene has homologously recombined with the endogenous HAAT gene are selected (see e.g., Li, E. et al. (1992) Cell 69:915). The selected cells can then be injected into a blastocyst of an animal (e.g., a mouse) to form aggregation chimeras (see e.g., Bradley, A. in Teratocarcinomas and Embryonic Stem Cells: A Practical Approach, Robertson, E. J. ed. (IRL, Oxford, 1987) pp. 113-152). A chimeric embryo can then be implanted into a suitable pseudopregnant female foster animal and the embryo brought to term. Progeny harboring the homologously recombined DNA in their germ cells can be used to breed animals in which all cells of the animal contain the homologously recombined DNA by germline transmission of the transgene. Methods for constructing homologous recombination nucleic acid molecules, e.g., vectors, or homologous recombinant animals are described further in Bradley, A. (1991) Curr. Opin. Biotechnol. 2:823-829 and in PCT International Publication Nos.: WO 90/11354 by Le Mouellec et al.; WO 91/01140 by Smithies et al.; WO 92/0968 by Zijlstra et al.; and WO 93/04169 by Berns et al.

[2845] In another embodiment, transgenic non-humans animals can be produced which contain selected systems which allow for regulated expression of the transgene. One example of such a system is the cre/loxP recombinase system of bacteriophage P1. For a description of the cre/loxP recombinase system, see, e.g., Lakso et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:6232-6236. Another example of a recombinase system is the FLP recombinase system of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (O'Gorman et al. (1991) Science 251:1351-1355). If a cre/loxP recombinase system is used to regulate expression of the transgene, animals containing transgenes encoding both the Cre recombinase and a selected protein are required. Such animals can be provided through the construction of “double” transgenic animals, e.g., by mating two transgenic animals, one containing a transgene encoding a selected protein and the other containing a transgene encoding a recombinase.

[2846] Clones of the non-human transgenic animals described herein can also be produced according to the methods described in Wilmut, I. et al. (1997) Nature 385:810-813 and PCT International Publication Nos. WO 97/07668 and WO 97/07669. In brief, a cell, e.g., a somatic cell, from the transgenic animal can be isolated and induced to exit the growth cycle and enter G_(O) phase. The quiescent cell can then be fused, e.g., through the use of electrical pulses, to an enucleated oocyte from an animal of the same species from which the quiescent cell is isolated. The reconstructed oocyte is then cultured such that it develops to morula or blastocyte and then transferred to pseudopregnant female foster animal. The offspring borne of this female foster animal will be a clone of the animal from which the cell, e.g., the somatic cell, is isolated.

[2847] IV. Pharmaceutical Compositions

[2848] The HAAT nucleic acid molecules, or HAAT proteins, fragments thereof, anti-HAAT antibodies, and HAAT modulators (also referred to herein as “active compounds”) of the invention can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions suitable for administration. Such compositions typically comprise the nucleic acid molecule, protein, or antibody and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. As used herein the language “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” is intended to include any and all solvents, dispersion media, coatings, antibacterial and antifungal agents, isotonic and absorption delaying agents, and the like, compatible with pharmaceutical administration. The use of such media and agents for pharmaceutically active substances is well known in the art. Except insofar as any conventional media or agent is incompatible with the active compound, use thereof in the compositions is contemplated. Supplementary active compounds can also be incorporated into the compositions.

[2849] A pharmaceutical composition of the invention is formulated to be compatible with its intended route of administration. Examples of routes of administration include parenteral, e.g., intravenous, intradermal, subcutaneous, oral (e.g., inhalation), transdermal (topical), transmucosal, and rectal administration. Solutions or suspensions used for parenteral, intradermal, or subcutaneous application can include the following components: a sterile diluent such as water for injection, saline solution, fixed oils, polyethylene glycols, glycerine, propylene glycol or other synthetic solvents; antibacterial agents such as benzyl alcohol or methyl parabens; antioxidants such as ascorbic acid or sodium bisulfite; chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; buffers such as acetates, citrates or phosphates and agents for the adjustment of tonicity such as sodium chloride or dextrose. pH can be adjusted with acids or bases, such as hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide. The parenteral preparation can be enclosed in ampoules, disposable syringes or multiple dose vials made of glass or plastic.

[2850] Pharmaceutical compositions suitable for injectable use include sterile aqueous solutions (where water soluble) or dispersions and sterile powders for the extemporaneous preparation of sterile injectable solutions or dispersion. For intravenous administration, suitable carriers include physiological saline, bacteriostatic water, Cremophor EL™ (BASF, Parsippany, N.J.) or phosphate buffered saline (PBS). In all cases, the composition must be sterile and should be fluid to the extent that easy syringeability exists. It must be stable under the conditions of manufacture and storage and must be preserved against the contaminating action of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. The carrier can be a solvent or dispersion medium containing, for example, water, ethanol, polyol (for example, glycerol, propylene glycol, and liquid polyetheylene glycol, and the like), and suitable mixtures thereof. The proper fluidity can be maintained, for example, by the use of a coating such as lecithin, by the maintenance of the required particle size in the case of dispersion and by the use of surfactants. Prevention of the action of microorganisms can be achieved by various antibacterial and antifungal agents, for example, parabens, chlorobutanol, phenol, ascorbic acid, thimerosal, and the like. In many cases, it will be preferable to include isotonic agents, for example, sugars, polyalcohols such as manitol, sorbitol, sodium chloride in the composition. Prolonged absorption of the injectable compositions can be brought about by including in the composition an agent which delays absorption, for example, aluminum monostearate and gelatin.

[2851] Sterile injectable solutions can be prepared by incorporating the active compound (e.g., a fragment of a HAAT protein or an anti-HAAT antibody) in the required amount in an appropriate solvent with one or a combination of ingredients enumerated above, as required, followed by filtered sterilization. Generally, dispersions are prepared by incorporating the active compound into a sterile vehicle which contains a basic dispersion medium and the required other ingredients from those enumerated above. In the case of sterile powders for the preparation of sterile injectable solutions, the preferred methods of preparation are vacuum drying and freeze-drying which yields a powder of the active ingredient plus any additional desired ingredient from a previously sterile-filtered solution thereof.

[2852] Oral compositions generally include an inert diluent or an edible carrier. They can be enclosed in gelatin capsules or compressed into tablets. For the purpose of oral therapeutic administration, the active compound can be incorporated with excipients and used in the form of tablets, troches, or capsules. Oral compositions can also be prepared using a fluid carrier for use as a mouthwash, wherein the compound in the fluid carrier is applied orally and swished and expectorated or swallowed. Pharmaceutically compatible binding agents, and/or adjuvant materials can be included as part of the composition. The tablets, pills, capsules, troches and the like can contain any of the following ingredients, or compounds of a similar nature: a binder such as microcrystalline cellulose, gum tragacanth or gelatin; an excipient such as starch or lactose, a disintegrating agent such as alginic acid, Primogel, or corn starch; a lubricant such as magnesium stearate or Sterotes; a glidant such as colloidal silicon dioxide; a sweetening agent such as sucrose or saccharin; or a flavoring agent such as peppermint, methyl salicylate, or orange flavoring.

[2853] For administration by inhalation, the compounds are delivered in the form of an aerosol spray from pressured container or dispenser which contains a suitable propellant, e.g., a gas such as carbon dioxide, or a nebulizer.

[2854] Systemic administration can also be by transmucosal or transdermal means. For transmucosal or transdermal administration, penetrants appropriate to the barrier to be permeated are used in the formulation. Such penetrants are generally known in the art, and include, for example, for transmucosal administration, detergents, bile salts, and fusidic acid derivatives. Transmucosal administration can be accomplished through the use of nasal sprays or suppositories. For transdermal administration, the active compounds are formulated into ointments, salves, gels, or creams as generally known in the art.

[2855] The compounds can also be prepared in the form of suppositories (e.g., with conventional suppository bases such as cocoa butter and other glycerides) or retention enemas for rectal delivery.

[2856] In one embodiment, the active compounds are prepared with carriers that will protect the compound against rapid elimination from the body, such as a controlled release formulation, including implants and microencapsulated delivery systems. Biodegradable, biocompatible polymers can be used, such as ethylene vinyl acetate, polyanhydrides, polyglycolic acid, collagen, polyorthoesters, and polylactic acid. Methods for preparation of such formulations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The materials can also be obtained commercially from Alza Corporation and Nova Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Liposomal suspensions (including liposomes targeted to infected cells with monoclonal antibodies to viral antigens) can also be used as pharmaceutically acceptable carriers. These can be prepared according to methods known to those skilled in the art, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,811.

[2857] It is especially advantageous to formulate oral or parenteral compositions in dosage unit form for ease of administration and uniformity of dosage. Dosage unit form as used herein refers to physically discrete units suited as unitary dosages for the subject to be treated; each unit containing a predetermined quantity of active compound calculated to produce the desired therapeutic effect in association with the required pharmaceutical carrier. The specification for the dosage unit forms of the invention are dictated by and directly dependent on the unique characteristics of the active compound and the particular therapeutic effect to be achieved, and the limitations inherent in the art of compounding such an active compound for the treatment of individuals.

[2858] Toxicity and therapeutic efficacy of such compounds can be determined by standard pharmaceutical procedures in cell cultures or experimental animals, e.g., for determining the LD50 (the dose lethal to 50% of the population) and the ED50 (the dose therapeutically effective in 50% of the population). The dose ratio between toxic and therapeutic effects is the therapeutic index and it can be expressed as the ratio LD50/ED50. Compounds which exhibit large therapeutic indices are preferred. While compounds that exhibit toxic side effects may be used, care should be taken to design a delivery system that targets such compounds to the site of affected tissue in order to minimize potential damage to uninfected cells and, thereby, reduce side effects.

[2859] The data obtained from the cell culture assays and animal studies can be used in formulating a range of dosage for use in humans. The dosage of such compounds lies preferably within a range of circulating concentrations that include the ED50 with little or no toxicity. The dosage may vary within this range depending upon the dosage form employed and the route of administration utilized. For any compound used in the method of the invention, the therapeutically effective dose can be estimated initially from cell culture assays. A dose may be formulated in animal models to achieve a circulating plasma concentration range that includes the IC50 (i.e., the concentration of the test compound which achieves a half-maximal inhibition of symptoms) as determined in cell culture. Such information can be used to more accurately determine useful doses in humans. Levels in plasma may be measured, for example, by high performance liquid chromatography.

[2860] As defined herein, a therapeutically effective amount of protein or polypeptide (i.e., an effective dosage) ranges from about 0.001 to 30 mg/kg body weight, preferably about 0.01 to 25 mg/kg body weight, more preferably about 0.1 to 20 mg/kg body weight, and even more preferably about 1 to 10 mg/kg, 2 to 9 mg/kg, 3 to 8 mg/kg, 4 to 7 mg/kg, or 5 to 6 mg/kg body weight. The skilled artisan will appreciate that certain factors may influence the dosage required to effectively treat a subject, including but not limited to the severity of the disease or disorder, previous treatments, the general health and/or age of the subject, and other diseases present. Moreover, treatment of a subject with a therapeutically effective amount of a protein, polypeptide, or antibody can include a single treatment or, preferably, can include a series of treatments.

[2861] In a preferred example, a subject is treated with antibody, protein, or polypeptide in the range of between about 0.1 to 20 mg/kg body weight, one time per week for between about 1 to 10 weeks, preferably between 2 to 8 weeks, more preferably between about 3 to 7 weeks, and even more preferably for about 4, 5, or 6 weeks. It will also be appreciated that the effective dosage of antibody, protein, or polypeptide used for treatment may increase or decrease over the course of a particular treatment. Changes in dosage may result and become apparent from the results of diagnostic assays as described herein.

[2862] The present invention encompasses agents which modulate expression or activity. An agent may, for example, be a small molecule. For example, such small molecules include, but are not limited to, peptides, peptidomimetics, amino acids, amino acid analogs, polynucleotides, polynucleotide analogs, nucleotides, nucleotide analogs, organic or inorganic compounds (i.e.,. including heteroorganic and organometallic compounds) having a molecular weight less than about 10,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 5,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 1,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 500 grams per mole, and salts, esters, and other pharmaceutically acceptable forms of such compounds. It is understood that appropriate doses of small molecule agents depends upon a number of factors within the ken of the ordinarily skilled physician, veterinarian, or researcher. The dose(s) of the small molecule will vary, for example, depending upon the identity, size, and condition of the subject or sample being treated, further depending upon the route by which the composition is to be administered, if applicable, and the effect which the practitioner desires the small molecule to have upon the nucleic acid or polypeptide of the invention.

[2863] Exemplary doses include milligram or microgram amounts of the small molecule per kilogram of subject or sample weight (e.g., about 1 microgram per kilogram to about 500 milligrams per kilogram, about 100 micrograms per kilogram to about 5 milligrams per kilogram, or about 1 microgram per kilogram to about 50 micrograms per kilogram. It is furthermore understood that appropriate doses of a small molecule depend upon the potency of the small molecule with respect to the expression or activity to be modulated. Such appropriate doses may be determined using the assays described herein. When one or more of these small molecules is to be administered to an animal (e.g., a human) in order to modulate expression or activity of a polypeptide or nucleic acid of the invention, a physician, veterinarian, or researcher may, for example, prescribe a relatively low dose at first, subsequently increasing the dose until an appropriate response is obtained. In addition, it is understood that the specific dose level for any particular animal subject will depend upon a variety of factors including the activity of the specific compound employed, the age, body weight, general health, gender, and diet of the subject, the time of administration, the route of administration, the rate of excretion, any drug combination, and the degree of expression or activity to be modulated.

[2864] In certain embodiments of the invention, a modulator of HAAT activity is administered in combination with other agents (e.g., a small molecule), or in conjunction with another, complementary treatment regime. For example, in one embodiment, a modulator of HAAT activity is used to treat a HAAT associated disorder. Accordingly, modulation of HAAT activity may be used in conjunction with, for example, another agent used to treat the disorder.

[2865] Further, an antibody (or fragment thereof) may be conjugated to a therapeutic moiety such as a cytotoxin, a therapeutic agent or a radioactive metal ion. A cytotoxin or cytotoxic agent includes any agent that is detrimental to cells. Examples include taxol, cytochalasin B, gramicidin D, ethidium bromide, emetine, mitomycin, etoposide, tenoposide, vincristine, vinblastine, colchicin, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, dihydroxy anthracin dione, mitoxantrone, mithramycin, actinomycin D, 1-dehydrotestosterone, glucocorticoids, procaine, tetracaine, lidocaine, propranolol, and puromycin and analogs or homologs thereof. Therapeutic agents include, but are not limited to, antimetabolites (e.g., methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, cytarabine, 5-fluorouracil decarbazine), alkylating agents (e.g., mechlorethamine, thioepa chlorambucil, melphalan, carmustine (BSNU) and lomustine (CCNU), cyclothosphamide, busulfan, dibromomannitol, streptozotocin, mitomycin C, and cis-dichlorodiamine platinum (II) (DDP) cisplatin), anthracyclines (e.g., daunorubicin (formerly daunomycin) and doxorubicin), antibiotics (e.g., dactinomycin (formerly actinomycin), bleomycin, mithramycin, and anthramycin (AMC)), and anti-mitotic agents (e.g., vincristine and vinblastine).

[2866] The conjugates of the invention can be used for modifying a given biological response, the drug moiety is not to be construed as limited to classical chemical therapeutic agents. For example, the drug moiety may be a protein or polypeptide possessing a desired biological activity. Such proteins may include, for example, a toxin such as abrin, ricin A, pseudomonas exotoxin, or diphtheria toxin; a protein such as tumor necrosis factor, alpha-interferon, beta-interferon, nerve growth factor, platelet derived growth factor, tissue plasminogen activator; or, biological response modifiers such as, for example, lymphokines, interleukin-1 (“IL-1”), interleukin-2 (“IL-2”), interleukin-6 (“IL-6”), granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (“GM-CSF”), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (“G-CSF”), or other growth factors.

[2867] Techniques for conjugating such therapeutic moiety to antibodies are well known, see, e.g., Arnon et al. “Monoclonal Antibodies For Immunotargeting Of Drugs In Cancer Therapy” in Monoclonal Antibodies And Cancer Therapy, Reisfeld et al. (eds.), pp. 243-56 (Alan R. Liss, Inc. 1985); Hellstrom et al. “Antibodies For Drug Delivery” in Controlled Drug Delivery (2nd Ed.), Robinson et al. (eds.), pp. 623-53 (Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1987); Thorpe “Antibody Carriers Of Cytotoxic Agents In Cancer Therapy: A Review” in Monoclonal Antibodies '84: Biological And Clinical Applications, Pinchera et al. (eds.), pp. 475-506 (1985); “Analysis, Results, And Future Prospective Of The Therapeutic Use Of Radiolabeled Antibody In Cancer Therapy” in Monoclonal Antibodies For Cancer Detection And Therapy, Baldwin et al. (eds.), pp. 303-16 (Academic Press 1985); and Thorpe et al “The Preparation And Cytotoxic Properties Of Antibody-Toxin Conjugates” Immunol Rev. 62:119-58 (1982). Alternatively, an antibody can be conjugated to a second antibody to form an antibody heteroconjugate as described by Segal in U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,980.

[2868] The nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be inserted into vectors and used as gene therapy vectors. Gene therapy vectors can be delivered to a subject by, for example, intravenous injection, local administration (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,470) or by stereotactic injection (see e.g., Chen et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:3054-3057). The pharmaceutical preparation of the gene therapy vector can include the gene therapy vector in an acceptable diluent, or can comprise a slow release matrix in which the gene delivery vehicle is imbedded. Alternatively, where the complete gene delivery vector can be produced intact from recombinant cells, e.g., retroviral vectors, the pharmaceutical preparation can include one or more cells which produce the gene delivery system.

[2869] The pharmaceutical compositions can be included in a container, pack, or dispenser together with instructions for administration.

[2870] V. Uses and Methods of the Invention

[2871] The nucleic acid molecules, proteins, protein homologues, protein fragments, antibodies, peptides, peptidomimetics, and small molecules described herein can be used in one or more of the following methods: a) screening assays; b) predictive medicine (e.g., diagnostic assays, prognostic assays, monitoring clinical trials, and pharmacogenetics); and c) methods of treatment (e.g., therapeutic and prophylactic). As described herein, a HAAT protein of the invention has one or more of the following activities: (i) interaction with a HAAT substrate or target molecule (e.g., an amino acid); (ii) transport of a HAAT substrate or target molecule (e.g., an amino acid) from one side of a cellular membrane to the other; (iii) conversion of a HAAT substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., glucose production); (iv) interaction with a second non-HAAT protein; (v) modulation of substrate or target molecule location (e.g., modulation of amino acid location within a cell and/or location with respect to a cellular membrane); (vi) maintenance of amino acid gradients; (vii) modulation of hormone metabolism and/or nerve transmission (e.g., either directly or indirectly); (viii) modulation of cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and production of metabolic energy; and/or (ix) modulation of amino acid homeostasis.

[2872] The isolated nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be used, for example, to express HAAT protein (e.g., via a recombinant expression vector in a host cell in gene therapy applications), to detect HAAT mRNA (e.g., in a biological sample) or a genetic alteration in a HAAT gene, and to modulate HAAT activity, as described further below. The HAAT proteins can be used to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive production or transport of a HAAT substrate or production of HAAT inhibitors, for example, HAAT associated disorders.

[2873] As used interchangeably herein, a “human amino acid transporter associated disorder” or a “HAAT associated disorder” includes a disorder, disease or condition which is caused or characterized by a misregulation (e.g., downregulation or upregulation) of HAAT activity. HAAT associated disorders can detrimentally affect cellular functions such as protein synthesis, hormone metabolism, nerve transmission, cellular activation, regulation of cell growth, production of metabolic energy, synthesis of purines and pyrimidines, nitrogen metabolism, and/or biosynthesis of urea. Examples of HAAT associated disorders include: retinitis pigmentosa; tumorigenesis; nephrolithiasis; chronic lymphocytic leukemia; neurodegenerative diseases such as epilepsy, ischemia (i.e. hypoxia, stroke), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Hatnup disease; hyperdibasic aminoaciduria; isolated lysinuria; iminoglycinuria; familial protein intolerance; dicarboxylic aminoaciduria; cystinuria; lysinuric protein intolerance; and endotoxic shock.

[2874] Further examples of HAAT associated disorders include CNS disorders such as cognitive and neurodegenerative disorders, examples of which include, but are not limited to, Alzheimer's disease, dementias related to Alzheimer's disease (such as Pick's disease), Parkinson's and other Lewy diffuse body diseases, senile dementia, Huntington's disease, Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive supranuclear palsy, epilepsy, seizure disorders, and Jakob-Creutzfieldt disease; autonomic function disorders such as hypertension and sleep disorders, and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, korsakoff's psychosis, mania, anxiety disorders, or phobic disorders; learning or memory disorders, e.g., amnesia or age-related memory loss, attention deficit disorder, dysthymic disorder, major depressive disorder, mania, obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychoactive substance use disorders, anxiety, phobias, panic disorder, as well as bipolar affective disorder, e.g., severe bipolar affective (mood) disorder (BP-1), and bipolar affective neurological disorders, e.g., migraine and obesity. Further CNS-related disorders include, for example, those listed in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the most current version of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[2875] As used herein, the term “metabolic disorder” includes a disorder, disease or condition which is caused or characterized by an abnormal metabolism (i.e., the chemical changes in living cells by which energy is provided for vital processes and activities) in a subject. Metabolic disorders include diseases, disorders, or conditions associated with aberrant thermogenesis or aberrant adipose cell (e.g., brown or white adipose cell) content or function. Metabolic disorders can be characterized by a misregulation (e.g., downregulation or upregulation) of HAAT activity. Metabolic disorders can detrimentally affect cellular functions such as cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, or migration, cellular regulation of homeostasis, inter- or intra-cellular communication; tissue function, such as liver function, muscle function, or adipocyte function; systemic responses in an organism, such as hormonal responses (e.g., insulin response). Examples of metabolic disorders include obesity, diabetes, hyperphagia, endocrine abnormalities, triglyceride storage disease, Bardet-Biedl syndrome, Lawrence-Moon syndrome, Prader-Labhart-Willi syndrome, anorexia, and cachexia. Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/²m or more (National Institute of Health, Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults (1998)). However, the present invention is also intended to include a disease, disorder, or condition that is characterized by a body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/²m or more, 26 kg/²m or more, 27 kg/²m or more, 28 kg/²m or more, 29 kg/²m or more, 29.5 kg/²m or more, or 29.9 kg/²m or more, all of which are typically referred to as overweight (National Institute of Health, Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults (1998)).

[2876] HAAT associated disorders also include cellular proliferation, growth, or differentiation disorders. Cellular proliferation, growth, or differentiation disorders include those disorders that affect cell proliferation, growth, or differentiation processes. As used herein, a “cellular proliferation, growth, or differentiation process” is a process by which a cell increases in number, size or content, or by which a cell develops a specialized set of characteristics which differ from that of other cells. The HAAT molecules of the present invention are involved in amino acid transport mechanisms, which are known to be involved in cellular growth, proliferation, and differentiation processes. Thus, the HAAT molecules may modulate cellular growth, proliferation, or differentiation, and may play a role in disorders characterized by aberrantly regulated growth, proliferation, or differentiation. Such disorders include cancer, e.g., carcinoma, sarcoma, or leukemia; tumor angiogenesis and metastasis; skeletal dysplasia; hepatic disorders; and hematopoietic and/or myeloproliferative disorders.

[2877] In addition, the HAAT proteins can be used to screen for naturally occurring HAAT substrates, to screen for drugs or compounds which modulate HAAT activity, as well as to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive production of HAAT protein or production of HAAT protein forms which have decreased, aberrant or unwanted activity compared to HAAT wild type protein (e.g., a HAAT-associated disorder).

[2878] Moreover, the anti-HAAT antibodies of the invention can be used to detect and isolate HAAT proteins, regulate the bioavailability of HAAT proteins, and modulate HAAT activity.

[2879] A. Screening Assays

[2880] The invention provides a method (also referred to herein as a “screening assay”) for identifying modulators, i.e., candidate or test compounds or agents (e.g., peptides, peptidomimetics, small molecules or other drugs) which bind to HAAT proteins, have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on, for example, HAAT expression or HAAT activity, or have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on, for example, the expression or activity of a HAAT substrate.

[2881] In one embodiment, the invention provides assays for screening candidate or test compounds which are substrates of a HAAT protein or polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof. In another embodiment, the invention provides assays for screening candidate or test compounds which bind to or modulate the activity of a HAAT protein or polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof. The test compounds of the present invention can be obtained using any of the numerous approaches in combinatorial library methods known in the art, including: biological libraries; spatially addressable parallel solid phase or solution phase libraries; synthetic library methods requiring deconvolution; the ‘one-bead one-compound’ library method; and synthetic library methods using affinity chromatography selection. The biological library approach is limited to peptide libraries, while the other four approaches are applicable to peptide, non-peptide oligomer or small molecule libraries of compounds (Lam, K. S. (1997) Anticancer Drug Des. 12:45).

[2882] Examples of methods for the synthesis of molecular libraries can be found in the art, for example, in: DeWitt et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:6909; Erb et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:11422; Zuckermann et al. (1994). J. Med. Chem. 37:2678; Cho et al. (1993) Science 261:1303; Carrell et al. (1994) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 33:2059; Carell et al. (1994) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 33:2061; and Gallop et al. (1994) J. Med. Chem. 37:1233.

[2883] Libraries of compounds may be presented in solution (e.g., Houghten (1992) Biotechniques 13:412-421), or on beads (Lam (1991) Nature 354:82-84), chips (Fodor (1993) Nature 364:555-556), bacteria (Ladner U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409), spores (Ladner USP '409), plasmids (Cull et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:1865-1869) or on phage (Scott and Smith (1990) Science 249:386-390); (Devlin (1990) Science 249:404-406); (Cwirla et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:6378-6382); (Felici (1991) J. Mol. Biol. 222:301-310); (Ladner supra.).

[2884] In one embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay in which a cell which expresses a HAAT protein or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate HAAT activity is determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate HAAT activity can be accomplished by monitoring, for example: (i) interaction with a HAAT substrate or target molecule (e.g., an amino acid); (ii) transport of a HAAT substrate or target molecule (e.g., an amino acid) from one side of a cellular membrane to the other; (iii) conversion of a HAAT substrate or target molecule to a product (e.g., glucose production); (iv) interaction with a second non-HAAT protein; (v) modulation of substrate or target molecule location (e.g., modulation of amino acid location within a cell and/or location with respect to a cellular membrane); (vi) maintenance of amino acid gradients; (vii) modulation of hormone metabolism and/or nerve transmission (e.g., either directly or indirectly); (viii) modulation of cellular proliferation, growth, differentiation, and production of metabolic energy; and/or (ix) modulation of amino acid homeostasis.

[2885] The activity of the HAAT protein in promoting the uptake of amino acids can be monitored by expression cloning the HAAT protein in an oocyte. By incubating the HAAT protein with a ¹⁴C labeled amino acid, the transport of the labeled amino acid into the oocyte by the HAAT protein can be measured. Further, the substrate selectivity of the HAAT protein can be measured by monitoring the uptake of the ¹⁴C labeled amino acid in the presence of other non-labeled amino acids which may inhibit the uptake of the labeled amino acid.

[2886] The ability of the test compound to modulate HAAT binding to a substrate or to bind to HAAT can also be determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate HAAT binding to a substrate can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the HAAT substrate with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the HAAT substrate to HAAT can be determined by detecting the labeled HAAT substrate in a complex. Alternatively, HAAT could be coupled with a radioisotope or enzymatic label to monitor the ability of a test compound to modulate HAAT binding to a HAAT substrate in a complex. Determining the ability of the test compound to bind HAAT can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the compound with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the compound to HAAT can be determined by detecting the labeled HAAT compound in a complex. For example, compounds (e.g., HAAT substrates) can be labeled with ¹²⁵I, ³⁵S, ¹⁴C, or ³H, either directly or indirectly, and the radioisotope detected by direct counting of radioemission or by scintillation counting. Alternatively, compounds can be enzymatically labeled with, for example, horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, or luciferase, and the enzymatic label detected by determination of conversion of an appropriate substrate to product.

[2887] It is also within the scope of this invention to determine the ability of a compound (e.g., a HAAT substrate) to interact with HAAT without the labeling of any of the interactants. For example, a microphysiometer can be used to detect the interaction of a compound with HAAT without the labeling of either the compound or the HAAT. McConnell, H. M. et al. (1992) Science 257:1906-1912. As used herein, a “microphysiometer” (e.g., Cytosensor) is an analytical instrument that measures the rate at which a cell acidifies its environment using a light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS). Changes in this acidification rate can be used as an indicator of the interaction between a compound and HAAT.

[2888] In another embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay comprising contacting a cell expressing a HAAT target molecule (e.g., a HAAT substrate) with a test compound and determining the ability of the test compound to change the cellular location of the HAAT target molecule.

[2889] In yet another embodiment, an assay of the present invention is a cell-free assay in which a HAAT protein or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to bind to the HAAT protein or biologically active portion thereof is determined. Preferred biologically active portions of the HAAT proteins to be used in assays of the present invention include fragments which participate in interactions with non-HAAT molecules. Binding of the test compound to the HAAT protein can be determined either directly or indirectly as described above. In a preferred embodiment, the assay includes contacting the HAAT protein or biologically active portion thereof with a known compound which binds HAAT to form an assay mixture, contacting the assay mixture with a test compound, and determining the ability of the test compound to interact with a HAAT protein, wherein determining the ability of the test compound to interact with a HAAT protein comprises determining the ability of the test compound to preferentially bind to HAAT or biologically active portion thereof as compared to the known compound.

[2890] In another embodiment, the assay is a cell-free assay in which a HAAT protein or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate (e.g., stimulate or inhibit) the activity of the HAAT protein or biologically active portion thereof is determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of a HAAT protein can be accomplished, for example, by determining the ability of the HAAT protein to bind to a HAAT target molecule by one of the methods described above for determining direct binding. Determining the ability of the HAAT protein to bind to a HAAT target molecule can also be accomplished using a technology such as real-time Biomolecular Interaction Analysis (BIA). Sjolander, S. and Urbaniczky, C. (1991) Anal. Chem. 63:2338-2345 and Szabo et al. (1995) Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol. 5:699-705. As used herein, “BIA” is a technology for studying biospecific interactions in real time, without labeling any of the interactants (e.g., BIAcore). Changes in the optical phenomenon of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) can be used as an indication of real-time reactions between biological molecules.

[2891] In yet another embodiment, the cell-free assay involves contacting a HAAT protein or biologically active portion thereof with a known compound which binds the HAAT protein to form an assay mixture, contacting the assay mixture with a test compound, and determining the ability of the test compound to interact with the HAAT protein, wherein determining the ability of the test compound to interact with the HAAT protein comprises determining the ability of the HAAT protein to preferentially bind to or modulate the activity of a HAAT target molecule.

[2892] The cell-free assays of the present invention are amenable to use of both soluble and/or membrane-bound forms of isolated proteins (e.g., HAAT proteins or biologically active portions thereof). In the case of cell-free assays in which a membrane-bound form of an isolated protein is used it may be desirable to utilize a solubilizing agent such that the membrane-bound form of the isolated protein is maintained in solution. Examples of such solubilizing agents include non-ionic detergents such as n-octylglucoside, n-dodecylglucoside, n-dodecylmaltoside, octanoyl-N-methylglucamide, decanoyl-N-methylglucamide, Triton® X-100, Triton® X-114, Thesit®, Isotridecypoly(ethylene glycol ether)_(n), 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylamminio]-1-propane sulfonate (CHAPS), 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylamminio]-2-hydroxy-1-propane sulfonate (CHAPSO), or N-dodecyl=N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propane sulfonate.

[2893] In more than one embodiment of the above assay methods of the present invention, it may be desirable to immobilize either HAAT or its target molecule to facilitate separation of complexed from uncomplexed forms of one or both of the proteins, as well as to accommodate automation of the assay. Binding of a test compound to a HAAT protein, or interaction of a HAAT protein with a substrate or target molecule in the presence and absence of a candidate compound, can be accomplished in any vessel suitable for containing the reactants. Examples of such vessels include microtiter plates, test tubes, and micro-centrifuge tubes. In one embodiment, a fusion protein can be provided which adds a domain that allows one or both of the proteins to be bound to a matrix. For example, glutathione-S-transferase/HAAT fusion proteins or glutathione-S-transferase/target fusion proteins can be adsorbed onto glutathione sepharose beads (Sigma Chemical, St. Louis, Mo.) or glutathione derivatized micrometer plates, which are then combined with the test compound or the test compound and either the non-adsorbed target protein or HAAT protein, and the mixture incubated under conditions conducive to complex formation (e.g., at physiological conditions for salt and pH). Following incubation, the beads or microtiter plate wells are washed to remove any unbound components, the matrix immobilized in the case of beads, complex determined either directly or indirectly, for example, as described above. Alternatively, the complexes can be dissociated from the matrix, and the level of HAAT binding or activity determined using standard techniques.

[2894] Other techniques for immobilizing proteins on matrices can also be used in the screening assays of the invention. For example, either a HAAT protein or a HAAT substrate or target molecule can be immobilized utilizing conjugation of biotin and streptavidin. Biotinylated HAAT protein, substrates, or target molecules can be prepared from biotin-NHS (N-hydroxy-succinimide) using techniques known in the art (e.g., biotinylation kit, Pierce Chemicals, Rockford, Ill.), and immobilized in the wells of streptavidin-coated 96 well plates (Pierce Chemical). Alternatively, antibodies reactive with HAAT protein or target molecules but which do not interfere with binding of the HAAT protein to its target molecule can be derivatized to the wells of the plate, and unbound target or HAAT protein trapped in the wells by antibody conjugation. Methods for detecting such complexes, in addition to those described above for the GST-immobilized complexes, include immunodetection of complexes using antibodies reactive with the HAAT protein or target molecule, as well as enzyme-linked assays which rely on detecting an enzymatic activity associated with the HAAT protein or target molecule.

[2895] In another embodiment, modulators of HAAT expression are identified in a method wherein a cell is contacted with a candidate compound and the expression of HAAT mRNA or protein in the cell is determined. The level of expression of HAAT mRNA or protein in the presence of the candidate compound is compared to the level of expression of HAAT mRNA or protein in the absence of the candidate compound. The candidate compound can then be identified as a modulator of HAAT expression based on this comparison. For example, when expression of HAAT mRNA or protein is greater (statistically significantly greater) in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as a stimulator of HAAT mRNA or protein expression. Alternatively, when expression of HAAT mRNA or protein is less (statistically significantly less) in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as an inhibitor of HAAT mRNA or protein expression. The level of HAAT mRNA or protein expression in the cells can be determined by methods described herein for detecting HAAT mRNA or protein.

[2896] In yet another aspect of the invention, the HAAT proteins can be used as “bait proteins” in a two-hybrid assay or three-hybrid assay (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,317; Zervos et al. (1993) Cell 72:223-232; Madura et al. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268:12046-12054; Bartel et al. (1993) Biotechniques 14:920-924; Iwabuchi et al. (1993) Oncogene 8:1693-1696; and Brent WO94/10300) to identify other proteins which bind to or interact with HAAT (“HAAT-binding proteins” or “HAAT-bp”) and are involved in HAAT activity.

[2897] The two-hybrid system is based on the modular nature of most transcription factors, which consist of separable DNA-binding and activation domains. Briefly, the assay utilizes two different DNA constructs. In one construct, the gene that codes for a HAAT protein is fused to a gene encoding the DNA binding domain of a known transcription factor (e.g., GAL-4). In the other construct, a DNA sequence, from a library of DNA sequences, that encodes an unidentified protein (“prey” or “sample”) is fused to a gene that codes for the activation domain of the known transcription factor. If the “bait” and the “prey” proteins are able to interact, in vivo, forming a HAAT-dependent complex, the DNA-binding and activation domains of the transcription factor are brought into close proximity. This proximity allows transcription of a reporter gene (e.g., LacZ) which is operably linked to a transcriptional regulatory site responsive to the transcription factor. Expression of the reporter gene can be detected and cell colonies containing the functional transcription factor can be isolated and used to obtain the cloned gene which encodes the protein which interacts with the HAAT protein.

[2898] In another aspect, the invention pertains to a combination of two or more of the assays described herein. For example, a modulating agent can be identified using a cell-based or a cell-free assay.

[2899] This invention further pertains to novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays. Accordingly, it is within the scope of this invention to further use an agent identified as described herein in an appropriate animal model. For example, an agent identified as described herein (e.g., a HAAT modulating agent, an antisense HAAT nucleic acid molecule, a HAAT-specific antibody, or a HAAT binding partner) can be used in an animal model to determine the efficacy, toxicity, or side effects of treatment with such an agent. Alternatively, an agent identified as described herein can be used in an animal model to determine the mechanism of action of such an agent. Furthermore, this invention pertains to uses of novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays for treatments as described herein.

[2900] B. Detection Assays

[2901] Portions or fragments of the cDNA sequences identified herein (and the corresponding complete gene sequences) can be used in numerous ways as polynucleotide reagents. For example, these sequences can be used to: (i) map their respective genes on a chromosome; and, thus, locate gene regions associated with genetic disease; (ii) identify an individual from a minute biological sample (tissue typing); and (iii) aid in forensic identification of a biological sample. These applications are described in the subsections below.

[2902] 1. Chromosome Mapping

[2903] Once the sequence (or a portion of the sequence) of a gene has been isolated, this sequence can be used to map the location of the gene on a chromosome. This process is called chromosome mapping. Accordingly, portions or fragments of the HAAT nucleotide sequences, described herein, can be used to map the location of the HAAT genes on a chromosome. The mapping of the HAAT sequences to chromosomes is an important first step in correlating these sequences with genes associated with disease.

[2904] Briefly, HAAT genes can be mapped to chromosomes by preparing PCR primers (preferably 15-25 bp in length) from the HAAT nucleotide sequences. Computer analysis of the HAAT sequences can be used to predict primers that do not span more than one exon in the genomic DNA, thus complicating the amplification process. These primers can then be used for PCR screening of somatic cell hybrids containing individual human chromosomes. Only those hybrids containing the human gene corresponding to the HAAT sequences will yield an amplified fragment.

[2905] Somatic cell hybrids are prepared by fusing somatic cells from different mammals (e.g., human and mouse cells). As hybrids of human and mouse cells grow and divide, they gradually lose human chromosomes in random order, but retain the mouse chromosomes. By using media in which mouse cells cannot grow, because they lack a particular enzyme, but human cells can, the one human chromosome that contains the gene encoding the needed enzyme, will be retained. By using various media, panels of hybrid cell lines can be established. Each cell line in a panel contains either a single human chromosome or a small number of human chromosomes, and a full set of mouse chromosomes, allowing easy mapping of individual genes to specific human chromosomes. (D'Eustachio P. et al. (1983) Science 220:919-924). Somatic cell hybrids containing only fragments of human chromosomes can also be produced by using human chromosomes with translocations and deletions.

[2906] PCR mapping of somatic cell hybrids is a rapid procedure for assigning a particular sequence to a particular chromosome. Three or more sequences can be assigned per day using a single thermal cycler. Using the HAAT nucleotide sequences to design oligonucleotide primers, sublocalization can be achieved with panels of fragments from specific chromosomes. Other mapping strategies which can similarly be used to map a HAAT sequence to its chromosome include in situ hybridization (described in Fan, Y. et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 87:6223-27), pre-screening with labeled flow-sorted chromosomes, and pre-selection by hybridization to chromosome-specific cDNA libraries.

[2907] Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of a DNA sequence to a metaphase chromosomal spread can further be used to provide a precise chromosomal location in one step. Chromosome spreads can be made using cells whose division has been blocked in metaphase by a chemical such as colcemid that disrupts the mitotic spindle. The chromosomes can be treated briefly with trypsin, and then stained with Giemsa. A pattern of light and dark bands develops on each chromosome, so that the chromosomes can be identified individually. The FISH technique can be used with a DNA sequence as short as 500 or 600 bases. However, clones larger than 1,000 bases have a higher likelihood of binding to a unique chromosomal location with sufficient signal intensity for simple detection. Preferably 1,000 bases, and more preferably 2,000 bases will suffice to get good results at a reasonable amount of time. For a review of this technique, see Verma et al., Human Chromosomes: A Manual of Basic Techniques (Pergamon Press, New York 1988).

[2908] Reagents for chromosome mapping can be used individually to mark a single chromosome or a single site on that chromosome, or panels of reagents can be used for marking multiple sites and/or multiple chromosomes. Reagents corresponding to noncoding regions of the genes actually are preferred for mapping purposes. Coding sequences are more likely to be conserved within gene families, thus increasing the chance of cross hybridizations during chromosomal mapping.

[2909] Once a sequence has been mapped to a precise chromosomal location, the physical position of the sequence on the chromosome can be correlated with genetic map data. (Such data are found, for example, in McKusick, V., Mendelian Inheritance in Man, available online through Johns Hopkins University Welch Medical Library). The relationship between a gene and a disease, mapped to the same chromosomal region, can then be identified through linkage analysis (co-inheritance of physically adjacent genes), described in, for example, Egeland, J. et al. (1987) Nature, 325:783-787.

[2910] Moreover, differences in the DNA sequences between individuals affected and unaffected with a disease associated with the HAAT gene, can be determined. If a mutation is observed in some or all of the affected individuals but not in any unaffected individuals, then the mutation is likely to be the causative agent of the particular disease. Comparison of affected and unaffected individuals generally involves first looking for structural alterations in the chromosomes, such as deletions or translocations that are visible from chromosome spreads or detectable using PCR based on that DNA sequence. Ultimately, complete sequencing of genes from several individuals can be performed to confirm the presence of a mutation and to distinguish mutations from polymorphisms.

[2911] 2. Tissue Typing

[2912] The HAAT sequences of the present invention can also be used to identify individuals from minute biological samples. The United States military, for example, is considering the use of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) for identification of its personnel. In this technique, an individual's genomic DNA is digested with one or more restriction enzymes, and probed on a Southern blot to yield unique bands for identification. This method does not suffer from the current limitations of “Dog Tags” which can be lost, switched, or stolen, making positive identification difficult. The sequences of the present invention are useful as additional DNA markers for RFLP (described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,057).

[2913] Furthermore, the sequences of the present invention can be used to provide an alternative technique which determines the actual base-by-base DNA sequence of selected portions of an individual's genome. Thus, the HAAT nucleotide sequences described herein can be used to prepare two PCR primers from the 5′ and 3′ ends of the sequences. These primers can then be used to amplify an individual's DNA and subsequently sequence it.

[2914] Panels of corresponding DNA sequences from individuals, prepared in this manner, can provide unique individual identifications, as each individual will have a unique set of such DNA sequences due to allelic differences. The sequences of the present invention can be used to obtain such identification sequences from individuals and from tissue. The HAAT nucleotide sequences of the invention uniquely represent portions of the human genome. Allelic variation occurs to some degree in the coding regions of these sequences, and to a greater degree in the noncoding regions. It is estimated that allelic variation between individual humans occurs with a frequency of about once per each 500 bases. Each of the sequences described herein can, to some degree, be used as a standard against which DNA from an individual can be compared for identification purposes. Because greater numbers of polymorphisms occur in the noncoding regions, fewer sequences are necessary to differentiate individuals. The noncoding sequences of SEQ ID NO: 91 can comfortably provide positive individual identification with a panel of perhaps 10 to 1,000 primers which each yield a noncoding amplified sequence of 100 bases. If predicted coding sequences, such as those in SEQ ID NO: 93 are used, a more appropriate number of primers for positive individual identification would be 500-2,000.

[2915] If a panel of reagents from HAAT nucleotide sequences described herein is used to generate a unique identification database for an individual, those same reagents can later be used to identify tissue from that individual. Using the unique identification database, positive identification of the individual, living or dead, can be made from extremely small tissue samples.

[2916] 3. Use of Partial HAAT Sequences in Forensic Biology

[2917] DNA-based identification techniques can also be used in forensic biology. Forensic biology is a scientific field employing genetic typing of biological evidence found at a crime scene as a means for positively identifying, for example, a perpetrator of a crime. To make such an identification, PCR technology can be used to amplify DNA sequences taken from very small biological samples such as tissues, e.g., hair or skin, or body fluids, e.g., blood, saliva, or semen found at a crime scene. The amplified sequence can then be compared to a standard, thereby allowing identification of the origin of the biological sample.

[2918] The sequences of the present invention can be used to provide polynucleotide reagents, e.g., PCR primers, targeted to specific loci in the human genome, which can enhance the reliability of DNA-based forensic identifications by, for example, providing another “identification marker” (i.e. another DNA sequence that is unique to a particular individual). As mentioned above, actual base sequence information can be used for identification as an accurate alternative to patterns formed by restriction enzyme generated fragments. Sequences targeted to noncoding regions of SEQ ID NO: 91 are particularly appropriate for this use as greater numbers of polymorphisms occur in the noncoding regions, making it easier to differentiate individuals using this technique. Examples of polynucleotide reagents include the HAAT nucleotide sequences or portions thereof, e.g., fragments derived from the noncoding regions of SEQ ID NO: 91 having a length of at least 20 bases, preferably at least 30 bases.

[2919] The HAAT nucleotide sequences described herein can further be used to provide polynucleotide reagents, e.g., labeled or labelable probes which can be used in, for example, an in situ hybridization technique, to identify a specific tissue, e.g., a tissue which expresses HAAT. This can be very useful in cases where a forensic pathologist is presented with a tissue of unknown origin. Panels of such HAAT probes can be used to identify tissue by species and/or by organ type.

[2920] In a similar fashion, these reagents, e.g., HAAT primers or probes can be used to screen tissue culture for contamination (i.e. screen for the presence of a mixture of different types of cells in a culture).

[2921] C. Predictive Medicine

[2922] The present invention also pertains to the field of predictive medicine in which diagnostic assays, prognostic assays, and monitoring clinical trials are used for prognostic (predictive) purposes to thereby treat an individual prophylactically. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention relates to diagnostic assays for determining HAAT protein and/or nucleic acid expression as well as HAAT activity, in the context of a biological sample (e.g., blood, serum, cells, or tissue) to thereby determine whether an individual is afflicted with a disease or disorder, or is at risk of developing a disorder, associated with aberrant or unwanted HAAT expression or activity. The invention also provides for prognostic (or predictive) assays for determining whether an individual is at risk of developing a disorder associated with HAAT protein, nucleic acid expression, or activity. For example, mutations in a HAAT gene can be assayed in a biological sample. Such assays can be used for prognostic or predictive purpose to thereby prophylactically treat an individual prior to the onset of a disorder characterized by or associated with HAAT protein, nucleic acid expression or activity.

[2923] Another aspect of the invention pertains to monitoring the influence of agents (e.g., drugs, compounds) on the expression or activity of HAAT in clinical trials.

[2924] These and other agents are described in further detail in the following sections.

[2925] 1. Diagnostic Assays

[2926] An exemplary method for detecting the presence or absence of HAAT protein, polypeptide or nucleic acid in a biological sample involves obtaining a biological sample from a test subject and contacting the biological sample with a compound or an agent capable of detecting HAAT protein, polypeptide or nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA, genomic DNA) that encodes HAAT protein such that the presence of HAAT protein or nucleic acid is detected in the biological sample. In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for detecting the presence of HAAT activity in a biological sample by contacting the biological sample with an agent capable of detecting an indicator of HAAT activity such that the presence of HAAT activity is detected in the biological sample. A preferred agent for detecting HAAT mRNA or genomic DNA is a labeled nucleic acid probe capable of hybridizing to HAAT mRNA or genomic DNA. The nucleic acid probe can be, for example, a full-length HAAT nucleic acid, such as the nucleic acid of SEQ ID NO: 91 or 93, or the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______, or a portion thereof, such as an oligonucleotide of at least 15, 30, 50, 100, 250 or 500 nucleotides in length and sufficient to specifically hybridize under stringent conditions to HAAT mRNA or genomic DNA. Other suitable probes for use in the diagnostic assays of the invention are described herein.

[2927] A preferred agent for detecting HAAT protein is an antibody capable of binding to HAAT protein, preferably an antibody with a detectable label. Antibodies can be polyclonal, or more preferably, monoclonal. An intact antibody, or a fragment thereof (e.g., Fab or F(ab′)₂) can be used. The term “labeled”, with regard to the probe or antibody, is intended to encompass direct labeling of the probe or antibody by coupling (i.e., physically linking) a detectable substance to the probe or antibody, as well as indirect labeling of the probe or antibody by reactivity with another reagent that is directly labeled. Examples of indirect labeling include detection of a primary antibody using a fluorescently labeled secondary antibody and end-labeling of a DNA probe with biotin such that it can be detected with fluorescently labeled streptavidin. The term “biological sample” is intended to include tissues, cells and biological fluids isolated from a subject, as well as tissues, cells and fluids present within a subject. That is, the detection method of the invention can be used to detect HAAT mRNA, protein, or genomic DNA in a biological sample in vitro as well as in vivo. For example, in vitro techniques for detection of HAAT mRNA include Northern hybridizations and in situ hybridizations. In vitro techniques for detection of HAAT protein include enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), Western blots, immunoprecipitations and immunofluorescence. In vitro techniques for detection of HAAT genomic DNA include Southern hybridizations. Furthermore, in vivo techniques for detection of a HAAT protein include introducing into a subject a labeled anti-HAAT antibody. For example, the antibody can be labeled with a radioactive marker whose presence and location in a subject can be detected by standard imaging techniques.

[2928] The present invention also provides diagnostic assays for identifying the presence or absence of a genetic alteration characterized by at least one of (i) aberrant modification or mutation of a gene encoding a HAAT protein; (ii) aberrant expression of a gene encoding a HAAT protein; (iii) mis-regulation of the gene; and (iii) aberrant post-translational modification of a HAAT protein, wherein a wild-type form of the gene encodes a protein with a HAAT activity. “Misexpression or aberrant expression”, as used herein, refers to a non-wild type pattern of gene expression, at the RNA or protein level. It includes, but is not limited to, expression at non-wild type levels (e.g., over or under expression); a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the time or stage at which the gene is expressed (e.g., increased or decreased expression (as compared with wild type) at a predetermined developmental period or stage); a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of decreased expression (as compared with wild type) in a predetermined cell type or tissue type; a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the splicing size, amino acid sequence, post-transitional modification, or biological activity of the expressed polypeptide; a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the effect of an environmental stimulus or extracellular stimulus on expression of the gene (e.g., a pattern of increased or decreased expression (as compared with wild type) in the presence of an increase or decrease in the strength of the stimulus).

[2929] In one embodiment, the biological sample contains protein molecules from the test subject. Alternatively, the biological sample can contain mRNA molecules from the test subject or genomic DNA molecules from the test subject. A preferred biological sample is a serum sample isolated by conventional means from a subject.

[2930] In another embodiment, the methods further involve obtaining a control biological sample from a control subject, contacting the control sample with a compound or agent capable of detecting HAAT protein, mRNA, or genomic DNA, such that the presence of HAAT protein, mRNA or genomic DNA is detected in the biological sample, and comparing the presence of HAAT protein, mRNA or genomic DNA in the control sample with the presence of HAAT protein, mRNA or genomic DNA in the test sample.

[2931] The invention also encompasses kits for detecting the presence of HAAT in a biological sample. For example, the kit can comprise a labeled compound or agent capable of detecting HAAT protein or mRNA in a biological sample; means for determining the amount of HAAT in the sample; and means for comparing the amount of HAAT in the sample with a standard. The compound or agent can be packaged in a suitable container. The kit can further comprise instructions for using the kit to detect HAAT protein or nucleic acid.

[2932] 2. Prognostic Assays

[2933] The diagnostic methods described herein can furthermore be utilized to identify subjects having or at risk of developing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HAAT expression or activity. As used herein, the term “aberrant” includes a HAAT expression or activity which deviates from the wild type HAAT expression or activity. Aberrant expression or activity includes increased or decreased expression or activity, as well as expression or activity which does not follow the wild type developmental pattern of expression or the subcellular pattern of expression. For example, aberrant HAAT expression or activity is intended to include the cases in which a mutation in the HAAT gene causes the HAAT gene to be under-expressed or over-expressed and situations in which such mutations result in a non-functional HAAT protein or a protein which does not function in a wild-type fashion, e.g., a protein which does not interact with or transport a HAAT substrate, or one which interacts with or transports a non-HAAT substrate.

[2934] The assays described herein, such as the preceding diagnostic assays or the following assays, can be utilized to identify a subject having or at risk of developing a disorder associated with a misregulation in HAAT protein activity or nucleic acid expression, such as tumorigenesis and/or nerve transmission. Alternatively, the prognostic assays can be utilized to identify a subject having or at risk for developing a disorder associated with a misregulation in HAAT protein activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a tumorigenesis and/or nerve transmission disorder. Thus, the present invention provides a method for identifying a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HAAT expression or activity in which a test sample is obtained from a subject and HAAT protein or nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA or genomic DNA) is detected, wherein the presence of HAAT protein or nucleic acid is diagnostic for a subject having or at risk of developing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HAAT expression or activity. As used herein, a “test sample” refers to a biological sample obtained from a subject of interest. For example, a test sample can be a biological fluid (e.g., serum), cell sample, or tissue.

[2935] Furthermore, the prognostic assays described herein can be used to determine whether a subject can be administered an agent (e.g., an agonist, antagonist, peptidomimetic, protein, peptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or other drug candidate) to treat a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HAAT expression or activity. For example, such methods can be used to determine whether a subject can be effectively treated with an agent for a drug or toxin sensitivity disorder or a tumorigenesis and/or nerve transmission disorder. Thus, the present invention provides methods for determining whether a subject can be effectively treated with an agent for a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HAAT expression or activity in which a test sample is obtained and HAAT protein or nucleic acid expression or activity is detected (e.g., wherein the abundance of HAAT protein or nucleic acid expression or activity is diagnostic for a subject that can be administered the agent to treat a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HAAT expression or activity).

[2936] The methods of the invention can also be used to detect genetic alterations in a HAAT gene, thereby determining if a subject with the altered gene is at risk for a disorder characterized by misregulation in HAAT protein activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a tumorigenesis and/or nerve transmission disorder. In preferred embodiments, the methods include detecting, in a sample of cells from the subject, the presence or absence of a genetic alteration characterized by at least one of an alteration affecting the integrity of a gene encoding a HAAT-protein, or the mis-expression of the HAAT gene. For example, such genetic alterations can be detected by ascertaining the existence of at least one of 1) a deletion of one or more nucleotides from a HAAT gene; 2) an addition of one or more nucleotides to a HAAT gene; 3) a substitution of one or more nucleotides of a HAAT gene, 4) a chromosomal rearrangement of a HAAT gene; 5) an alteration in the level of a messenger RNA transcript of a HAAT gene, 6) aberrant modification of a HAAT gene, such as of the methylation pattern of the genomic DNA, 7) the presence of a non-wild type splicing pattern of a messenger RNA transcript of a HAAT gene, 8) a non-wild type level of a HAAT-protein, 9) allelic loss of a HAAT gene, and 10) inappropriate post-translational modification of a HAAT-protein. As described herein, there are a large number of assays known in the art which can be used for detecting alterations in a HAAT gene. A preferred biological sample is a tissue or serum sample isolated by conventional means from a subject.

[2937] In certain embodiments, detection of the alteration involves the use of a probe/primer in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195 and 4,683,202), such as anchor PCR or RACE PCR, or, alternatively, in a ligation chain reaction (LCR) (see, e.g., Landegran et al. (1988) Science 241:1077-1080; and Nakazawa et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:360-364), the latter of which can be particularly useful for detecting point mutations in the HAAT-gene (see Abravaya et al. (1995) Nucleic Acids Res. 23:675-682). This method can include the steps of collecting a sample of cells from a subject, isolating nucleic acid (e.g., genomic, mRNA or both) from the cells of the sample, contacting the nucleic acid sample with one or more primers which specifically hybridize to a HAAT gene under conditions such that hybridization and amplification of the HAAT-gene (if present) occurs, and detecting the presence or absence of an amplification product, or detecting the size of the amplification product and comparing the length to a control sample. It is anticipated that PCR and/or LCR may be desirable to use as a preliminary amplification step in conjunction with any of the techniques used for detecting mutations described herein.

[2938] Alternative amplification methods include: self sustained sequence replication (Guatelli, J. C. et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:1874-1878), transcriptional amplification system (Kwoh, D. Y. et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:1173-1177), Q-Beta Replicase (Lizardi, P. M. et al. (1988) Bio-Technology 6:1197), or any other nucleic acid amplification method, followed by the detection of the amplified molecules using techniques well known to those of skill in the art. These detection schemes are especially useful for the detection of nucleic acid molecules if such molecules are present in very low numbers.

[2939] In an alternative embodiment, mutations in a HAAT gene from a sample cell can be identified by alterations in restriction enzyme cleavage patterns. For example, sample and control DNA is isolated, amplified (optionally), digested with one or more restriction endonucleases, and fragment length sizes are determined by gel electrophoresis and compared. Differences in fragment length sizes between sample and control DNA indicates mutations in the sample DNA. Moreover, the use of sequence specific ribozymes (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,531) can be used to score for the presence of specific mutations by development or loss of a ribozyme cleavage site.

[2940] In other embodiments, genetic mutations in HAAT can be identified by hybridizing a sample and control nucleic acids, e.g., DNA or RNA, to high density arrays containing hundreds or thousands of oligonucleotide probes (Cronin, M. T. et al. (1996) Hum. Mutat. 7:244-255; Kozal, M. J. et al. (1996) Nat. Med. 2:753-759). For example, genetic mutations in HAAT can be identified in two dimensional arrays containing light-generated DNA probes as described in Cronin et al. (1996) supra. Briefly, a first hybridization array of probes can be used to scan through long stretches of DNA in a sample and control to identify base changes between the sequences by making linear arrays of sequential overlapping probes. This step allows the identification of point mutations. This step is followed by a second hybridization array that allows the characterization of specific mutations by using smaller, specialized probe arrays complementary to all variants or mutations detected. Each mutation array is composed of parallel probe sets, one complementary to the wild-type gene and the other complementary to the mutant gene.

[2941] In yet another embodiment, any of a variety of sequencing reactions known in the art can be used to directly sequence the HAAT gene and detect mutations by comparing the sequence of the sample HAAT with the corresponding wild-type (control) sequence. Examples of sequencing reactions include those based on techniques developed by Maxam and Gilbert ((1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:560) or Sanger ((1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:5463). It is also contemplated that any of a variety of automated sequencing procedures can be utilized when performing the diagnostic assays (Naeve, C. W. (1995) Biotechniques 19:448), including sequencing by mass spectrometry (see, e.g., PCT International Publication No. WO 94/16101; Cohen et al. (1996) Adv. Chromatogr. 36:127-162; and Griffin et al. (1993) Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 38:147-159).

[2942] Other methods for detecting mutations in the HAAT gene include methods in which protection from cleavage agents is used to detect mismatched bases in RNA/RNA or RNA/DNA heteroduplexes (Myers et al. (1985) Science 230:1242). In general, the art technique of “mismatch cleavage” starts by providing heteroduplexes formed by hybridizing (labeled) RNA or DNA containing the wild-type HAAT sequence with potentially mutant RNA or DNA obtained from a tissue sample. The double-stranded duplexes are treated with an agent which cleaves single-stranded regions of the duplex such as which will exist due to basepair mismatches between the control and sample strands. For instance, RNA/DNA duplexes can be treated with RNase and DNA/DNA hybrids treated with SI nuclease to enzymatically digesting the mismatched regions. In other embodiments, either DNA/DNA or RNA/DNA duplexes can be treated with hydroxylamine or osmium tetroxide and with piperidine in order to digest mismatched regions. After digestion of the mismatched regions, the resulting material is then separated by size on denaturing polyacrylamide gels to determine the site of mutation. See, for example, Cotton et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:4397; Saleeba et al. (1992) Methods Enzymol. 217:286-295. In a preferred embodiment, the control DNA or RNA can be labeled for detection.

[2943] In still another embodiment, the mismatch cleavage reaction employs one or more proteins that recognize mismatched base pairs in double-stranded DNA (so called “DNA mismatch repair” enzymes) in defined systems for detecting and mapping point mutations in HAAT cDNAs obtained from samples of cells. For example, the mutY enzyme of E. coli cleaves A at G/A mismatches and the thymidine DNA glycosylase from HeLa cells cleaves T at G/T mismatches (Hsu et al. (1994) Carcinogenesis 15:1657-1662). According to an exemplary embodiment, a probe based on a HAAT sequence, e.g., a wild-type HAAT sequence, is hybridized to a cDNA or other DNA product from a test cell(s). The duplex is treated with a DNA mismatch repair enzyme, and the cleavage products, if any, can be detected from electrophoresis protocols or the like. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,039.

[2944] In other embodiments, alterations in electrophoretic mobility will be used to identify mutations in HAAT genes. For example, single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) may be used to detect differences in electrophoretic mobility between mutant and wild type nucleic acids (Orita et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:2766, see also Cotton (1993) Mutat. Res. 285:125-144; and Hayashi (1992) Genet. Anal. Tech. Appl. 9:73-79). Single-stranded DNA fragments of sample and control HAAT nucleic acids will be denatured and allowed to renature. The secondary structure of single-stranded nucleic acids varies according to sequence, the resulting alteration in electrophoretic mobility enables the detection of even a single base change. The DNA fragments may be labeled or detected with labeled probes. The sensitivity of the assay may be enhanced by using RNA (rather than DNA), in which the secondary structure is more sensitive to a change in sequence. In a preferred embodiment, the subject method utilizes heteroduplex analysis to separate double stranded heteroduplex molecules on the basis of changes in electrophoretic mobility (Keen et al. (1991) Trends Genet. 7:5).

[2945] In yet another embodiment the movement of mutant or wild-type fragments in polyacrylamide gels containing a gradient of denaturant is assayed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) (Myers et al. (1985) Nature 313:495). When DGGE is used as the method of analysis, DNA will be modified to insure that it does not completely denature, for example by adding a GC clamp of approximately 40 bp of high-melting GC-rich DNA by PCR. In a further embodiment, a temperature gradient is used in place of a denaturing gradient to identify differences in the mobility of control and sample DNA (Rosenbaum and Reissner (1987) Biophys. Chem. 265:12753).

[2946] Examples of other techniques for detecting point mutations include, but are not limited to, selective oligonucleotide hybridization, selective amplification, or selective primer extension. For example, oligonucleotide primers may be prepared in which the known mutation is placed centrally and then hybridized to target DNA under conditions which permit hybridization only if a perfect match is found (Saiki et al. (1986) Nature 324:163); Saiki et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6230). Such allele specific oligonucleotides are hybridized to PCR amplified target DNA or a number of different mutations when the oligonucleotides are attached to the hybridizing membrane and hybridized with labeled target DNA.

[2947] Alternatively, allele specific amplification technology which depends on selective PCR amplification may be used in conjunction with the instant invention. Oligonucleotides used as primers for specific amplification may carry the mutation of interest in the center of the molecule (so that amplification depends on differential hybridization) (Gibbs et al. (1989) Nucleic Acids Res. 17:2437-2448) or at the extreme 3′ end of one primer where, under appropriate conditions, mismatch can prevent, or reduce polymerase extension (Prossner (1993) Tibtech 11:238). In addition it may be desirable to introduce a novel restriction site in the region of the mutation to create cleavage-based detection (Gasparini et al. (1992) Mol. Cell Probes 6:1). It is anticipated that in certain embodiments amplification may also be performed using Taq ligase for amplification (Barany (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:189). In such cases, ligation will occur only if there is a perfect match at the 3′ end of the 5′ sequence making it possible to detect the,presence of a known mutation at a specific site by looking for the presence or absence of amplification.

[2948] The methods described herein may be performed, for example, by utilizing pre-packaged diagnostic kits comprising at least one probe nucleic acid or antibody reagent described herein, which may be conveniently used, e.g., in clinical settings to diagnose patients exhibiting symptoms or family history of a disease or illness involving a HAAT gene.

[2949] Furthermore, any cell type or tissue in which HAAT is expressed may be utilized in the prognostic assays described herein.

[2950] 3. Monitoring of Effects During Clinical Trials

[2951] Monitoring the influence of agents (e.g., drugs) on the expression or activity of a HAAT protein (e.g., the modulation of protein synthesis, hormone metabolism, nerve transmission, cellular activation, regulation of cell growth, production of metabolic energy, synthesis of purines and pyrimidines, nitrogen metabolism, and/or biosynthesis of urea) can be applied not only in basic drug screening, but also in clinical trials. For example, the effectiveness of an agent determined by a screening assay as described herein to increase HAAT gene expression, protein levels, or upregulate HAAT activity, can be monitored in clinical trials of subjects exhibiting decreased HAAT gene expression, protein levels, or downregulated HAAT activity. Alternatively, the effectiveness of an agent determined by a screening assay to decrease HAAT gene expression, protein levels, or downregulate HAAT activity, can be monitored in clinical trials of subjects exhibiting increased HAAT gene expression, protein levels, or upregulated HAAT activity. In such clinical trials, the expression or activity of a HAAT gene, and preferably, other genes that have been implicated in, for example, a HAAT-associated disorder can be used as a “read out” or markers of the phenotype of a particular cell.

[2952] For example, and not by way of limitation, genes, including HAAT, that are modulated in cells by treatment with an agent (e.g., compound, drug or small molecule) which modulates HAAT activity (e.g., identified in a screening assay as described herein) can be identified. Thus, to study the effect of agents on HAAT-associated disorders (e.g., disorders characterized by deregulated protein synthesis, hormone metabolism, nerve transmission, cellular activation, regulation of cell growth, production of metabolic energy, synthesis of purines and pyrimidines, nitrogen metabolism, and/or biosynthesis of urea), for example, in a clinical trial, cells can be isolated and RNA prepared and analyzed for the levels of expression of HAAT and other genes implicated in the HAAT-associated disorder, respectively. The levels of gene expression (e.g., a gene expression pattern) can be quantified by northern blot analysis or RT-PCR, as described herein, or alternatively by measuring the amount of protein produced, by one of the methods as described herein, or by measuring the levels of activity of HAAT or other genes. In this way, the gene expression pattern can serve as a marker, indicative of the physiological response of the cells to the agent. Accordingly, this response state may be determined before, and at various points during treatment of the individual with the agent.

[2953] In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method for monitoring the effectiveness of treatment of a subject with an agent (e.g., an agonist, antagonist, peptidomimetic, protein, peptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or other drug candidate identified by the screening assays described herein) including the steps of (i) obtaining a pre-administration sample from a subject prior to administration of the agent; (ii) detecting the level of expression of a HAAT protein, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the preadministration sample; (iii) obtaining one or more post-administration samples from the subject; (iv) detecting the level of expression or activity of the HAAT protein, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the post-administration samples; (v) comparing the level of expression or activity of the HAAT protein, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the pre-administration sample with the HAAT protein, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the post administration sample or samples; and (vi) altering the administration of the agent to the subject accordingly. For example, increased administration of the agent may be desirable to increase the expression or activity of HAAT to higher levels than detected, i.e., to increase the effectiveness of the agent. Alternatively, decreased administration of the agent may be desirable to decrease expression or activity of HAAT to lower levels than detected, i.e. to decrease the effectiveness of the agent. According to such an embodiment, HAAT expression or activity may be used as an indicator of the effectiveness of an agent, even in the absence of an observable phenotypic response.

[2954] D. Methods of Treatment:

[2955] The present invention provides for both prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treating a subject at risk of (or susceptible to) a disorder or having a HAAT-associated disorder, e.g., a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HAAT expression or activity. Treatment is defined as the application or administration of a therapeutic agent to a patient, or application or administration of a therapeutic agent to an isolated tissue or cell line from a patient, who has a disease, a symptom of disease or a predisposition toward a disease, with the purpose to cure, heal, alleviate, relieve, alter, remedy, ameliorate, improve or affect the disease, the symptoms of disease or the predisposition toward disease. A therapeutic agent includes, but is not limited to, small molecules, peptides, antibodies, ribozymes and antisense oligonucleotides. With regards to both prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treatment, such treatments may be specifically tailored or modified, based on knowledge obtained from the field of pharmacogenomics. “Pharmacogenomics”, as used herein, refers to the application of genomics technologies such as gene sequencing, statistical genetics, and gene expression analysis to drugs in clinical development and on the market. More specifically, the term refers the study of how a patient's genes determine his or her response to a drug (e.g., a patient's “drug response phenotype”, or “drug response genotype”.) Thus, another aspect of the invention provides methods for tailoring an individual's prophylactic or therapeutic treatment with either the HAAT molecules of the present invention or HAAT modulators according to that individual's drug response genotype. Pharmacogenomics allows a clinician or physician to target prophylactic or therapeutic treatments to patients who will most benefit from the treatment and to avoid treatment of patients who will experience toxic drug-related side effects.

[2956] 1. Prophylactic Methods

[2957] In one aspect, the invention provides a method for preventing in a subject, a disease or condition associated with an aberrant or unwanted HAAT expression or activity, by administering to the subject a HAAT or an agent which modulates HAAT expression or at least one HAAT activity. Subjects at risk for a disease which is caused or contributed to by aberrant or unwanted HAAT expression or activity can be identified by, for example, any or a combination of diagnostic or prognostic assays as described herein. Administration of a prophylactic agent can occur prior to the manifestation of symptoms characteristic of the HAAT aberrancy, such that a disease or disorder is prevented or, alternatively, delayed in its progression. Depending on the type of HAAT aberrancy, for example, a HAAT, HAAT agonist or HAAT antagonist agent can be used for treating the subject. The appropriate agent can be determined based on screening assays described herein.

[2958] 2. Therapeutic Methods

[2959] Another aspect of the invention pertains to methods of modulating HAAT expression or activity for therapeutic purposes. Accordingly, in an exemplary embodiment, the modulatory method of the invention involves contacting a cell capable of expressing HAAT with an agent that modulates one or more of the activities of HAAT protein activity associated with the cell, such that HAAT activity in the cell is modulated. An agent that modulates HAAT protein activity can be an agent as described herein, such as a nucleic acid or a protein, a naturally-occurring target molecule of a HAAT protein (e.g., a HAAT substrate), a HAAT antibody, a HAAT agonist or antagonist, a peptidomimetic of a HAAT agonist or antagonist, or other small molecule. In one embodiment, the agent stimulates one or more HAAT activities. Examples of such stimulatory agents include active HAAT protein and a nucleic acid molecule encoding HAAT that has been introduced into the cell. In another embodiment, the agent inhibits one or more HAAT activities. Examples of such inhibitory agents include antisense HAAT nucleic acid molecules, anti-HAAT antibodies, and HAAT inhibitors. These modulatory methods can be performed in vitro (e.g., by culturing the cell with the agent) or, alternatively, in vivo (e.g., by administering the agent to a subject). As such, the present invention provides methods of treating an individual afflicted with a disease or disorder characterized by aberrant or unwanted expression or activity of a HAAT protein or nucleic acid molecule. In one embodiment, the method involves administering an agent (e.g., an agent identified by a screening assay described herein), or combination of agents that modulates (e.g., upregulates or downregulates) HAAT expression or activity. In another embodiment, the method involves administering a HAAT protein or nucleic acid molecule as therapy to compensate for reduced, aberrant, or unwanted HAAT expression or activity.

[2960] Stimulation of HAAT activity is desirable in situations in which HAAT is abnormally downregulated and/or in which increased HAAT activity is likely to have a beneficial effect. For example, stimulation of HAAT activity is desirable in situations in which a HAAT is downregulated and/or in which increased HAAT activity is likely to have a beneficial effect. Likewise, inhibition of HAAT activity is desirable in situations in which HAAT is abnormally upregulated and/or in which decreased HAAT activity is likely to have a beneficial effect.

[2961] 3. Pharmacogenomics

[2962] The HAAT molecules of the present invention, as well as agents, or modulators which have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on HAAT activity (e.g., HAAT gene expression) as identified by a screening assay described herein can be administered to individuals to treat (prophylactically or therapeutically) HAAT-associated disorders (e.g., disorders characterized by aberrant protein synthesis, hormone metabolism, nerve transmission, cellular activation, regulation of cell growth, production of metabolic energy, synthesis of purines and pyrimidines, nitrogen metabolism, and/or biosynthesis of urea) associated with aberrant or unwanted HAAT activity. In conjunction with such treatment, pharmacogenomics (i.e., the study of the relationship between an individual's genotype and that individual's response to a foreign compound or drug) may be considered. Differences in metabolism of therapeutics can lead to severe toxicity or therapeutic failure by altering the relation between dose and blood concentration of the pharmacologically active drug. Thus, a physician or clinician may consider applying knowledge obtained in relevant pharmacogenomics studies in determining whether to administer a HAAT molecule or HAAT modulator as well as tailoring the dosage and/or therapeutic regimen of treatment with a HAAT molecule or HAAT modulator.

[2963] Pharmacogenomics deals with clinically significant hereditary variations in the response to drugs due to altered drug disposition and abnormal action in affected persons. See, for example, Eichelbaum, M. et al. (1996) Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol. 23(10-11):983-985 and Linder, M. W. et al. (1997) Clin. Chem. 43(2):254-266. In general, two types of pharmacogenetic conditions can be differentiated. Genetic conditions transmitted as a single factor altering the way drugs act on the body (altered drug action) or genetic conditions transmitted as single factors altering the way the body acts on drugs (altered drug metabolism). These pharmacogenetic conditions can occur either as rare genetic defects or as naturally-occurring polymorphisms. For example, glucose-6-phosphate phospholipid transporter deficiency (G6PD) is a common inherited enzymopathy in which the main clinical complication is haemolysis after ingestion of oxidant drugs (anti-malarials, sulfonamides, analgesics, nitrofurans) and consumption of fava beans.

[2964] One pharmacogenomics approach to identifying genes that predict drug response, known as “a genome-wide association”, relies primarily on a high-resolution map of the human genome consisting of already known gene-related markers (e.g., a “bi-allelic” gene marker map which consists of 60,000-100,000 polymorphic or variable sites on the human genome, each of which has two variants.) Such a high-resolution genetic map can be compared to a map of the genome of each of a statistically significant number of patients taking part in a Phase II/III drug trial to identify markers associated with a particular observed drug response or side effect. Alternatively, such a high resolution map can be generated from a combination of some ten-million known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human genome. As used herein, a “SNP” is a common alteration that occurs in a single nucleotide base in a stretch of DNA. For example, a SNP may occur once per every 1000 bases of DNA. A SNP may be involved in a disease process, however, the vast majority may not be disease-associated. Given a genetic map based on the occurrence of such SNPs, individuals can be grouped into genetic categories depending on a particular pattern of SNPs in their individual genome. In such a manner, treatment regimens can be tailored to groups of genetically similar individuals, taking into account traits that may be common among such genetically similar individuals.

[2965] Alternatively, a method termed the “candidate gene approach” can be utilized to identify genes that predict drug response. According to this method, if a gene that encodes a drug's target is known (e.g., a HAAT protein of the present invention), all common variants of that gene can be fairly easily identified in the population and it can be determined if having one version of the gene versus another is associated with a particular drug response.

[2966] As an illustrative embodiment, the activity of drug metabolizing enzymes is a major determinant of both the intensity and duration of drug action. The discovery of genetic polymorphisms of drug metabolizing enzymes (e.g., N-phospholipid transporter 2 (NAT 2) and cytochrome P450 enzymes CYP2D6 and CYP2C 19) has provided an explanation as to why some patients do not obtain the expected drug effects or show exaggerated drug response and serious toxicity after taking the standard and safe dose of a drug. These polymorphisms are expressed in two phenotypes in the population, the extensive metabolizer (EM) and poor metabolizer (PM). The prevalence of PM is different among different populations. For example, the gene coding for CYP2D6 is highly polymorphic and several mutations have been identified in PM, which all lead to the absence of functional CYP2D6. Poor metabolizers of CYP2D6 and CYP2CI9 quite frequently experience exaggerated drug response and side effects when they receive standard doses. If a metabolite is the active therapeutic moiety, PM show no therapeutic response, as demonstrated for the analgesic effect of codeine mediated by its CYP2D6-formed metabolite morphine. The other extreme are the so called ultra-rapid metabolizers who do not respond to standard doses. Recently, the molecular basis of ultra-rapid metabolism has been identified to be due to CYP2D6 gene amplification.

[2967] Alternatively, a method termed the “gene expression profiling”, can be utilized to identify genes that predict drug response. For example, the gene expression of an animal dosed with a drug (e.g., a HAAT molecule or HAAT modulator of the present invention) can give an indication whether gene pathways related to toxicity have been turned on.

[2968] Information generated from more than one of the above pharmacogenomics approaches can be used to determine appropriate dosage and treatment regimens for prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of an individual. This knowledge, when applied to dosing or drug selection, can avoid adverse reactions or therapeutic failure and thus enhance therapeutic or prophylactic efficiency when treating a subject with a HAAT molecule or HAAT modulator, such as a modulator identified by one of the exemplary screening assays described herein.

[2969] 4. Use of HAAT Molecules as Surrogate Markers

[2970] The HAAT molecules of the invention are also useful as markers of disorders or disease states, as markers for precursors of disease states, as markers for predisposition of disease states, as markers of drug activity, or as markers of the pharmacogenomic profile of a subject. Using the methods described herein, the presence, absence and/or quantity of the HAAT molecules of the invention may be detected, and may be correlated with one or more biological states in vivo. For example, the HAAT molecules of the invention may serve as surrogate markers for one or more disorders or disease states or for conditions leading up to disease states.

[2971] As used herein, a “surrogate marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates with the absence or presence of a disease or disorder, or with the progression of a disease or disorder (e.g., with the presence or absence of a tumor). The presence or quantity of such markers is independent of the causation of the disease. Therefore, these markers may serve to indicate whether a particular course of treatment is effective in lessening a disease state or disorder. Surrogate markers are of particular use when the presence or extent of a disease state or disorder is difficult to assess through standard methodologies (e.g., early stage tumors), or when an assessment of disease progression is desired before a potentially dangerous clinical endpoint is reached (e.g., an assessment of cardiovascular disease may be made using cholesterol levels as a surrogate marker, and an analysis of HIV infection may be made using HIV RNA levels as a surrogate marker, well in advance of the undesirable clinical outcomes of myocardial infarction or fully-developed AIDS). Examples of the use of surrogate markers in the art include: Koomen et al. (2000) J. Mass. Spectrom. 35:258-264; and James (1994) AIDS Treatment News Archive 209.

[2972] The HAAT molecules of the invention are also useful as pharmacodynamic markers. As used herein, a “pharmacodynamic marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates specifically with drug effects. The presence or quantity of a pharmacodynamic marker is not related to the disease state or disorder for which the drug is being administered; therefore, the presence or quantity of the marker is indicative of the presence or activity of the drug in a subject. For example, a pharmacodynamic marker may be indicative of the concentration of the drug in a biological tissue, in that the marker is either expressed or transcribed or not expressed or transcribed in that tissue in relationship to the level of the drug. In this fashion, the distribution or uptake of the drug may be monitored by the pharmacodynamic marker. Similarly, the presence or quantity of the pharmacodynamic marker may be related to the presence or quantity of the metabolic product of a drug, such that the presence or quantity of the marker is indicative of the relative breakdown rate of the drug in vivo. Pharmacodynamic markers are of particular use in increasing the sensitivity of detection of drug effects, particularly when the drug is administered in low doses. Since even a small amount of a drug may be sufficient to activate multiple rounds of marker (e.g., a HAAT marker) transcription or expression, the amplified marker may be in a quantity which is more readily detectable than the drug itself. Also, the marker may be more easily detected due to the nature of the marker itself; for example, using the methods described herein, anti-HAAT antibodies may be employed in an immune-based detection system for a HAAT protein marker, or HAAT-specific radiolabeled probes may be used to detect a HAAT mRNA marker. Furthermore, the use of a pharmacodynamic marker may offer mechanism-based prediction of risk due to drug treatment beyond the range of possible direct observations. Examples of the use of pharmacodynamic markers in the art include: Matsuda et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,862; Hattis et al. (1991) Env. Health Perspect. 90:229-238; Schentag (1999) Am. J. Health-Syst. Pharm. 56 Suppl. 3:S21-S24; and Nicolau (1999) Am. J. Health-Syst. Pharm. 56 Suppl. 3:S16-S20.

[2973] The HAAT molecules of the invention are also useful as pharmacogenomic markers. As used herein, a “pharmacogenomic marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates with a specific clinical drug response or susceptibility in a subject (see, e.g., McLeod et al. (1999) Eur. J Cancer 35(12):1650-1652). The presence or quantity of the pharmacogenomic marker is related to the predicted response of the subject to a specific drug or class of drugs prior to administration of the drug. By assessing the presence or quantity of one or more pharmacogenomic markers in a subject, a drug therapy which is most appropriate for the subject, or which is predicted to have a greater degree of success, may be selected. For example, based on the presence or quantity of RNA, or protein (e.g., HAAT protein or RNA) for specific tumor markers in a subject, a drug or course of treatment may be selected that is optimized for the treatment of the specific tumor likely to be present in the subject. Similarly, the presence or absence of a specific sequence mutation in HAAT DNA may correlate HAAT drug response. The use of pharmacogenomic markers therefore permits the application of the most appropriate treatment for each subject without having to administer the therapy.

[2974] VI. Electronic Apparatus Readable Media and Arrays

[2975] Electronic apparatus readable media comprising HAAT sequence information is also provided. As used herein, “HAAT sequence information” refers to any nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence information particular to the HAAT molecules of the present invention, including but not limited to full-length nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, partial nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, polymorphic sequences including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), epitope sequences, and the like. Moreover, information “related to” said HAAT sequence information includes detection of the presence or absence of a sequence (e.g., detection of expression of a sequence, fragment, polymorphism, etc.), determination of the level of a sequence (e.g., detection of a level of expression, for example, a quantitative detection), detection of a reactivity to a sequence (e.g., detection of protein expression and/or levels, for example, using a sequence-specific antibody), and the like. As used herein, “electronic apparatus readable media” refers to any suitable medium for storing, holding or containing data or information that can be read and accessed directly by an electronic apparatus. Such media can include, but are not limited to: magnetic storage media, such as floppy discs, hard disc storage medium, and magnetic tape; optical storage media such as compact disc; electronic storage media such as RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM and the like; general hard disks and hybrids of these categories such as magnetic/optical storage media. The medium is adapted or configured for having recorded thereon HAAT sequence information of the present invention.

[2976] As used herein, the term “electronic apparatus” is intended to include any suitable computing or processing apparatus or other device configured or adapted for storing data or information. Examples of electronic apparatus suitable for use with the present invention include stand-alone computing apparatus; networks, including a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) Internet, Intranet, and Extranet; electronic appliances such as a personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular phone, pager and the like; and local and distributed processing systems.

[2977] As used herein, “recorded” refers to a process for storing or encoding information on the electronic apparatus readable medium. Those skilled in the art can readily adopt any of the presently known methods for recording information on known media to generate manufactures comprising the HAAT sequence information.

[2978] A variety of software programs and formats can be used to store the sequence information on the electronic apparatus readable medium. For example, the sequence information can be represented in a word processing text file, formatted in commercially-available software such as WordPerfect and Microsoft Word, or represented in the form of an ASCII file, stored in a database application, such as DB2, Sybase, Oracle, or the like, as well as in other forms. Any number of dataprocessor structuring formats (e.g., text file or database) may be employed in order to obtain or create a medium having recorded thereon the HAAT sequence information.

[2979] By providing HAAT sequence information in readable form, one can routinely access the sequence information for a variety of purposes. For example, one skilled in the art can use the sequence information in readable form to compare a target sequence or target structural motif with the sequence information stored within the data storage means. Search means are used to identify fragments or regions of the sequences of the invention which match a particular target sequence or target motif.

[2980] The present invention therefore provides a medium for holding instructions for performing a method for determining whether a subject has a HAAT-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a HAAT-associated disease or disorder, wherein the method comprises the steps of determining HAAT sequence information associated with the subject and based on the HAAT sequence information, determining whether the subject has a HAAT-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a HAAT-associated disease or disorder and/or recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[2981] The present invention further provides in an electronic system and/or in a network, a method for determining whether a subject has a HAAT-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a disease associated with a HAAT wherein the method comprises the steps of determining HAAT sequence information associated with the subject, and based on the HAAT sequence information, determining whether the subject has a HAAT-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a HAAT-associated disease or disorder, and/or recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition. The method may further comprise the step of receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject and/or acquiring from a network phenotypic information associated with the subject.

[2982] The present invention also provides in a network, a method for determining whether a subject has a HAAT-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a HAAT-associated disease or disorder associated with HAAT, said method comprising the steps of receiving HAAT sequence information from the subject and/or information related thereto, receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject, acquiring information from the network corresponding to HAAT-associated disease or disorder, and based on one or more of the phenotypic information, the HAAT information (e.g., sequence information and/or information related thereto), and the acquired information, determining whether the subject has a HAAT-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a HAAT-associated disease or disorder. The method may further comprise the step of recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[2983] The present invention also provides a business method for determining whether a subject has a HAAT-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a HAAT-associated disease or disorder, said method comprising the steps of receiving information related to HAAT (e.g., sequence information and/or information related thereto), receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject, acquiring information from the network related to HAAT and/or related to a HAAT-associated disease or disorder, and based on one or more of the phenotypic information, the HAAT information, and the acquired information, determining whether the subject has a HAAT-associated disease or disorder or a pre-disposition to a HAAT-associated disease or disorder. The method may further comprise the step of recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[2984] The invention also includes an array comprising a HAAT sequence of the present invention. The array can be used to assay expression of one or more genes in the array. In one embodiment, the array can be used to assay gene expression in a tissue to ascertain tissue specificity of genes in the array. In this manner, up to about 7600 genes can be simultaneously assayed for expression, one of which can be HAAT. This allows a profile to be developed showing a battery of genes specifically expressed in one or more tissues.

[2985] In addition to such qualitative determination, the invention allows the quantitation of gene expression. Thus, not only tissue specificity, but also the level of expression of a battery of genes in the tissue is ascertainable. Thus, genes can be grouped on the basis of their tissue expression per se and level of expression in that tissue. This is useful, for example, in ascertaining the relationship of gene expression between or among tissues. Thus, one tissue can be perturbed and the effect on gene expression in a second tissue can be determined. In this context, the effect of one cell type on another cell type in response to a biological stimulus can be determined. Such a determination is useful, for example, to know the effect of cell-cell interaction at the level of gene expression. If an agent is administered therapeutically to treat one cell type but has an undesirable effect on another cell type, the invention provides an assay to determine the molecular basis of the undesirable effect and thus provides the opportunity to co-administer a counteracting agent or otherwise treat the undesired effect. Similarly, even within a single cell type, undesirable biological effects can be determined at the molecular level. Thus, the effects of an agent on expression of other than the target gene can be ascertained and counteracted.

[2986] In another embodiment, the array can be used to monitor the time course of expression of one or more genes in the array. This can occur in various biological contexts, as disclosed herein, for example development of a HAAT-associated disease or disorder, progression of HAAT-associated disease or disorder, and processes, such a cellular transformation associated with the HAAT-associated disease or disorder.

[2987] The array is also useful for ascertaining the effect of the expression of a gene on the expression of other genes in the same cell or in different cells (e.g., ascertaining the effect of HAAT expression on the expression of other genes). This provides, for example, for a selection of alternate molecular targets for therapeutic intervention if the ultimate or downstream target cannot be regulated.

[2988] The array is also useful for ascertaining differential expression patterns of one or more genes in normal and abnormal cells. This provides a battery of genes (e.g., including HAAT) that could serve as a molecular target for diagnosis or therapeutic intervention.

[2989] This invention is further illustrated by the following examples which should not be construed as limiting. The contents of all references, patents and published patent applications cited throughout this application, as well as the Figures and the Sequence Listing, are incorporated herein by reference.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Identification and Characterization of Human HAAT cDNA

[2990] In this example, the identification and characterization of the gene encoding human HAAT (clone Fbh58295FL) is described.

[2991] Isolation of the Human HAAT cDNA

[2992] The invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of genes encoding novel members of the amino acid transporter family. The entire sequence of human clone Fbh58295FL was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “HAAT”.

[2993] The nucleotide sequence encoding the human HAAT is shown in FIGS. 84A-B and is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 91. The protein encoded by this nucleic acid comprises about 485 amino acids and has the amino acid sequence shown in FIGS. 84A-B and set forth as SEQ ID NO: 92. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 91 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 93. Clone Fbh58295FL, comprising the coding region of human HAAT, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______, and assigned Accession No. ______.

[2994] Analysis of the Human HAAT Molecules

[2995] The HAAT amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 92) was aligned with the amino acid sequence of the rat amino acid system A transporter (ratATA2) using the CLUSTAL W (1.74) multiple sequence alignment program. The results of the alignment are set forth in FIG. 86.

[2996] An analysis of the amino acid sequence of HAAT was performed using MEMSAT. This analysis resulted in the identification of 10 possible transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of HAAT at residues 68-72, 135-156, 190-207, 214-232, 256-274, 287-308, 334-356, 373-390, 397-421, and 435-453 of SEQ ID NO: 92 (FIG. 87). An additional predicted transmembrane domain (i.e., TM1 is also shown.)

[2997] A search using the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 92 was performed against the HMM database in PFAM (FIGS. 88A-C) resulting in the identification of a transmembrane amino acid transporter domain in the amino acid sequence of HAAT at about residues 64 to 445 of SEQ ID NO: 92 (score=187.2).

[2998] The amino acid sequence of HAAT was further analyzed using the program PSORT (which can be found on the National Institute for Basic Biology web site) to predict the localization of the proteins within the cell. This program assesses the presence of different targeting and localization amino acid sequences within the query sequence. The results of the analysis show that HAAT is most likely localized to the endoplasmic reticulum.

[2999] To further identify potential structural and/or functional properties in a protein of interest, the amino acid sequence of the protein is searched against a database of annotated protein domains (e.g., the ProDom database) using the default parameters (available at http://www.toulouse.inra.fr/prodom.html). A search of the amino acid sequence of HAAT (SEQ ID NO: 92) was performed against the ProDom database. This search resulted in the local alignment of the HAAT protein with various C. Elegans and/or amino acid protein transporter/permease proteins. Specifically, amino acid residues 288-456, 136-300, and 35-325 of SEQ ID NO: 92 have significant identity to various C. elegans-related proteins. Amino acid residues 36-346 of SEQ ID NO: 92 have significant identity to various amino acid protein transporter/permease-related proteins.

[3000] A search of the amino acid sequence of HAAT (SEQ ID NO: 92) was performed against the Prosite database. These searches resulted in the identification in the amino acid sequence of HAAT of a number of potential glycosylation sites, e.g., at amino acid residues 175-178, 221-224, 434-437, and 476-479; a potential cAMP and cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation site, e.g., at amino acid residues 103-106; a number of potential protein kinase C phosphorylation sites, e.g., at amino acid residues 281-283, 331-333, 360-362, and 460-462; a number of potential casein kinase II phosphorylation sites, e.g., at amino acid residues 16-19, 134-137, and 452-455; a potential tyrosine kinase phosphorylation site, e.g., at amino acid residues 185-193; and a number of potential N-myristoylation sites, e.g., at amino acid residues 52-57, 60-65, 293-298, 339-344, 401-406, and 448-453.

[3001] Tissue Distribution of HAAT mRNA

[3002] This example describes the tissue distribution of human HAAT mRNA, as may be determined using in situ hybridization analysis. For in situ analysis, various tissues, e.g. tissues obtained from brain, are first frozen on dry ice. Ten-micrometer-thick sections of the tissues are postfixed with 4% formaldehyde in DEPC-treated 1× phosphate-buffered saline at room temperature for 10 minutes before being rinsed twice in DEPC 1× phosphate-buffered saline and once in 0.1 M triethanolamine-HCl (pH 8.0). Following incubation in 0.25% acetic anhydride-0.1 M triethanolamine-HCl for 10 minutes, sections are rinsed in DEPC 2× SSC (1× SSC is 0.15 M NaCl plus 0.015 M sodium citrate). Tissue is then dehydrated through a series of ethanol washes, incubated in 100% chloroform for 5 minutes, and then rinsed in 100% ethanol for 1 minute and 95% ethanol for 1 minute and allowed to air dry.

[3003] Hybridizations are performed with ³⁵S-radiolabeled (5×10⁷ cpm/ml) cRNA probes. Probes are incubated in the presence of a solution containing 600 mM NaCl, 10 mM Tris (pH 7.5), 1 mM EDTA, 0.01% sheared salmon sperm DNA, 0.01% yeast tRNA, 0.05% yeast total RNA type X1, 1× Denhardt's solution, 50% formamide, 10% dextran sulfate, 100 mM dithiothreitol, 0.1 % sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and 0.1% sodium thiosulfate for 18 hours at 55° C.

[3004] After hybridization, slides are washed with 2× SSC. Sections are then sequentially incubated at 37° C. in TNE (a solution containing 10 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.6), 500 mM NaCl, and 1 mM EDTA), for 10 minutes, in TNE with 10 μg of RNase A per ml for 30 minutes, and finally in TNE for 10 minutes. Slides are then rinsed with 2× SSC at room temperature, washed with 2× SSC at 50° C. for 1 hour, washed with 0.2× SSC at 55° C. for 1 hour, and 0.2× SSC at 60° C. for 1 hour. Sections are then dehydrated rapidly through serial ethanol-0.3 M sodium acetate concentrations before being air dried and exposed to Kodak Biomax MR scientific imaging film for 24 hours and subsequently dipped in NB-2 photoemulsion and exposed at 4° C. for 7 days before being developed and counter stained.

Example 2 Expression of Recombinant HAAT Protein in Bacterial Cells

[3005] In this example, human HAAT is expressed as a recombinant glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion polypeptide in E. coli and the fusion polypeptide is isolated and characterized. Specifically, human HAAT is fused to GST and this fusion polypeptide is expressed in E. coli, e.g., strain PEB199. Expression of the GST-HAAT fusion protein in PEB199 is induced with IPTG. The recombinant fusion polypeptide is purified from crude bacterial lysates of the induced PEB199 strain by affinity chromatography on glutathione beads. Using polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis of the polypeptide purified from the bacterial lysates, the molecular weight of the resultant fusion polypeptide is determined.

Example 3 Expression of Recombinant HAAT Protein in COS Cells

[3006] To express the HAAT gene in COS cells, the pcDNA/Amp vector by Invitrogen Corporation (San Diego, Calif.) is used. This vector contains an SV40 origin of replication, an ampicillin resistance gene, an E. coli replication origin, a CMV promoter followed by a polylinker region, and an SV40 intron and polyadenylation site. A DNA fragment encoding the entire HAAT protein and an HA tag (Wilson et al. (1984) Cell 37:767) or a FLAG tag fused in-frame to its 3′ end of the fragment is cloned into the polylinker region of the vector, thereby placing the expression of the recombinant protein under the control of the CMV promoter.

[3007] To construct the plasmid, the HAAT DNA sequence is amplified by PCR using two primers. The 5′ primer contains the restriction site of interest followed by approximately twenty nucleotides of the HAAT coding sequence starting from the initiation codon; the 3′ end sequence contains complementary sequences to the other restriction site of interest, a translation stop codon, the HA tag or FLAG tag and the last 20 nucleotides of the HAAT coding sequence. The PCR amplified fragment and the pCDNA/Amp vector are digested with the appropriate restriction enzymes and the vector is dephosphorylated using the CIAP enzyme (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.). Preferably the two restriction sites chosen are different so that the HAAT gene is inserted in the correct orientation. The ligation mixture is transformed into E. coli cells (strains HB101, DH5α, SURE, available from Stratagene Cloning Systems, La Jolla, Calif., can be used), the transformed culture is plated on ampicillin media plates, and resistant colonies are selected. Plasmid DNA is isolated from transformants and examined by restriction analysis for the presence of the correct fragment.

[3008] COS cells are subsequently transfected with the HAAT-pcDNA/Amp plasmid DNA using the calcium phosphate or calcium chloride co-precipitation methods, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, lipofection, or electroporation. Other suitable methods for transfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook, J. et al. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd) , ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989. The expression of the HAAT polypeptide is detected by radiolabeling (³⁵S-methionine or ³⁵S-cysteine available from NEN, Boston, Mass., can be used) and immunoprecipitation (Harlow, E. and Lane, D. Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1988) using an HA specific monoclonal antibody. Briefly, the cells are labeled for 8 hours with 35S-methionine (or ³⁵S-cysteine). The culture media are then collected and the cells are lysed using detergents (RIPA buffer, 150 mM NaCl, 1% NP-40, 0.1% SDS, 0.5% DOC, 50 mM Tris, pH 7.5). Both the cell lysate and the culture media are precipitated with an HA specific monoclonal antibody. Precipitated polypeptides are then analyzed by SDS-PAGE.

[3009] Alternatively, DNA containing the HAAT coding sequence is cloned directly into the polylinker of the pCDNA/Amp vector using the appropriate restriction sites. The resulting plasmid is transfected into COS cells in the manner described above, and the expression of the HAAT polypeptide is detected by radiolabeling and immunoprecipitation using a HAAT specific monoclonal antibody.

Example 4 Tissue Expression Analysis of HAAT mRNA Using Taqman Analysis

[3010] This example describes the tissue distribution of HAAT in a variety of cells and tissues, as determined using the TaqMan™ procedure. The Taqman™ procedure is a quantitative, reverse transcription PCR-based approach for detecting mRNA. The RT-PCR reaction exploits the 5′ nuclease activity of AmpliTaq Gold™ DNA Polymerase to cleave a TaqMan™ probe during PCR. Briefly, cDNA was generated from the samples of interest, including, for example, various normal and diseased vascular and arterial samples, and used as the starting material for PCR amplification. In addition to the 5′ and 3′ gene-specific primers, a gene-specific oligonucleotide probe (complementary to the region being amplified) was included in the reaction (i.e., the Taqman™ probe). The TaqMan™ probe includes the oligonucleotide with a fluorescent reporter dye covalently linked to the 5′ end of the probe (such as FAM (6-carboxyfluorescein), TET (6-carboxy-4,7,2′,7′-tetrachlorofluorescein), JOE (6-carboxy-4,5-dichloro-2,7-dimethoxyfluorescein), or VIC) and a quencher dye (TAMRA (6-carboxy-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylrhodamine) at the 3′ end of the probe.

[3011] During the PCR reaction, cleavage of the probe separates the reporter dye and the quencher dye, resulting in increased fluorescence of the reporter. Accumulation of PCR products is detected directly by monitoring the increase in fluorescence of the reporter dye. When the probe is intact, the proximity of the reporter dye to the quencher dye results in suppression of the reporter fluorescence. During PCR, if the target of interest is present, the probe specifically anneals between the forward and reverse primer sites. The 5′-3′ nucleolytic activity of the AmpliTaq™ Gold DNA Polymerase cleaves the probe between the reporter and the quencher only if the probe hybridizes to the target. The probe fragments are then displaced from the target, and polymerization of the strand continues. The 3′ end of the probe is blocked to prevent extension of the probe during PCR. This process occurs in every cycle and does not interfere with the exponential accumulation of product. RNA was prepared using the trizol method and treated with DNase to remove contaminating genomic DNA. cDNA was synthesized using standard techniques. Mock cDNA synthesis in the absence of reverse transcriptase resulted in samples with no detectable PCR amplification of the control gene confirms efficient removal of genomic DNA contamination.

[3012] The expression levels of HAAT mRNA in various human cell types and tissues were analyzed using the Taqman procedure. As shown in Table 1, the highest HAAT expression was detected in brain cortex and brain hypothalamus, followed by Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC), followed by lung tumor cells. TABLE 1 Tissue Type Mean β 2 Mean ∂∂ Ct Expression Artery normal 32.62 21.77 10.84 0.5456 Aorta diseased 35.84 22.43 13.41 0 Vein normal 34.13 20.47 13.65 0.0775 Coronary SMC 30.76 21.59 9.17 1.736 HUVEC 29.41 21.81 7.6 5.1543 Hemangioma 35.07 20.97 14.1 0 Heart normal 32.7 20.89 11.81 0.2795 Heart CHF 33.63 21.02 12.62 0.1594 Kidney 31.55 20.51 11.04 0.4749 Skeletal Muscle 35.09 22.86 12.22 0 Adipose normal 37.84 22.04 15.81 0 Pancreas 33.67 23.13 10.55 0.6693 primary osteoblasts 32 20.4 11.6 0.3233 Osteoclasts (diff) 33.98 17.84 16.15 0.0138 Skin normal 36.29 22.2 14.1 0 Spinal cord normal 32.73 21.68 11.05 0.4716 Brain Cortex normal 28.95 23.01 5.95 16.2322 Brain Hypothalamus normal 30 23.47 6.53 10.8212 Nerve 33.59 21.82 11.77 0.2873 DRG (Dorsal Root Ganglion) 31.25 21.5 9.76 1.1573 Breast normal 34.73 21.56 13.18 0.1081 Breast tumor 34.16 21.5 12.66 0.154 Ovary normal 32.03 20.81 11.23 0.4178 Ovary Tumor 36.33 19.5 16.82 0 Prostate Normal 32.02 19.65 12.37 0.1896 Prostate Tumor 33.36 20.43 12.93 0.1281 Salivary glands 36.17 20.1 16.07 0 Colon normal 36.33 19.33 17 0 Colon Tumor 36.05 22.23 13.82 0 Lung normal 34.79 19.38 15.41 0.023 Lung tumor 28.02 20.03 7.99 3.9471 Lung COPD 33.26 18.61 14.65 0.039 Colon IBD 34.37 18.07 16.3 0.0124 Liver normal 33.95 20.64 13.32 0.0981 Liver fibrosis 35.04 21.56 13.48 0 Spleen normal 35.76 19.43 16.34 0 Tonsil normal 32.28 18.5 13.79 0.0708 Lymph node normal 34.31 20.06 14.25 0.0513 Small intestine normal 35.59 20.93 14.65 0 Macrophages 31.75 17.61 14.14 0.0556 Synovium 37.21 21.02 16.2 0 BM-MNC 32.71 20.16 12.55 0.1673 Activated PBMC 31.84 18.16 13.69 0.0759 Neutrophils 28.14 18.25 9.89 1.0539 Megakaryocytes 32.52 19.1 13.43 0.0909 Erythroid 32.9 21.09 11.81 0.2795 positive control 30.11 20.97 9.15 1.7603

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[3013] Cellular membranes serve to differentiate the contents of a cell from the surrounding environment, and may also serve as effective barriers against the unregulated influx of hazardous or unwanted compounds, and the unregulated efflux of desirable compounds. Membranes are by nature impervious to the unfacilitated diffusion of hydrophilic compounds such as proteins, water molecules, and ions due to their structure: a bilayer of lipid molecules in which the polar head groups face outward (towards the exterior and interior of the cell) and the nonpolar tails face inward (at the center of bilayer, forming a hydrophobic core). Membranes enable a cell to maintain a relatively higher intracellular concentration of desired compounds and a relatively lower intracellular concentration of undesired compounds than are contained within the surrounding environment.

[3014] Membranes also present a structural difficulty for cells, in that most desired compounds cannot readily enter the cell, nor can most waste products readily exit the cell through this lipid bilayer. The import and export of such compounds is regulated by proteins which are embedded (singly or in complexes) in the cellular membrane. Two mechanisms exist whereby membrane proteins allow the passage of compounds: non-mediated and mediated transport. Simple diffusion is an example of non-mediated transport, while facilitated diffusion and active transport are examples of mediated transport. Permeases, porters, translocases, translocators, and transporters are proteins that engage in mediated transport (Voet and Voet (1990) Biochemistry, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, N.Y. pp. 484-505).

[3015] Sugar transporters are members of the major facilitator superfamily of transporters. These transporters are passive in the sense that they are driven by the substrate concentration gradient and they exhibit distinct kinetics as well as sugar substrate specificity. Members of this family share several characteristics: (1) they contain twelve transmembrane domains separated by hydrophilic loops; (2) they have intracellular N- and C-termini; and (3) they are thought to function as oscillating pores. The transport mechanism occurs via sugar binding to the exofacial binding site of the transporter, which is thought to trigger a conformational change causing the sugar binding site to re-orient to the endofacial conformation, allowing the release of substrate. These transporters are specific for various sugars and are found in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In mammals, sugar transporters transport various monosaccharides across the cell membrane (Walmsley et al. (1998) Trends in Biochem. Sci. 23:476-481; Barrett et al. (1999) Curr. Op. Cell Biol. 11:496-502).

[3016] At least nine mammalian glucose transporters have been identified, GLUT1-GLUT9, which are expressed in a tissue-specific manner (e.g., in brain, erythrocyte, kidney, muscle, and adipose tissues) (Shepherd et al. (1999) N. Engl. J. Med. 341:248-257; Doege et al (2000) Biochem. J. 350:771-776). Some GLUT proteins have been shown to be present in low amounts at the plasma membrane during the basal state, at which time large amounts are sequestered in intracellular vesicle stores. Stimulatory molecules specific for each GLUT (such as insulin) regulate the translocation of the GLUT-containing vesicles to the plasma membrane. The vesicles fuse at the membrane and subsequently expose the GLUT protein to the extracellular milieu to allow glucose (and other monosaccharide) transport into the cell (Walmsley et al. (1998) Trends in Biochem. Sci. 23:476-481; Barrett et al. (1999) Curr. Op. Cell Biol. 11:496-502). Other GLUT transporters play a role in constitutive sugar transport.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[3017] The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel human sugar transporter family members, referred to herein as “human sugar transporters,” e.g., “human sugar transporter-4” and “human sugar transporter-5” or “HST-4” and “HST-5,” nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules. The HST-4 and HST-5 nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules of the present invention are useful as modulating agents in regulating a variety of cellular processes, e.g., sugar homeostasis. Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding HST-4 and HST-5 polypeptides or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments suitable as primers or hybridization probes for the detection of HST-4- and HST-5-encoding nucleic acids.

[3018] In one embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that includes the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, or 99. In another embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that encodes a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98. In another embodiment, the invention features an isolated nucleic acid molecule that includes the nucleotide sequence contained in the plasmid deposited with ATCC® as Accession Number ______ or ______.

[3019] In still other embodiments, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules including nucleotide sequences that are substantially identical (e.g., 60% identical) to the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, or 99. The invention further features isolated nucleic acid molecules including at least 50 contiguous nucleotides of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, or 99. In another embodiment, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence that is substantially identical (e.g., 60% identical) to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98. The present invention also features nucleic acid molecules which encode allelic variants of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98. In addition to isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding full-length polypeptides, the present invention also features nucleic acid molecules which encode fragments, for example, biologically active or antigenic fragments, of the full-length polypeptides of the present invention (e.g., fragments including at least 10 contiguous amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98). In still other embodiments, the invention features nucleic acid molecules that are complementary to, antisense to, or hybridize under stringent conditions to the isolated nucleic acid molecules described herein.

[3020] In another aspect, the invention provides vectors including the isolated nucleic acid molecules described herein (e.g., HST-4- and HST-5-encoding nucleic acid molecules). Such vectors can optionally include nucleotide sequences encoding heterologous polypeptides. Also featured are host cells including such vectors (e.g., host cells including vectors suitable for producing HST-4 and HST-5 nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides).

[3021] In another aspect, the invention features isolated HST-4 and HST-5 polypeptides and/or biologically active or antigenic fragments thereof. Exemplary embodiments feature a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98, a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence at least 60% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98, a polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid molecule including a nucleotide sequence at least 60% identical to the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, or 99. Also featured are fragments of the full-length polypeptides described herein (e.g., fragments including at least 10 contiguous amino acid residues of the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98) as well as allelic variants of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98.

[3022] The HST-4 and HST-5 polypeptides and/or biologically active or antigenic fragments thereof, are useful, for example, as reagents or targets in assays applicable to treatment and/or diagnosis of HST-4 and HST-5 mediated or related disorders. In one embodiment, HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides or fragments thereof, have an HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity. In another embodiment, HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides or fragments thereof, have at least one, preferably two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, or eleven transmembrane domains and/or a sugar transporter family domain, and optionally, have an HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity. In a related aspect, the invention features antibodies (e.g., antibodies which specifically bind to any one of the polypeptides described herein) as well as fusion polypeptides including all or a fragment of a polypeptide described herein.

[3023] The present invention further features methods for detecting HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides and/or HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleic acid molecules, such methods featuring, for example, a probe, primer or antibody described herein. Also featured are kits e.g., kits for the detection of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides and/or HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleic acid molecules. In a related aspect, the invention features methods for identifying compounds which bind to and/or modulate the activity of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide or HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleic acid molecule described herein. Further featured are methods for modulating an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 activity.

[3024] Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[3025] The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of novel molecules, referred to herein as “human sugar transporter-4” and “human sugar transporter-5” or “HST-4” and “HST-5” nucleic acid and polypeptide molecules, which are novel members of the sugar transporter family. These novel molecules are splice variants which have resulted from alternative splicing of the same gene. These novel molecules are capable of, for example, modulating a transporter mediated activity (e.g., a sugar transporter mediated activity) in a cell, e.g., a liver cell, fat cell, muscle cell, or blood cell, such as an erythrocyte. These novel molecules are capable of transporting molecules, e.g., hexoses such as D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose or mannose across biological membranes and, thus, play a role in or function in a variety of cellular processes, e.g., maintenance of sugar homeostasis.

[3026] As used herein, a “sugar transporter” includes a protein or polypeptide which is involved in transporting a molecule, e.g., a monosaccharide such as D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose or mannose, across the plasma membrane of a cell, e.g., a liver cell, fat cell, muscle cell, or blood cell, such as an erythrocyte. Sugar transporters regulate sugar homeostasis in a cell and, typically, have sugar substrate specificity. Examples of sugar transporters include glucose transporters, fructose transporters, and galactose transporters.

[3027] As used herein, a “sugar transporter mediated activity” includes an activity which involves a sugar transporter, e.g., a sugar transporter in a liver cell, fat cell, muscle cell, or blood cell, such as an erythrocyte. Sugar transporter mediated activities include the transport of sugars, e.g., D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose or mannose, into and out of cells; the stimulation of molecules that regulate glucose homeostasis (e.g., insulin and glucagon), from cells, e.g., pancreatic cells; and the participation in signal transduction pathways associated with sugar metabolism.

[3028] As the HST-4 and HST-5 molecules of the present invention are sugar transporters, they may be useful for developing novel diagnostic and therapeutic agents for sugar transporter associated disorders. As used herein, the term “sugar transporter associated disorder” includes a disorder, disease, or condition which is characterized by an aberrant, e.g., upregulated or downregulated, sugar transporter mediated activity. Sugar transporter associated disorders typically result in, e.g., upregulated or downregulated, sugar levels in a cell. Examples of sugar transporter associated disorders include disorders associated with sugar homeostasis, such as obesity, anorexia, type-1 diabetes, type-2 diabetes, hypoglycemia, glycogen storage disease (Von Gierke disease), type I glycogenosis, bipolar disorder, seasonal affective disorder, and cluster B personality disorders.

[3029] The term “family” when referring to the polypeptide and nucleic acid molecules of the invention is intended to mean two or more polypeptides or nucleic acid molecules having a common structural domain or motif and having sufficient amino acid or nucleotide sequence homology as defined herein. Such family members can be naturally or non-naturally occurring and can be from either the same or different species. For example, a family can contain a first polypeptide of human origin, as well as other, distinct polypeptides of human origin or alternatively, can contain homologues of non-human origin, e.g., mouse or monkey polypeptides. Members of a family may also have common functional characteristics.

[3030] For example, the family of HST-4 and HST-5 polypeptides comprise at least one “transmembrane domain” and at least one, preferably two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, or eleven transmembrane domains. As used herein, the term “transmembrane domain” includes an amino acid sequence of about 20-45 amino acid residues in length which spans the plasma membrane. More preferably, a transmembrane domain includes about at least 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, or 45 amino acid residues and spans the plasma membrane. Transmembrane domains are rich in hydrophobic residues, and typically have an alpha-helical structure. In a preferred embodiment, at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or more of the amino acids of a transmembrane domain are hydrophobic, e.g., leucines, isoleucines, alanines, valines, phenylalanines, prolines or methionines. Transmembrane domains are described in, for example, Zagotta W. N. et al, (1996) Annual Rev. Neurosci. 19: 235-263, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. A MEMSAT and additional analyses resulted in the identification of ten transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human HST-4 (SEQ ID NO: 95) at about residues 25-49, 62-80, 92-113, 126-143, 154-178, 186-202, 278-298, 318-337, 372-395, and 402-423. A MEMSAT and additional analyses resulted in the identification of eleven transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human HST-5 (SEQ ID NO: 98) at about residues 30-51, 62-84, 92-111, 126-143, 154-178, 186-202, 240-260, 276-296, 316-335, 370-393, and 400-421.

[3031] Accordingly, HST-4 and HST-5 polypeptides having at least 50-60% homology, preferably about 60-70%, more preferably about 70-80%, or about 80-90% homology with at least one, preferably at least two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, or eleven transmembrane domains of human HST-4 and HST-5, respectively are within the scope of the invention.

[3032] In another embodiment, an HST-4 and/or HST-5 molecule of the present invention is identified based on the presence of at least one “sugar transporter family domain.” As used herein, the term “sugar transporter family domain” includes a protein domain having at least about 300-600 amino acid residues and a sugar transporter mediated activity. Preferably, a sugar transporter family domain includes a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of about 350-550, 400-550, or more preferably, about 408 or 406 amino acid residues and a sugar transporter mediated activity. To identify the presence of a sugar transporter family domain in an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 protein, and make the determination that a protein of interest has a particular profile, the amino acid sequence of the protein may be searched against a database of known protein domains (e.g., the PFAM HMM database). A PFAM sugar transporter family domain has been assigned the PFAM Accession PF00083. A search was performed against the PFAM HMM database resulting in the identification of a sugar transporter family domain in the amino acid sequence of human HST-4 at about residues 23-431 of SEQ ID NO: 95 (FIGS. 93A-C) and in the amino acid sequence of human HST-5 at about residues 23-429 of SEQ ID NO: 98 (FIGS. 94A-C).

[3033] Preferably a “sugar transporter family domain” has a “sugar transporter mediated activity” as described herein. For example, a sugar transporter family domain may have the ability to bind a monosaccharide (e.g., D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose and/or mannose); the ability to transport a monosaccharide (e.g., D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose and/or mannose) in a constitutive manner or in response to stimuli (e.g., insulin) across a cell membrane (e.g., a liver cell membrane, fat cell membrane, muscle cell membrane, and/or blood cell membrane, such as an erythrocyte membrane); the ability to mediate trans-epithelial movement; and/or the ability to modulate sugar homeostasis in a cell. Accordingly, identifying the presence of a “sugar transporter family domain” can include isolating a fragment of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 molecule (e.g., an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide) and assaying for the ability of the fragment to exhibit one of the aforementioned sugar transporter mediated activities.

[3034] A description of the PFAM database can be found in Sonhammer et al. (1997) Proteins 28:405-420 and a detailed description of HMMs can be found, for example, in Gribskov et al.(1990) Meth. Enzymol. 183:146-159; Gribskov et al.(1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:4355-4358; Krogh et al.(1994) J. Mol. Biol. 235:1501-1531; and Stultz et al.(1993) Protein Sci. 2:305-314, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[3035] In a preferred embodiment, the HST-4 and/or HST-5 molecules of the invention include at least one, preferably two, even more preferably at least three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, or eleven transmembrane domain(s) and/or at least one sugar transporter family domain.

[3036] Isolated polypeptides of the present invention, preferably HST-4 or HST-5 polypeptides, have an amino acid sequence sufficiently identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98 or are encoded by a nucleotide sequence sufficiently identical to SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97 or 99. As used herein, the term “sufficiently identical” refers to a first amino acid or nucleotide sequence which contains a sufficient or minimum number of identical or equivalent (e.g., an amino acid residue which has a similar side chain) amino acid residues or nucleotides to a second amino acid or nucleotide sequence such that the first and second amino acid or nucleotide sequences share common structural domains or motifs and/or a common functional activity. For example, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share common structural domains having at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homology or identity across the amino acid sequences of the domains and contain at least one and preferably two structural domains or motifs, are defined herein as sufficiently identical. Furthermore, amino acid or nucleotide sequences which share at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homology or identity and share a common functional activity are defined herein as sufficiently identical.

[3037] In a preferred embodiment, an HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide includes at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain and/or a sugar transporter family domain, and has an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or more homologous or identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98, or the amino acid sequences encoded by the DNA inserts of the plasmids deposited with ATCC as Accession Numbers ______ and/or ______. In yet another preferred embodiment, an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide includes at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain and/or a sugar transporter family domain, and is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule having a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, or 99. In another preferred embodiment, an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide includes at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain and/or a sugar transporter family domain, and has an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 activity.

[3038] As used interchangeably herein, an “HST-4 activity”, “HST-5 activity”, “biological activity of HST-4”, “biological activity of HST-5”, “functional activity of HST-4” or “functional activity of HST-5” refers to an activity exerted by an HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule on an HST-4 and/or HST-5 responsive cell or tissue, or on an HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide substrate, as determined in vivo, or in vitro, according to standard techniques. In one embodiment, an HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity is a direct activity, such as an association with an HST-4- and/or HST-5-target molecule. As used herein, a “substrate,” “target molecule,” or “binding partner” is a molecule with which an HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide binds or interacts in nature, such that HST-4- and/or HST-5-mediated function is achieved. An HST-4 and/or HST-5 target molecule can be a non- HST-4 and/or a non-HST-5 molecule or an HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide or polypeptide of the present invention. In an exemplary embodiment, an HST-4 and/or HST-5 target molecule is an HST-4 and/or HST-5 ligand, e.g., a sugar transporter ligand such D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose, and/or mannose. Alternatively, an HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity is an indirect activity, such as a cellular signaling activity mediated by interaction of the HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide with an HST-4 and/or HST-5 ligand. The biological activities of HST-4 and/or HST-5 are described herein. For example, the HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides of the present invention can have one or more of the following activities: (1) bind a monosaccharide, e.g., D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose, and/or mannose; (2) transport monosaccharides across a cell membrane; (3) influence insulin and/or glucagon secretion; (4) maintain sugar homeostasis in a cell; and (5) mediate trans-epithelial movement in a cell. Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, HST-4 and/or HST-5 molecules of the present invention, HST-4 and/or HST-5 antibodies, HST-4 and/or HST-5 modulators are useful in at least one of the following: (1) modulation of insulin sensitivity; (2) modulation of blood sugar levels; (3) treatment of blood sugar level disorders (e.g., diabetes); and/or (4) modulation of insulin resistance.

[3039] The nucleotide sequence of the isolated human HST-4 and HST-5 cDNAs and the predicted amino acid sequences of the human HST-4 and HST-5 polypeptides are shown in FIGS. 89A-B and 90A-B and in SEQ ID NOs: 94 and 95, and SEQ ID NOs: 97 and 98, respectively. Plasmids containing the nucleotide sequences encoding human HST-4 and HST-5 were deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______ and assigned Accession Numbers ______ and ______, respectively. These deposits will be maintained under the terms of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure. These deposits were made merely as a convenience for those of skill in the art and are not an admission that a deposit is required under 35 U.S.C. §112.

[3040] The human HST-4 gene, which is approximately 2565 nucleotides in length, encodes a polypeptide which is approximately 438 amino acid residues in length. The human HST-5 gene, which is approximately 2558 nucleotides in length, encodes a polypeptide which is approximately 436 amino acid residues in length.

[3041] Various aspects of the invention are described in further detail in the following subsections:

[3042] I. Isolated Nucleic Acid Molecules

[3043] One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated nucleic acid molecules that encode HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides or biologically active portions thereof, as well as nucleic acid fragments sufficient for use as hybridization probes to identify HST-4- and/or HST-5-encoding nucleic acid molecules (e.g., HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNA) and fragments for use as PCR primers for the amplification or mutation of HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleic acid molecules. As used herein, the term “nucleic acid molecule” is intended to include DNA molecules (e.g., cDNA or genomic DNA) and RNA molecules (e.g., mRNA) and analogs of the DNA or RNA generated using nucleotide analogs. The nucleic acid molecule can be single-stranded or double-stranded, but preferably is double-stranded DNA.

[3044] The term “isolated nucleic acid molecule” includes nucleic acid molecules which are separated from other nucleic acid molecules which are present in the natural source of the nucleic acid. For example, with regards to genomic DNA, the term “isolated” includes nucleic acid molecules which are separated from the chromosome with which the genomic DNA is naturally associated. Preferably, an “isolated” nucleic acid is free of sequences which naturally flank the nucleic acid (i.e., sequences located at the 5′ and 3′ ends of the nucleic acid) in the genomic DNA of the organism from which the nucleic acid is derived. For example, in various embodiments, the isolated HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleic acid molecule can contain less than about 5 kb, 4 kb, 3 kb, 2 kb, 1 kb, 0.5 kb or 0.1 kb of nucleotide sequences which naturally flank the nucleic acid molecule in genomic DNA of the cell from which the nucleic acid is derived. Moreover, an “isolated” nucleic acid molecule, such as a cDNA molecule, can be substantially free of other cellular material, or culture medium when produced by recombinant techniques, or substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized.

[3045] A nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, e.g., a nucleic acid molecule having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequences of the DNA inserts of the plasmids deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______, or a portion thereof, can be isolated using standard molecular biology techniques and the sequence information provided herein. Using all or a portion of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequences of the DNA inserts of the plasmids deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______, as a hybridization probe, HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleic acid molecules can be isolated using standard hybridization and cloning techniques (e.g., as described in Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989).

[3046] Moreover, a nucleic acid molecule encompassing all or a portion of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequences of the DNA inserts of the plasmids deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______ can be isolated by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using synthetic oligonucleotide primers designed based upon the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequences of the DNA inserts of the plasmids deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______.

[3047] A nucleic acid of the invention can be amplified using cDNA, mRNA or alternatively, genomic DNA, as a template and appropriate oligonucleotide primers according to standard PCR amplification techniques. The nucleic acid so amplified can be cloned into an appropriate vector and characterized by DNA sequence analysis. Furthermore, oligonucleotides corresponding to HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleotide sequences can be prepared by standard synthetic techniques, e.g., using an automated DNA synthesizer.

[3048] In one embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 94. The sequence of SEQ ID NO: 94 corresponds to the human HST-4 cDNA. This cDNA comprises sequences encoding the human HST-4 polypeptide (i.e., “the coding region”, from nucleotides 137-1450) as well as 5′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1-136) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1451-2565). Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 94 (e.g., nucleotides 137-1450, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 96). Accordingly, in another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 96 and nucleotides 1-136 and 1451-2565 of SEQ ID NO: 94. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 94 or SEQ ID NO: 96.

[3049] In another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 97. The sequence of SEQ ID NO: 97 corresponds to the human HST-5 cDNA. This cDNA comprises sequences encoding the human HST-5 polypeptide (i.e., “the coding region”, from nucleotides 137-1444) as well as 5′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1-136) and 3′ untranslated sequences (nucleotides 1445-2558). Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecule can comprise only the coding region of SEQ ID NO: 97 (e.g., nucleotides 137-1444, corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 99). Accordingly, in another embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO: 99 and nucleotides 1-136 and 1445-2558 of SEQ ID NO: 97. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 97 or SEQ ID NO: 99.

[3050] In still another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises a nucleic acid molecule which is a complement of the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequences of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______, or a portion of any of these nucleotide sequences. A nucleic acid molecule which is complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______, is one which is sufficiently complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______, such that it can hybridize to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______, thereby forming a stable duplex.

[3051] In still another preferred embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, or 99 (eg. to the entire length of the nucleotide sequence), or to the nucleotide sequences (e.g., the entire length of the nucleotide sequence) of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______, or a portion of any of these nucleotide sequences. In one embodiment, a nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900, 2000, 2100, 2200, 2300, 2400, 2500 or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______. In another embodiment, a nucleic acid molecule of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900, 2000, 2100, 2200, 2300, 2400, 2500 or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______.

[3052] Moreover, the nucleic acid molecule of the invention can comprise only a portion of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______, for example, a fragment which can be used as a probe or primer or a fragment encoding a portion of an HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide, e.g., a biologically active portion of an HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide. The nucleotide sequence determined from the cloning of the HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene allows for the generation of probes and primers designed for use in identifying and/or cloning other HST-4 and/or HST-5 family members, as well as HST-4 and/or HST-5 homologues from other species. The probe/primer typically comprises substantially purified oligonucleotide. The probe/primer (e.g., oligonucleotide) typically comprises a region of nucleotide sequence that hybridizes under stringent conditions to at least about 12 or 15, preferably about 20 or 25, more preferably about 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, or 100 or more consecutive nucleotides of a sense sequence of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______, of an anti-sense sequence of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______, or of a naturally occurring allelic variant or mutant of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______.

[3053] Exemplary probes or primers are at least 12, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75 or more nucleotides in length and/or comprise consecutive nucleotides of an isolated nucleic acid molecule described herein. Probes based on the HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleotide sequences can be used to detect (e.g., specifically detect) transcripts or genomic sequences encoding the same or homologous polypeptides. In preferred embodiments, the probe further comprises a label group attached thereto, e.g., the label group can be a radioisotope, a fluorescent compound, an enzyme, or an enzyme co-factor. In another embodiment a set of primers is provided, e.g., primers suitable for use in a PCR, which can be used to amplify a selected region of an HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequence, e.g., a domain, region, site or other sequence described herein. The primers should be at least 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 or more nucleotides in length. Such probes can be used as a part of a diagnostic test kit for identifying cells or tissue which misexpress an HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide, such as by measuring a level of an HST-4 and/or HST-5-encoding nucleic acid in a sample of cells from a subject e.g., detecting HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNA levels or determining whether a genomic HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene has been mutated or deleted.

[3054] A nucleic acid fragment encoding a “biologically active portion of an HST-4 polypeptide” or a “biologically active portion of an HST-5 polypeptide” can be prepared by isolating a portion of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______, which encodes a polypeptide having an HST-4 and/or HST-5 biological activity (the biological activities of the HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides are described herein), expressing the encoded portion of the HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide (e.g., by recombinant expression in vitro) and assessing the activity of the encoded portion of the HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide. In an exemplary embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule is at least 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900, 2000, 2100, 2200, 2300, 2400, 2500 or more nucleotides in length and encodes a polypeptide having an HST-4 activity (as described herein). In another exemplary embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule is at least 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900, 2000, 2100, 2200, 2300, 2400, 2500 or more nucleotides in length and encodes a polypeptide having an HST-5 activity (as described herein).

[3055] The invention further encompasses nucleic acid molecules that differ from the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______. Such differences can be due to due to degeneracy of the genetic code, thus resulting in a nucleic acid which encodes the same HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides as those encoded by the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______. In another embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention has a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence which differs by at least 1, but no greater than 5, 10, 20, 50 or 100 amino acid residues from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98, or the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule encodes the amino acid sequence of human HST-4 and/or HST-5. If an alignment is needed for this comparison, the sequences should be aligned for maximum homology.

[3056] Nucleic acid variants can be naturally occurring, such as allelic variants (same locus), homologues (different locus), and orthologues (different organism) or can be non naturally occurring. Non-naturally occurring variants can be made by mutagenesis techniques, including those applied to polynucleotides, cells, or organisms. The variants can contain nucleotide substitutions, deletions, inversions and insertions. Variation can occur in either or both the coding and non-coding regions. The variations can produce both conservative and non-conservative amino acid substitutions (as compared in the encoded product).

[3057] Allelic variants result, for example, from DNA sequence polymorphisms within a population (e.g., the human population) that lead to changes in the amino acid sequences of the HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides. Such genetic polymorphism in the HST-4 and/or HST-5 genes may exist among individuals within a population due to natural allelic variation. As used herein, the terms “gene” and “recombinant gene” refer to nucleic acid molecules which include an open reading frame encoding an HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide, preferably a mammalian HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide, and can further include non-coding regulatory sequences, and introns.

[3058] Accordingly, in one embodiment, the invention features isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode a naturally occurring allelic variant of a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______, wherein the nucleic acid molecule hybridizes to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, or 99 for example, under stringent hybridization conditions.

[3059] Allelic variants of human HST-4 and/or HST-5 include both functional and non-functional HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides. Functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the human HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide that have an HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity, e.g., maintain the ability to bind an HST-4 and/or HST-5 ligand or substrate and/or modulate sugar transport, or sugar homeostasis. Functional allelic variants will typically contain only conservative substitution of one or more amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98, or substitution, deletion or insertion of non-critical residues in non-critical regions of the polypeptide.

[3060] Non-functional allelic variants are naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants of the human HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide that do not have an HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity, e.g., they do not have the ability to transport sugars into and out of cells or to modulate sugar homeostasis. Non-functional allelic variants will typically contain a non-conservative substitution, a deletion, or insertion or premature truncation of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98, or a substitution, insertion or deletion in critical residues or critical regions.

[3061] The present invention further provides non-human orthologues of the human HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide. Orthologues of human HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides are polypeptides that are isolated from non-human organisms and possess the same HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity, e.g., ligand binding and/or modulation of sugar transport mechanisms, as the human HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide. Orthologues of the human HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide can readily be identified as comprising an amino acid sequence that is substantially identical to SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98.

[3062] Moreover, nucleic acid molecules encoding other HST-4 and/or HST-5 family members and, thus, which have a nucleotide sequence which differs from the HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequences of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, another HST-4 and/or HST-5 cDNA can be identified based on the nucleotide sequence of human HST-4 and/or HST-5. Moreover, nucleic acid molecules encoding HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides from different species, and which, thus, have a nucleotide sequence which differs from the HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequences of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, a mouse HST-4 and/or HST-5 cDNA can be identified based on the nucleotide sequence of a human HST-4 and/or HST-5.

[3063] Nucleic acid molecules corresponding to natural allelic variants and homologues of the HST-4 and/or HST-5 cDNAs of the invention can be isolated based on their homology to the HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleic acids disclosed herein using the cDNAs disclosed herein, or a portion thereof, as a hybridization probe according to standard hybridization techniques under stringent hybridization conditions. Nucleic acid molecules corresponding to natural allelic variants and homologues of the HST-4 and/or HST-5 cDNAs of the invention can further be isolated by mapping to the same chromosome or locus as the HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene.

[3064] Orthologues, homologues and allelic variants can be identified using methods known in the art (e.g., by hybridization to an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, for example, under stringent hybridization conditions). In one embodiment, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention is at least 15, 20, 25, 30 or more nucleotides in length and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______. In other embodiment, the nucleic acid is at least 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900, 2000, 2100, 2200, 2300, 2400, 2500 or more nucleotides in length.

[3065] As used herein, the term “hybridizes under stringent conditions” is intended to describe conditions for hybridization and washing under which nucleotide sequences that are significantly identical or homologous to each other remain hybridized to each other. Preferably, the conditions are such that sequences at least about 70%, more preferably at least about 80%, even more preferably at least about 85% or 90% identical to each other remain hybridized to each other. Such stringent conditions are known to those skilled in the art and can be found in Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Ausubel et al., eds., John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1995), sections 2, 4 and 6. Additional stringent conditions can be found in Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Sambrook et al., Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989), chapters 7, 9 and 11. A preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 4× sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC), at about 65-70° C. (or hybridization in 4× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 42-50° C.) followed by one or more washes in 1× SSC, at about 65-70° C. A preferred, non-limiting example of highly stringent hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 1× SSC, at about 65-70° C. (or hybridization in 1× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 42-50° C.) followed by one or more washes in 0.3× SSC, at about 65-70° C. A preferred, non-limiting example of reduced stringency hybridization conditions includes hybridization in 4× SSC, at about 50-60° C. (or alternatively hybridization in 6× SSC plus 50% formamide at about 40-45° C.) followed by one or more washes in 2× SSC, at about 50-60° C. Ranges intermediate to the above-recited values, e.g., at 65-70° C. or at 42-50° C. are also intended to be encompassed by the present invention. SSPE (1×SSPE is 0.15M NaCl, 10 mM NaH₂PO₄, and 1.25 mM EDTA, pH 7.4) can be substituted for SSC (1×SSC is 0.1 5M NaCl and 15mM sodium citrate) in the hybridization and wash buffers; washes are performed for 15 minutes each after hybridization is complete. The hybridization temperature for hybrids anticipated to be less than 50 base pairs in length should be 5-10° C. less than the melting temperature (T_(m)) of the hybrid, where T_(m) is determined according to the following equations. For hybrids less than 18 base pairs in length, T_(m)(° C.)=2(# of A+T bases)+4(# of G+C bases). For hybrids between 18 and 49 base pairs in length, T_(m)(° C.)=81.5 +16.6(log₁₀[Na⁺])+0.41(% G+C)−(600/N), where N is the number of bases in the hybrid, and [Na⁺] is the concentration of sodium ions in the hybridization buffer ([Na⁺] for 1×SSC=0.165 M). It will also be recognized by the skilled practitioner that additional reagents may be added to hybridization and/or wash buffers to decrease non-specific hybridization of nucleic acid molecules to membranes, for example, nitrocellulose or nylon membranes, including but not limited to blocking agents (e.g., BSA or salmon or herring sperm carrier DNA), detergents (e.g., SDS), chelating agents (e.g., EDTA), Ficoll, PVP and the like. When using nylon membranes, in particular, an additional preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions is hybridization in 0.25-0.5M NaH₂PO₄, 7% SDS at about 65° C., followed by one or more washes at 0.02M NaH₂PO₄, 1% SDS at 65° C., see e.g., Church and Gilbert (1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:1991-1995, (or alternatively 0.2× SSC, 1% SDS).

[3066] Preferably, an isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, or 99, and corresponds to a naturally-occurring nucleic acid molecule. As used herein, a “naturally-occurring” nucleic acid molecule refers to an RNA or DNA molecule having a nucleotide sequence that occurs in nature (e.g., encodes a natural polypeptide).

[3067] In addition to naturally-occurring allelic variants of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 sequences that may exist in the population, the skilled artisan will further appreciate that changes can be introduced by mutation into the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______, thereby leading to changes in the amino acid sequence of the encoded HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides, without altering the functional ability of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptides. For example, nucleotide substitutions leading to amino acid substitutions at “non-essential” amino acid residues can be made in the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______. A “non-essential” amino acid residue is a residue that can be altered from the wild-type sequence of HST-4 and/or HST-5 (e.g., the sequences of SEQ ID NO: 95 and/or 98) without altering the biological activity, whereas an “essential” amino acid residue is required for biological activity. For example, amino acid residues that are conserved among the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptides of the present invention, e.g., those present in a transmembrane domain and/or a sugar transporter family domain, are predicted to be particularly unamenable to alteration. Furthermore, additional amino acid residues that are conserved between the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptides of the present invention and other members of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 family are not likely to be amenable to alteration.

[3068] Accordingly, another aspect of the invention pertains to nucleic acid molecules encoding HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides that contain changes in amino acid residues that are not essential for activity. Such HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides differ in amino acid sequence from SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98, yet retain biological activity. In one embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide, wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98 (e.g., to the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98).

[3069] An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding an HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide identical to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98, can be created by introducing one or more nucleotide substitutions, additions or deletions into the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______, such that one or more amino acid substitutions, additions or deletions are introduced into the encoded polypeptide. Mutations can be introduced into SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number______or______by standard techniques, such as site-directed mutagenesis and PCR-mediated mutagenesis. Preferably, conservative amino acid substitutions are made at one or more predicted non-essential amino acid residues. A “conservative amino acid substitution” is one in which the amino acid residue is replaced with an amino acid residue having a similar side chain. Families of amino acid residues having similar side chains have been defined in the art. These families include amino acids with basic side chains (e.g., lysine, arginine, histidine), acidic side chains (e.g., aspartic acid, glutamic acid), uncharged polar side chains (e.g., glycine, asparagine, glutamine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, cysteine, tryptophan), nonpolar side chains (e.g., alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, proline, phenylalanine, methionine), beta-branched side chains (e.g., threonine, valine, isoleucine) and aromatic side chains (e.g., tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, histidine). Thus, a predicted nonessential amino acid residue in an HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide is preferably replaced with another amino acid residue from the same side chain family. Alternatively, in another embodiment, mutations can be introduced randomly along all or part of an HST-4 and/or HST-5 coding sequence, such as by saturation mutagenesis, and the resultant mutants can be screened for HST-4 and/or HST-5 biological activity to identify mutants that retain activity. Following mutagenesis of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______, the encoded polypeptide can be expressed recombinantly and the activity of the polypeptide can be determined.

[3070] In a preferred embodiment, a mutant HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide can be assayed for the ability to (1) bind a monosaccharide, e.g., D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose, and/or mannose; (2) transport monosaccharides across a cell membrane, (3) influence insulin and/or glucagon secretion; (4) maintain sugar homeostasis in a cell; and (5) mediate trans-epithelial movement in a cell.

[3071] In addition to the nucleic acid molecules encoding HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides described above, another aspect of the invention pertains to isolated nucleic acid molecules which are antisense thereto. In an exemplary embodiment, the invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule which is antisense to an HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleic acid molecule (e.g., is antisense to the coding strand of an HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleic acid molecule). An “antisense” nucleic acid comprises a nucleotide sequence which is complementary to a “sense” nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide, e.g., complementary to the coding strand of a double-stranded cDNA molecule or complementary to an mRNA sequence. Accordingly, an antisense nucleic acid can hydrogen bond to a sense nucleic acid. The antisense nucleic acid can be complementary to an entire HST-4 and/or HST-5 coding strand, or to only a portion thereof. In one embodiment, an antisense nucleic acid molecule is antisense to a “coding region” of the coding strand of a nucleotide sequence encoding HST-4 and/or HST-5. The term “coding region” refers to the region of the nucleotide sequence comprising codons which are translated into amino acid residues (e.g., the coding regions of human HST-4 and HST-5 correspond to SEQ ID NO: 96 and SEQ ID NO: 99, respectively). In another embodiment, the antisense nucleic acid molecule is antisense to a “noncoding region” of the coding strand of a nucleotide sequence encoding HST-4 and/or HST-5. The term “noncoding region” refers to 5′ and 3′ sequences which flank the coding region that are not translated into amino acids (i.e., also referred to as 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions).

[3072] Given the coding strand sequences encoding HST-4 and/or HST-5 disclosed herein (e.g., SEQ ID NO: 96 and SEQ ID NO: 99, respectively), antisense nucleic acids of the invention can be designed according to the rules of Watson and Crick base pairing. The antisense nucleic acid molecule can be complementary to the entire coding region of HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNA, but more preferably is an oligonucleotide which is antisense to only a portion of the coding or noncoding region of HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNA. For example, the antisense oligonucleotide can be complementary to the region surrounding the translation start site of HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNA (e.g., between the −10 and +10 regions of the start site of a gene nucleotide sequence). An antisense oligonucleotide can be, for example, about 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 or 50 nucleotides in length. An antisense nucleic acid of the invention can be constructed using chemical synthesis and enzymatic ligation reactions using procedures known in the art. For example, an antisense nucleic acid (e.g., an antisense oligonucleotide) can be chemically synthesized using naturally occurring nucleotides or variously modified nucleotides designed to increase the biological stability of the molecules or to increase the physical stability of the duplex formed between the antisense and sense nucleic acids, e.g., phosphorothioate derivatives and acridine substituted nucleotides can be used. Examples of modified nucleotides which can be used to generate the antisense nucleic acid include 5-fluorouracil, 5-bromouracil, 5-chlorouracil, 5-iodouracil, hypoxanthine, xantine, 4-acetylcytosine, 5-(carboxyhydroxylmethyl) uracil, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyl-2-thiouridine, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyluracil, dihydrouracil, beta-D-galactosylqueosine, inosine, N6-isopentenyladenine, 1-methylguanine, 1-methylinosine, 2,2-dimethylguanine, 2-methyladenine, 2-methylguanine, 3-methylcytosine, 5-methylcytosine, N6-adenine, 7-methylguanine, 5-methylaminomethyluracil, 5-methoxyaminomethyl-2-thiouracil, beta-D-mannosylqueosine, 5′-methoxycarboxymethyluracil, 5-methoxyuracil, 2-methylthio-N6-isopentenyladenine, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), wybutoxosine, pseudouracil, queosine, 2-thiocytosine, 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 2-thiouracil, 4-thiouracil, 5-methyluracil, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid methylester, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 3-(3-amino-3-N-2-carboxypropyl) uracil, (acp3)w, and 2,6-diaminopurine. Alternatively, the antisense nucleic acid can be produced biologically using an expression vector into which a nucleic acid has been subcloned in an antisense orientation (i.e., RNA transcribed from the inserted nucleic acid will be of an antisense orientation to a target nucleic acid of interest, described further in the following subsection).

[3073] The antisense nucleic acid molecules of the invention are typically administered to a subject or generated in situ such that they hybridize with or bind to cellular mRNA and/or genomic DNA encoding an HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide to thereby inhibit expression of the polypeptide, e.g., by inhibiting transcription and/or translation. The hybridization can be by conventional nucleotide complementarity to form a stable duplex, or, for example, in the case of an antisense nucleic acid molecule which binds to DNA duplexes, through specific interactions in the major groove of the double helix. An example of a route of administration of antisense nucleic acid molecules of the invention include direct injection at a tissue site. Alternatively, antisense nucleic acid molecules can be modified to target selected cells and then administered systemically. For example, for systemic administration, antisense molecules can be modified such that they specifically bind to receptors or antigens expressed on a selected cell surface, e.g., by linking the antisense nucleic acid molecules to peptides or antibodies which bind to cell surface receptors or antigens. The antisense nucleic acid molecules can also be delivered to cells using the vectors described herein. To achieve sufficient intracellular concentrations of the antisense molecules, vector constructs in which the antisense nucleic acid molecule is placed under the control of a strong pol II or pol III promoter are preferred.

[3074] In yet another embodiment, the antisense nucleic acid molecule of the invention is an α-anomeric nucleic acid molecule. An α-anomeric nucleic acid molecule forms specific double-stranded hybrids with complementary RNA in which, contrary to the usual P-units, the strands run parallel to each other (Gaultier et al. (1987) Nucleic Acids. Res. 15:6625-6641). The antisense nucleic acid molecule can also comprise a 2′-o-methylribonucleotide (Inoue et al. (1987) Nucleic Acids Res. 15:6131-6148) or a chimeric RNA-DNA analogue (Inoue et al. (1987) FEBSLett. 215:327-330).

[3075] In still another embodiment, an antisense nucleic acid of the invention is a ribozyme. Ribozymes are catalytic RNA molecules with ribonuclease activity which are capable of cleaving a single-stranded nucleic acid, such as an mRNA, to which they have a complementary region. Thus, ribozymes (e.g., hammerhead ribozymes (described in Haseloff and Gerlach (1988) Nature 334:585-591)) can be used to catalytically cleave HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNA transcripts to thereby inhibit translation of HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNA. A ribozyme having specificity for an HST-4- and/or HST-5-encoding nucleic acid can be designed based upon the nucleotide sequence of an HST-4 and/or HST-5 cDNA disclosed herein (i.e., SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______). For example, a derivative of a Tetrahymena L- 19 IVS RNA can be constructed in which the nucleotide sequence of the active site is complementary to the nucleotide sequence to be cleaved in an HST-4- and/or HST-5-encoding mRNA. See, e.g., Cech et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,071; and Cech et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,742. Alternatively, HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNA can be used to select a catalytic RNA having a specific ribonuclease activity from a pool of RNA molecules. See, e.g., Bartel, D. and Szostak, J. W. (1993) Science 261:1411-1418.

[3076] Alternatively, HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene expression can be inhibited by targeting nucleotide sequences complementary to the regulatory region of the HST-4 and/or HST-5 (e.g., the HST-4 and/or HST-5 promoter and/or enhancers) to form triple helical structures that prevent transcription of the HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene in target cells. See generally, Helene, C. (1991) Anticancer Drug Des. 6(6):569-84; Helene, C. et al. (1992) Ann. N.Y Acad. Sci. 660:27-36; and Maher, L. J. (1992) Bioassays 14(12):807-15.

[3077] In yet another embodiment, the HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleic acid molecules of the present invention can be modified at the base moiety, sugar moiety or phosphate backbone to improve, e.g., the stability, hybridization, or solubility of the molecule. For example, the deoxyribose phosphate backbone of the nucleic acid molecules can be modified to generate peptide nucleic acids (see Hyrup B. et al. (1996) Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry 4 (1): 5-23). As used herein, the terms “peptide nucleic acids” or “PNAs” refer to nucleic acid mimics, e.g., DNA mimics, in which the deoxyribose phosphate backbone is replaced by a pseudopeptide backbone and only the four natural nucleobases are retained. The neutral backbone of PNAs has been shown to allow for specific hybridization to DNA and RNA under conditions of low ionic strength. The synthesis of PNA oligomers can be performed using standard solid phase peptide synthesis protocols as described in Hyrup B. et al. (1996) supra; Perry-O'Keefe et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 93: 14670-675.

[3078] PNAs of HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleic acid molecules can be used in therapeutic and diagnostic applications. For example, PNAs can be used as antisense or antigene agents for sequence-specific modulation of gene expression by, for example, inducing transcription or translation arrest or inhibiting replication. PNAs of HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleic acid molecules can also be used in the analysis of single base pair mutations in a gene, (e.g., by PNA-directed PCR clamping); as ‘artificial restriction enzymes’ when used in combination with other enzymes, (e.g., S1 nucleases (Hyrup B. (1996) supra)); or as probes or primers for DNA sequencing or hybridization (Hyrup B. et al. (1996) supra; Perry-O'Keefe supra).

[3079] In another embodiment, PNAs of HST-4 and/or HST-5 can be modified, (e.g., to enhance their stability or cellular uptake), by attaching lipophilic or other helper groups to PNA, by the formation of PNA-DNA chimeras, or by the use of liposomes or other techniques of drug delivery known in the art. For example, PNA-DNA chimeras of HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleic acid molecules can be generated which may combine the advantageous properties of PNA and DNA. Such chimeras allow DNA recognition enzymes, (e.g., RNase H and DNA polymerases), to interact with the DNA portion while the PNA portion would provide high binding affinity and specificity. PNA-DNA chimeras can be linked using linkers of appropriate lengths selected in terms of base stacking, number of bonds between the nucleobases, and orientation (Hyrup B. (1996) supra). The synthesis of PNA-DNA chimeras can be performed as described in Hyrup B. (1996) supra and Finn P. J. et al. (1996) Nucleic Acids Res. 24 (17): 3357-63. For example, a DNA chain can be synthesized on a solid support using standard phosphoramidite coupling chemistry and modified nucleoside analogs, e.g., 5′-(4-methoxytrityl)amino-5′-deoxy-thymidine phosphoramidite, can be used as a between the PNA and the 5′ end of DNA (Mag, M. et al. (1989) Nucleic Acid Res. 17: 5973-88). PNA monomers are then coupled in a stepwise manner to produce a chimeric molecule with a 5′ PNA segment and a 3′ DNA segment (Finn P. J. et al. (1996) supra). Alternatively, chimeric molecules can be synthesized with a 5′ DNA segment and a 3′ PNA segment (Peterser, K. H. et al. (1975) Bioorganic Med. Chem. Lett. 5: 1119-11124).

[3080] In other embodiments, the oligonucleotide may include other appended groups such as peptides (e.g., for targeting host cell receptors in vivo), or agents facilitating transport across the cell membrane (see, e.g., Letsinger et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6553-6556; Lemaitre et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:648-652; PCT Publication No. W088/09810) or the blood-brain barrier (see, e.g., PCT Publication No. W089/10134). In addition, oligonucleotides can be modified with hybridization-triggered cleavage agents (See, e.g., Krol et al. (1988) Bio-Techniques 6:958-976) or intercalating agents. (See, e.g., Zon (1988) Pharm. Res. 5:539-549). To this end, the oligonucleotide may be conjugated to another molecule, (e.g., a peptide, hybridization triggered cross-linking agent, transport agent, or hybridization-triggered cleavage agent).

[3081] Alternatively, the expression characteristics of an endogenous HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene within a cell line or microorganism may be modified by inserting a heterologous DNA regulatory element into the genome of a stable cell line or cloned microorganism such that the inserted regulatory element is operatively linked with the endogenous HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene. For example, an endogenous HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene which is normally “transcriptionally silent”, i.e., an HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene which is normally not expressed, or is expressed only at very low levels in a cell line or microorganism, may be activated by inserting a regulatory element which is capable of promoting the expression of a normally expressed gene product in that cell line or microorganism. Alternatively, a transcriptionally silent, endogenous HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene may be activated by insertion of a promiscuous regulatory element that works across cell types.

[3082] A heterologous regulatory element may be inserted into a stable cell line or cloned microorganism, such that it is operatively linked with an endogenous HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene, using techniques, such as targeted homologous recombination, which are well known to those of skill in the art, and described, e.g., in Chappel, U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,071; PCT publication No. WO 91/06667, published May 16, 1991.

[3083] II. Isolated HST-4 and HST-5 Polypeptides and Anti-HST-4 and Anti-HST-5 Antibodies

[3084] One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated or recombinant HST-4 and/or HST-5 proteins and polypeptides, and biologically active portions thereof, as well as polypeptide fragments suitable for use as immunogens to raise anti-HST-4 and/or anti-HST-5 antibodies. In one embodiment, native HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides can be isolated from cells or tissue sources by an appropriate purification scheme using standard protein purification techniques. In another embodiment, HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides are produced by recombinant DNA techniques. Alternative to recombinant expression, an HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide or polypeptide can be synthesized chemically using standard peptide synthesis techniques.

[3085] An “isolated” or “purified” polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is substantially free of cellular material or other contaminating proteins from the cell or tissue source from which the HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide is derived, or substantially free from chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized. The language “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide in which the polypeptide is separated from cellular components of the cells from which it is isolated or recombinantly produced. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide having less than about 30% (by dry weight) of non-HST-4 and/or non-HST-5 polypeptide (also referred to herein as a “contaminating protein”), more preferably less than about 20% of non-HST-4 and/or non-HST-5 polypeptide, still more preferably less than about 10% of non-HST-4 and/or non-HST-5 polypeptide, and most preferably less than about 5% non-HST-4 and/or non-HST-5 polypeptide. When the HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is recombinantly produced, it is also preferably substantially free of culture medium, i.e., culture medium represents less than about 20%, more preferably less than about 10%, and most preferably less than about 5% of the volume of the protein preparation.

[3086] The language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide in which the polypeptide is separated from chemical precursors or other chemicals which are involved in the synthesis of the polypeptide. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide having less than about 30% (by dry weight) of chemical precursors or non-HST-4 and/or non-HST-5 chemicals, more preferably less than about 20% chemical precursors or non-HST-4 and/or non-HST-5 chemicals, still more preferably less than about 10% chemical precursors or non-HST-4 and/or non-HST-5 chemicals, and most preferably less than about 5% chemical precursors or non-HST-4 and/or non-HST-5 chemicals.

[3087] As used herein, a “biologically active portion” of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide includes a fragment of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide which participates in an interaction between an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 molecule and a non-HST-4 and/or a non-HST-5 molecule. Biologically active portions of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide include peptides comprising amino acid sequences sufficiently identical to or derived from the amino acid sequence of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide, e.g., the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98, which include less amino acids than the full length HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides, and exhibit at least one activity of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide. Typically, biologically active portions comprise a domain or motif with at least one activity of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide, e.g., modulating sugar transport mechanisms. A biologically active portion of an HST-4 polypeptide can be a polypeptide which is, for example, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, 400, 425 or more amino acids in length. A biologically active portion of an HST-5 polypeptide can be a polypeptide which is, for example, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, 400, 425 or more amino acids in length. Biologically active portions of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide can be used as targets for developing agents which modulate an HST-4 and/or HST-5 mediated activity, e.g., a sugar transport mechanism.

[3088] In one embodiment, a biologically active portion of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide comprises at least one transmembrane domain. It is to be understood that a preferred biologically active portion of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide of the present invention comprises at least one or more of the following domains: a transmembrane domain and/or a sugar transporter family domain. Moreover, other biologically active portions, in which other regions of the polypeptide are deleted, can be prepared by recombinant techniques and evaluated for one or more of the functional activities of a native HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide.

[3089] Another aspect of the invention features fragments of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98, for example, for use as immunogens. In one embodiment, a fragment comprises at least 5 amino acids (e.g., contiguous or consecutive amino acids) of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98, or the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______. In another embodiment, a fragment comprises at least 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 or more amino acids (e.g., contiguous or consecutive amino acids) of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98, or an amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with the ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______.

[3090] In a preferred embodiment, an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide has an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98. In other embodiments, the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide is substantially identical to SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98, and retains the functional activity of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98, yet differs in amino acid sequence due to natural allelic variation or mutagenesis, as described in detail in subsection I above. In another embodiment, the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide is a polypeptide which comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98.

[3091] In another embodiment, the invention features an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92% 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical to a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, or 99, or a complement thereof. This invention further features an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a complement of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, or 99, or a complement thereof.

[3092] To determine the percent identity of two amino acid sequences or of two nucleic acid sequences, the sequences are aligned for optimal comparison purposes (e.g., gaps can be introduced in one or both of a first and a second amino acid or nucleic acid sequence for optimal alignment and non-identical sequences can be disregarded for comparison purposes). In a preferred embodiment, the length of a reference sequence aligned for comparison purposes is at least 30%, preferably at least 40%, more preferably at least 50%, even more preferably at least 60%, and even more preferably at least 70%, 80%, or 90% of the length of the reference sequence (e.g., when aligning a second sequence to the HST-4 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 95 having 438 amino acid residues, at least 131, preferably at least 175, more preferably at least 219, more preferably at least 262, even more preferably at least 306, and even more preferably at least 350 or 394 or more amino acid residues are aligned; when aligning a second sequence to the HST-5 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 98 having 436 amino acid residues, at least 130, preferably at least 174, more preferably at least 218, more preferably at least 261, even more preferably at least 305, and even more preferably at least 348 or 392 or more amino acid residues are aligned). The amino acid residues or nucleotides at corresponding amino acid positions or nucleotide positions are then compared. When a position in the first sequence is occupied by the same amino acid residue or nucleotide as the corresponding position in the second sequence, then the molecules are identical at that position (as used herein amino acid or nucleic acid “identity” is equivalent to amino acid or nucleic acid “homology”). The percent identity between the two sequences is a function of the number of identical positions shared by the sequences, taking into account the number of gaps, and the length of each gap, which need to be introduced for optimal alignment of the two sequences.

[3093] The comparison of sequences and determination of percent identity between two sequences can be accomplished using a mathematical algorithm. In a preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid sequences is determined using the Needleman and Wunsch (J. Mol. Biol. (48):444-453 (1970)) algorithm which has been incorporated into the GAP program in the GCG software package (available at http://www.gcg.com), using either a Blosum 62 matrix or a PAM250 matrix, and a gap weight of 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, or 4 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. In yet another preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two nucleotide sequences is determined using the GAP program in the GCG software package (available at http://www.gcg.com), using a NWSgapdna.CMP matrix and a gap weight of 40, 50, 60, 70, or 80 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. A preferred, non-limiting example of parameters to be used in conjunction with the GAP program include a Blosum 62 scoring matrix with a gap penalty of 12, a gap extend penalty of 4, and a frameshift gap penalty of 5.

[3094] In another embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid or nucleotide sequences is determined using the algorithm of E. Meyers and W. Miller (Comput. Appl. Biosci., 4:11-17 (1988)) which has been incorporated into the ALIGN program (version 2.0 or version 2.0U), using a PAM120 weight residue table, a gap length penalty of 12 and a gap penalty of 4.

[3095] The nucleic acid and polypeptide sequences of the present invention can further be used as a “query sequence” to perform a search against public databases to, for example, identify other family members or related sequences. Such searches can be performed using the NBLAST and XBLAST programs (version 2.0) of Altschul, et al. (1990) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-10. BLAST nucleotide searches can be performed with the NBLAST program, score=100, wordlength=12 to obtain nucleotide sequences homologous to HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleic acid molecules of the invention. BLAST protein searches can be performed with the XBLAST program, score=100, wordlength=3, and a Blosum62 matrix to obtain amino acid sequences homologous to HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide molecules of the invention. To obtain gapped alignments for comparison purposes, Gapped BLAST can be utilized as described in Altschul et al., (1997) Nucleic Acids Res. 25(17):3389-3402. When utilizing BLAST and Gapped BLAST programs, the default parameters of the respective programs (e.g., XBLAST and NBLAST) can be used. See www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

[3096] The invention also provides HST-4 and/or HST-5 chimeric or fusion proteins. As used herein, an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 “chimeric protein” or “fusion protein” comprises an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide operatively linked to a non-HST-4 and/or non-HST-5 polypeptide. An “HST-4 polypeptide” or an “HST-5 polypeptide” refers to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to HST-4 and/or HST-5, whereas a “non-HST-4 polypeptide” or a “non- HST-5 polypeptide” refers to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to a polypeptide which is not substantially homologous to the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide, e.g., a polypeptide which is different from the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide and which is derived from the same or a different organism. Within an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 fusion protein the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide can correspond to all or a portion of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide. In a preferred embodiment, an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 fusion protein comprises at least one biologically active portion of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide. In another preferred embodiment, an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 fusion protein comprises at least two biologically active portions of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide. Within the fusion protein, the term “operatively linked” is intended to indicate that the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide and the non-HST-4 and/or non-HST-5 polypeptide are fused in-frame to each other. The non-HST-4 and/or the non-HST-5 polypeptide can be fused to the N-terminus or C-terminus of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide.

[3097] For example, in one embodiment, the fusion protein is a GST-HST-4 and/or a GST-HST-5 fusion protein in which the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 sequences are fused to the C-terminus of the GST sequences. Such fusion proteins can facilitate the purification of recombinant HST-4 and/or HST-5.

[3098] In another embodiment, the fusion protein is an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide containing a heterologous signal sequence at its N-terminus. In certain host cells (e.g., mammalian host cells), expression and/or secretion of HST-4 and/or HST-5 can be increased through the use of a heterologous signal sequence.

[3099] The HST-4 and/or the HST-5 fusion proteins of the invention can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions and administered to a subject in vivo. The HST-4 and/or the HST-5 fusion proteins can be used to affect the bioavailability of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 substrate. Use of HST-4 and/or HST-5 fusion proteins may be useful therapeutically for the treatment of disorders caused by, for example, (i) aberrant modification or mutation of a gene encoding an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide; (ii) mis-regulation of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 gene; and (iii) aberrant post-translational modification of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide.

[3100] Moreover, the HST-4- and/or the HST-5-fusion proteins of the invention can be used as immunogens to produce anti-HST-4 and/or anti-HST-5 antibodies in a subject, to purify HST-4 and/or HST-5 ligands and in screening assays to identify molecules which inhibit the interaction of HST-4 and/or HST-5 with an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 substrate.

[3101] Preferably, an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 chimeric or fusion protein of the invention is produced by standard recombinant DNA techniques. For example, DNA fragments coding for the different polypeptide sequences are ligated together in-frame in accordance with conventional techniques, for example by employing blunt-ended or stagger-ended termini for ligation, restriction enzyme digestion to provide for appropriate termini, filling-in of cohesive ends as appropriate, alkaline phosphatase treatment to avoid undesirable joining, and enzymatic ligation. In another embodiment, the fusion gene can be synthesized by conventional techniques including automated DNA synthesizers. Alternatively, PCR amplification of gene fragments can be carried out using anchor primers which give rise to complementary overhangs between two consecutive gene fragments which can subsequently be annealed and reamplified to generate a chimeric gene sequence (see, for example, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, eds. Ausubel et al John Wiley & Sons: 1992). Moreover, many expression vectors are commercially available that already encode a fusion moiety (e.g., a GST polypeptide). An HST-4- and/or an HST-5-encoding nucleic acid can be cloned into such an expression vector such that the fusion moiety is linked in-frame to the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide.

[3102] The present invention also pertains to variants of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptides which function as either HST-4 and/or HST-5 agonists (mimetics) or as HST-4 and/or HST-5 antagonists. Variants of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptides can be generated by mutagenesis, e.g., discrete point mutation or truncation of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide. An agonist of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptides can retain substantially the same, or a subset, of the biological activities of the naturally occurring form of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide. An antagonist of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide can inhibit one or more of the activities of the naturally occurring form of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide by, for example, competitively modulating an HST-4- and/or an HST-5-mediated activity of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide. Thus, specific biological effects can be elicited by treatment with a variant of limited function. In one embodiment, treatment of a subject with a variant having a subset of the biological activities of the naturally occurring form of the polypeptide has fewer side effects in a subject relative to treatment with the naturally occurring form of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide.

[3103] In one embodiment, variants of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide which function as either HST-4 and/or HST-5 agonists (mimetics) or as HST-4 and/or HST-5 antagonists can be identified by screening combinatorial libraries of mutants, e.g., truncation mutants, of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide for HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide agonist or antagonist activity. In one embodiment, a variegated library of HST-4 and/or HST-5 variants is generated by combinatorial mutagenesis at the nucleic acid level and is encoded by a variegated gene library. A variegated library of HST-4 and/or HST-5 variants can be produced by, for example, enzymatically ligating a mixture of synthetic oligonucleotides into gene sequences such that a degenerate set of potential HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequences is expressible as individual polypeptides, or alternatively, as a set of larger fusion proteins (e.g., for phage display) containing the set of HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequences therein. There are a variety of methods which can be used to produce libraries of potential HST-4 and/or HST-5 variants from a degenerate oligonucleotide sequence. Chemical synthesis of a degenerate gene sequence can be performed in an automatic DNA synthesizer, and the synthetic gene then ligated into an appropriate expression vector. Use of a degenerate set of genes allows for the provision, in one mixture, of all of the sequences encoding the desired set of potential HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequences. Methods for synthesizing degenerate oligonucleotides are known in the art (see, e.g., Narang, S. A. (1983) Tetrahedron 39:3; Itakura et al. (1984) Annu. Rev. Biochem. 53:323; Itakura et al. (1984) Science 198:1056; Ike et al. (1983) Nucleic Acid Res. 11:477.

[3104] In addition, libraries of fragments of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide coding sequence can be used to generate a variegated population of HST-4 and/or HST-5 fragments for screening and subsequent selection of variants of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide. In one embodiment, a library of coding sequence fragments can be generated by treating a double stranded PCR fragment of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 coding sequence with a nuclease under conditions wherein nicking occurs only about once per molecule, denaturing the double stranded DNA, renaturing the DNA to form double stranded DNA which can include sense/antisense pairs from different nicked products, removing single stranded portions from reformed duplexes by treatment with S1 nuclease, and ligating the resulting fragment library into an expression vector. By this method, an expression library can be derived which encodes N-terminal, C-terminal and internal fragments of various sizes of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide.

[3105] Several techniques are known in the art for screening gene products of combinatorial libraries made by point mutations or truncation, and for screening cDNA libraries for gene products having a selected property. Such techniques are adaptable for rapid screening of the gene libraries generated by the combinatorial mutagenesis of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides. The most widely used techniques, which are amenable to high through-put analysis, for screening large gene libraries typically include cloning the gene library into replicable expression vectors, transforming appropriate cells with the resulting library of vectors, and expressing the combinatorial genes under conditions in which detection of a desired activity facilitates isolation of the vector encoding the gene whose product was detected. Recursive ensemble mutagenesis (REM), a new technique which enhances the frequency of functional mutants in the libraries, can be used in combination with the screening assays to identify HST-4 and/or HST-5 variants (Arkin and Youvan (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:7811-7815; Delagrave et al. (1993) Protein Engineering 6(3):327-331).

[3106] In one embodiment, cell based assays can be exploited to analyze a variegated HST-4 and/or HST-5 library. For example, a library of expression vectors can be transfected into a cell line, e.g., an endothelial cell line, which ordinarily responds to HST-4 and/or HST-5 in a particular HST-4 and/or HST-5 substrate-dependent manner. The transfected cells are then contacted with HST-4 and/or HST-5 and the effect of expression of the mutant on signaling by the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 substrate can be detected, e.g., by monitoring intracellular calcium, IP3, or diacylglycerol concentration, phosphorylation profile of intracellular proteins, or the activity of an HST-4- and/or an HST-5-regulated transcription factor. Plasmid DNA can then be recovered from the cells which score for inhibition, or alternatively, potentiation of signaling by the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 substrate, and the individual clones further characterized.

[3107] An isolated HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide, or a portion or fragment thereof, can be used as an immunogen to generate antibodies that bind HST-4 and/or HST-5 using standard techniques for polyclonal and monoclonal antibody preparation. A full-length HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide can be used or, alternatively, the invention provides antigenic peptide fragments of HST-4 and/or HST-5 for use as immunogens. The antigenic peptide of HST-4 and/or HST-5 comprises at least 8 amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 95 or 98 and encompasses an epitope of HST-4 and/or HST-5 such that an antibody raised against the peptide forms a specific immune complex with HST-4 and/or HST-5. Preferably, the antigenic peptide comprises at least 10 amino acid residues, more preferably at least 15 amino acid residues, even more preferably at least 20 amino acid residues, and most preferably at least 30 amino acid residues.

[3108] Preferred epitopes encompassed by the antigenic peptide are regions of HST-4 and/or HST-5 that are located on the surface of the polypeptide, e.g., hydrophilic regions, as well as regions with high antigenicity (see, for example, FIGS. 91 and 92).

[3109] An HST-4 and/or an HST-5 immunogen typically is used to prepare antibodies by immunizing a suitable subject, (e.g., rabbit, goat, mouse or other mammal) with the immunogen. An appropriate immunogenic preparation can contain, for example, recombinantly expressed HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide or a chemically synthesized HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide. The preparation can further include an adjuvant, such as Freund's complete or incomplete adjuvant, or similar immunostimulatory agent. Immunization of a suitable subject with an immunogenic HST-4 and/or HST-5 preparation induces a polyclonal anti-HST-4 and/or anti-HST-5 antibody response.

[3110] Accordingly, another aspect of the invention pertains to anti- HST-4 and/or anti-HST-5 antibodies. The term “antibody” as used herein refers to immunoglobulin molecules and immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules, i.e., molecules that contain an antigen binding site which specifically binds (immunoreacts with) an antigen, such as HST-4 and/or HST-5. Examples of immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules include F(ab) and F(ab′)₂ fragments which can be generated by treating the antibody with an enzyme such as pepsin. The invention provides polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies that bind HST-4 and/or HST-5. The term “monoclonal antibody” or “monoclonal antibody composition”, as used herein, refers to a population of antibody molecules that contain only one species of an antigen binding site capable of immunoreacting with a particular epitope of HST-4 and/or HST-5. A monoclonal antibody composition thus typically displays a single binding affinity for a particular HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide with which it immunoreacts.

[3111] Polyclonal anti-HST-4 and/or anti-HST-5 antibodies can be prepared as described above by immunizing a suitable subject with an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 immunogen. The anti-HST-4 and/or anti-HST-5 antibody titer in the immunized subject can be monitored over time by standard techniques, such as with an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using immobilized HST-4 and/or HST-5. If desired, the antibody molecules directed against HST-4 and/or HST-5 can be isolated from the mammal (e.g., from the blood) and further purified by well known techniques, such as protein A chromatography to obtain the IgG fraction. At an appropriate time after immunization, e.g., when the anti-HST-4 and/or anti-HST-5 antibody titers are highest, antibody-producing cells can be obtained from the subject and used to prepare monoclonal antibodies by standard techniques, such as the hybridoma technique originally described by Kohler and Milstein (1975) Nature 256:495-497) (see also, Brown et al. (1981) J. Immunol. 127:539-46; Brown et al. (1980) J. Biol. Chem .255:4980-83; Yeh et al. (1976) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 76:2927-31; and Yeh et al. (1982) Int. J. Cancer 29:269-75), the more recent human B cell hybridoma technique (Kozbor et al. (1983) Immunol Today 4:72), the EBV-hybridoma technique (Cole et al. (1985), Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, Inc., pp. 77-96) or trioma techniques. The technology for producing monoclonal antibody hybridomas is well known (see generally R. H. Kenneth, in Monoclonal Antibodies: A New Dimension In Biological Analyses, Plenum Publishing Corp., New York, N.Y. (1980); E. A. Lemer (1981) Yale J. Biol. Med., 54:387-402; M. L. Gefter et al. (1977) Somatic Cell Genet. 3:231-36). Briefly, an immortal cell line (typically a myeloma) is fused to lymphocytes (typically splenocytes) from a mammal immunized with an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 immunogen as described above, and the culture supernatants of the resulting hybridoma cells are screened to identify a hybridoma producing a monoclonal antibody that binds HST-4 and/or HST-5.

[3112] Any of the many well known protocols used for fusing lymphocytes and immortalized cell lines can be applied for the purpose of generating an anti-HST-4 and/or anti-HST-5 monoclonal antibody (see, e.g., G. Galfre et al. (1977) Nature 266:55052; Gefter et al. Somatic Cell Genet., cited supra; Lemer, Yale J. Biol. Med., cited supra; Kenneth, Monoclonal Antibodies, cited supra). Moreover, the ordinarily skilled worker will appreciate that there are many variations of such methods which also would be useful. Typically, the immortal cell line (e.g., a myeloma cell line) is derived from the same mammalian species as the lymphocytes. For example, murine hybridomas can be made by fusing lymphocytes from a mouse immunized with an immunogenic preparation of the present invention with an immortalized mouse cell line. Preferred immortal cell lines are mouse myeloma cell lines that are sensitive to culture medium containing hypoxanthine, aminopterin and thymidine (“HAT medium”). Any of a number of myeloma cell lines can be used as a fusion partner according to standard techniques, e.g., the P3-NS1/1-Ag4-1, P3-x63-Ag8.653 or Sp2/O-Ag14 myeloma lines. These myeloma lines are available from ATCC. Typically, HAT-sensitive mouse myeloma cells are fused to mouse splenocytes using polyethylene glycol (“PEG”). Hybridoma cells resulting from the fusion are then selected using HAT medium, which kills unfused and unproductively fused myeloma cells (unfused splenocytes die after several days because they are not transformed). Hybridoma cells producing a monoclonal antibody of the invention are detected by screening the hybridoma culture supernatants for antibodies that bind HST-4 and/or HST-5, e.g., using a standard ELISA assay.

[3113] Alternative to preparing monoclonal antibody-secreting hybridomas, a monoclonal anti-HST-4 and/or anti-HST-5 antibody can be identified and isolated by screening a recombinant combinatorial immunoglobulin library (e.g., an antibody phage display library) with HST-4 and/or HST-5 to thereby isolate immunoglobulin library members that bind HST-4 and/or HST-5. Kits for generating and screening phage display libraries are commercially available (e.g., the Pharmacia Recombinant Phage Antibody System, Catalog No. 27-9400-01; and the Stratagene SurfZAP™]Phage Display Kit, Catalog No. 240612). Additionally, examples of methods and reagents particularly amenable for use in generating and screening antibody display library can be found in, for example, Ladner et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409; Kang et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/18619; Dower et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 91/17271; Winter et al. PCT International Publication WO 92/20791; Markland et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/15679; Breitling et al. PCT International Publication WO 93/01288; McCafferty et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/01047; Garrard et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 92/09690; Ladner et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 90/02809; Fuchs et al. (1991) Bio/Technology 9:1369-1372; Hay et al. (1992) Hum. Antibod. Hybridomas 3:81-85; Huse et al. (1989) Science 246:1275-1281; Griffiths et al. (1993) EMBO J 12:725-734; Hawkins et al. (1992) J. Mol. Biol. 226:889-896; Clackson et aL (1991) Nature 352:624-628; Gram et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:3576-3580; Garrard et al. (1991) Bio/Technology 9:1373-1377; Hoogenboom et al. (1991) Nuc. Acid Res. 19:4133-4137; Barbas et al. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:7978-7982; and McCafferty et al. Nature (1990) 348:552-554.

[3114] Additionally, recombinant anti-HST-4 and/or anti-HST-5 antibodies, such as chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies, comprising both human and non-human portions, which can be made using standard recombinant DNA techniques, are within the scope of the invention. Such chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies can be produced by recombinant DNA techniques known in the art, for example using methods described in Robinson et al. International Application No. PCT/US86/02269; Akira, et al. European Patent Application 184,187; Taniguchi, M., European Patent Application 171,496; Morrison et al. European Patent Application 173,494; Neuberger et al. PCT International Publication No. WO 86/01533; Cabilly et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,567; Cabilly et al. European Patent Application 125,023; Better et al. (1988) Science 240:1041-1043; Liu et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:3439-3443; Liu et al. (1987) J. Immunol. 139:3521-3526; Sun et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:214-218; Nishimura et al. (1987) Canc. Res. 47:999-1005; Wood et al. (1985) Nature 314:446-449; and Shaw et al. (1988) J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 80:1553-1559); Morrison, S. L. (1985) Science 229:1202-1207; Oi et al. (1986) BioTechniques 4:214; Winter U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,539; Jones et aL (1986) Nature 321:552-525; Verhoeyen et al. (1988) Science 239:1534; and Beidler et al. (1988) J. Immunol. 141:4053-4060.

[3115] An anti-HST-4 and/or anti-HST-5 antibody (e.g., monoclonal antibody) can be used to isolate HST-4 and/or HST-5 by standard techniques, such as affinity chromatography or immunoprecipitation. An anti-HST-4 and/or anti-HST-5 antibody can facilitate the purification of natural HST-4 and/or HST-5 from cells and of recombinantly produced HST-4 and/or HST-5 expressed in host cells. Moreover, an anti-HST-4 and/or anti-HST-5 antibody can be used to detect HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides (e.g., in a cellular lysate or cell supernatant) in order to evaluate the abundance and pattern of expression of the HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides. Anti-HST-4 and/or anti-HST-5 antibodies can be used diagnostically to monitor polypeptide levels in tissue as part of a clinical testing procedure, e.g., to, for example, determine the efficacy of a given treatment regimen. Detection can be facilitated by coupling (i.e., physically linking) the antibody to a detectable substance. Examples of detectable substances include various enzymes, prosthetic groups, fluorescent materials, luminescent materials, bioluminescent materials, and radioactive materials. Examples of suitable enzymes include horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, β-galactosidase, or acetylcholinesterase; examples of suitable prosthetic group complexes include streptavidin/biotin and avidinibiotin; examples of suitable fluorescent materials include umbelliferone, fluorescein, fluorescein isothiocyanate, rhodamine, dichlorotriazinylamine fluorescein, dansyl chloride or phycoerythrin; an example of a luminescent material includes luminol; examples of bioluminescent materials include luciferase, luciferin, and aequorin, and examples of suitable radioactive material include ¹²⁵I, ¹³¹I, ³⁵S or ³H.

[3116] III. Recombinant Expression Vectors and Host Cells

[3117] Another aspect of the invention pertains to vectors, for example recombinant expression vectors, containing a nucleic acid containing an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 nucleic acid molecule or vectors containing a nucleic acid molecule which encodes an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide (or a portion thereof). As used herein, the term “vector” refers to a nucleic acid molecule capable of transporting another nucleic acid to which it has been linked. One type of vector is a “plasmid”, which refers to a circular double stranded DNA loop into which additional DNA segments can be ligated. Another type of vector is a viral vector, wherein additional DNA segments can be ligated into the viral genome. Certain vectors are capable of autonomous replication in a host cell into which they are introduced (e.g., bacterial vectors having a bacterial origin of replication and episomal mammalian vectors). Other vectors (e.g., non-episomal mammalian vectors) are integrated into the genome of a host cell upon introduction into the host cell, and thereby are replicated along with the host genome. Moreover, certain vectors are capable of directing the expression of genes to which they are operatively linked. Such vectors are referred to herein as “expression vectors”. In general, expression vectors of utility in recombinant DNA techniques are often in the form of plasmids. In the present specification, “plasmid” and “vector” can be used interchangeably as the plasmid is the most commonly used form of vector. However, the invention is intended to include such other forms of expression vectors, such as viral vectors (e.g., replication defective retroviruses, adenoviruses and adeno-associated viruses), which serve equivalent functions.

[3118] The recombinant expression vectors of the invention comprise a nucleic acid of the invention in a form suitable for expression of the nucleic acid in a host cell, which means that the recombinant expression vectors include one or more regulatory sequences, selected on the basis of the host cells to be used for expression, which is operatively linked to the nucleic acid sequence to be expressed. Within a recombinant expression vector, “operably linked” is intended to mean that the nucleotide sequence of interest is linked to the regulatory sequence(s) in a manner which allows for expression of the nucleotide sequence (e.g., in an in vitro transcription/translation system or in a host cell when the vector is introduced into the host cell). The term “regulatory sequence” is intended to include promoters, enhancers and other expression control elements (e.g., polyadenylation signals). Such regulatory sequences are described, for example, in Goeddel; Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990). Regulatory sequences include those which direct constitutive expression of a nucleotide sequence in many types of host cells and those which direct expression of the nucleotide sequence only in certain host cells (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory sequences). It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the design of the expression vector can depend on such factors as the choice of the host cell to be transformed, the level of expression of polypeptide desired, and the like. The expression vectors of the invention can be introduced into host cells to thereby produce proteins or peptides, including fusion proteins or peptides, encoded by nucleic acids as described herein (e.g., HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides, mutant forms of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides, fusion proteins, and the like).

[3119] Accordingly, an exemplary embodiment provides a method for producing a polypeptide, preferably an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide, by culturing in a suitable medium a host cell of the invention (e.g., a mammalian host cell such as a non-human mammalian cell) containing a recombinant expression vector, such that the polypeptide is produced.

[3120] The recombinant expression vectors of the invention can be designed for expression of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides in prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells. For example, HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides can be expressed in bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells (using baculovirus expression vectors) yeast cells or mammalian cells. Suitable host cells are discussed further in Goeddel, Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990). Alternatively, the recombinant expression vector can be transcribed and translated in vitro, for example using T7 promoter regulatory sequences and T7 polymerase.

[3121] Expression of proteins in prokaryotes is most often carried out in E. coli with vectors containing constitutive or inducible promoters directing the expression of either fusion or non-fusion proteins. Fusion vectors add a number of amino acids to a protein encoded therein, usually to the amino terminus of the recombinant protein. Such fusion vectors typically serve three purposes: 1) to increase expression of recombinant protein; 2) to increase the solubility of the recombinant protein; and 3) to aid in the purification of the recombinant protein by acting as a ligand in affinity purification. Often, in fusion expression vectors, a proteolytic cleavage site is introduced at the junction of the fusion moiety and the recombinant protein to enable separation of the recombinant protein from the fusion moiety subsequent to purification of the fusion protein. Such enzymes, and their cognate recognition sequences, include Factor Xa, thrombin and enterokinase. Typical fusion expression vectors include pGEX (Pharmacia Biotech Inc; Smith, D. B. and Johnson, K. S. (1988) Gene 67:31-40), pMAL (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.) and pRIT5 (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.) which fuse glutathione S-transferase (GST), maltose E binding protein, or protein A, respectively, to the target recombinant protein.

[3122] Purified fusion proteins can be utilized in HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity assays, (e.g., direct assays or competitive assays described in detail below), or to generate antibodies specific for HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides, for example. In a preferred embodiment, an HST-4 and/or HST-5 fusion protein expressed in a retroviral expression vector of the present invention can be utilized to infect bone marrow cells which are subsequently transplanted into irradiated recipients. The pathology of the subject recipient is then examined after sufficient time has passed (e.g., six (6) weeks).

[3123] Examples of suitable inducible non-fusion E. coli expression vectors include pTrc (Amann et al., (1988) Gene 69:301-315) and pET 11d (Studier et al., Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990) 60-89). Target gene expression from the pTrc vector relies on host RNA polymerase transcription from a hybrid trp-lac fusion promoter. Target gene expression from the pET 11d vector relies on transcription from a T7 gn10-lac fusion promoter mediated by a coexpressed viral RNA polymerase (T7 gn1). This viral polymerase is supplied by host strains BL21(DE3) or HMS174(DE3) from a resident prophage harboring a T7 gn1 gene under the transcriptional control of the lacUV 5 promoter.

[3124] One strategy to maximize recombinant protein expression in E. coli is to express the protein in a host bacteria with an impaired capacity to proteolytically cleave the recombinant protein (Gottesman, S., Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990) 119-128). Another strategy is to alter the nucleic acid sequence of the nucleic acid to be inserted into an expression vector so that the individual codons for each amino acid are those preferentially utilized in E. coli (Wada et al., (1992) Nucleic Acids Res. 20:2111-2118). Such alteration of nucleic acid sequences of the invention can be carried out by standard DNA synthesis techniques.

[3125] In another embodiment, the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 expression vector is a yeast expression vector. Examples of vectors for expression in yeast S. cerevisiae include pYepSec1 (Baldari, et al., (1987) EMBO J. 6:229-234), pMFa (Kudjan and Herskowitz, (1982) Cell 30:933-943), pJRY88 (Schultz et al., (1987) Gene 54:113-123), pYES2 (Invitrogen Corporation, San Diego, Calif.), and picZ (Invitrogen Corporation, San Diego, Calif.).

[3126] Alternatively, HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides can be expressed in insect cells using baculovirus expression vectors. Baculovirus vectors available for expression of proteins in cultured insect cells (e.g., Sf 9 cells) include the pAc series (Smith et al. (1983) Mol. Cell Biol. 3:2156-2165) and the pVL series (Lucklow and Summers (1989) Virology 170:31-39).

[3127] In yet another embodiment, a nucleic acid of the invention is expressed in mammalian cells using a mammalian expression vector. Examples of mammalian expression vectors include pCDM8 (Seed, B. (1987) Nature 329:840) and pMT2PC (Kaufman et al. (1987) EMBO J. 6:187-195). When used in mammalian cells, the expression vector's control functions are often provided by viral regulatory elements. For example, commonly used promoters are derived from polyoma, Adenovirus 2, cytomegalovirus and Simian Virus 40. For other suitable expression systems for both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells see chapters 16 and 17 of Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989.

[3128] In another embodiment, the recombinant mammalian expression vector is capable of directing expression of the nucleic acid preferentially in a particular cell type (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory elements are used to express the nucleic acid). Tissue-specific regulatory elements are known in the art. Non-limiting examples of suitable tissue-specific promoters include the albumin promoter (liver-specific; Pinkert et al. (1987) Genes Dev. 1:268-277), lymphoid-specific promoters (Calame and Eaton (1988) Adv. Immunol. 43:235-275), in particular promoters of T cell receptors (Winoto and Baltimore (1989) EMBO J. 8:729-733) and immunoglobulins (Banerji et al. (1983) Cell 33:729-740; Queen and Baltimore (1983) Cell 33:741-748), neuron-specific promoters (e.g., the neurofilament promoter; Byrne and Ruddle (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:5473-5477), pancreas-specific promoters (Edlund et al. (1985) Science 230:912-916), and mammary gland-specific promoters (e.g., milk whey promoter; U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,316 and European Application Publication No. 264,166). Developmentally-regulated promoters are also encompassed, for example the murine hox promoters (Kessel and Gruss (1990) Science 249:374-379) and the α-fetoprotein promoter (Campes and Tilghman (1989) Genes Dev. 3:537-546).

[3129] The invention further provides a recombinant expression vector comprising a DNA molecule of the invention cloned into the expression vector in an antisense orientation. That is, the DNA molecule is operatively linked to a regulatory sequence in a manner which allows for expression (by transcription of the DNA molecule) of an RNA molecule which is antisense to HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNA. Regulatory sequences operatively linked to a nucleic acid cloned in the antisense orientation can be chosen which direct the continuous expression of the antisense RNA molecule in a variety of cell types, for instance viral promoters and/or enhancers, or regulatory sequences can be chosen which direct constitutive, tissue specific or cell type specific expression of antisense RNA. The antisense expression vector can be in the form of a recombinant plasmid, phagemid or attenuated virus in which antisense nucleic acids are produced under the control of a high efficiency regulatory region, the activity of which can be determined by the cell type into which the vector is introduced. For a discussion of the regulation of gene expression using antisense genes see Weintraub, H. et al., Antisense RNA as a molecular tool for genetic analysis, Reviews—Trends in Genetics, Vol. 1(1) 1986.

[3130] Another aspect of the invention pertains to host cells into which an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 nucleic acid molecule of the invention is introduced, e.g., an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 nucleic acid molecule within a vector (e.g., a recombinant expression vector) or an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 nucleic acid molecule containing sequences which allow it to homologously recombine into a specific site of the host cell's genome. The terms “host cell” and “recombinant host cell” are used interchangeably herein. It is understood that such terms refer not only to the particular subject cell but to the progeny or potential progeny of such a cell. Because certain modifications may occur in succeeding generations due to either mutation or environmental influences, such progeny may not, in fact, be identical to the parent cell, but are still included within the scope of the term as used herein.

[3131] A host cell can be any prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell. For example, an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide can be expressed in bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells, yeast or mammalian cells (such as Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) or COS cells). Other suitable host cells are known to those skilled in the art.

[3132] Vector DNA can be introduced into prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells via conventional transformation or transfection techniques. As used herein, the terms “transformation” and “transfection” are intended to refer to a variety of art-recognized techniques for introducing foreign nucleic acid (e.g., DNA) into a host cell, including calcium phosphate or calcium chloride co-precipitation, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, lipofection, or electroporation. Suitable methods for transforming or transfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook, et al. (Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), and other laboratory manuals.

[3133] For stable transfection of mammalian cells, it is known that, depending upon the expression vector and transfection technique used, only a small fraction of cells may integrate the foreign DNA into their genome. In order to identify and select these integrants, a gene that encodes a selectable marker (e.g., resistance to antibiotics) is generally introduced into the host cells along with the gene of interest. Preferred selectable markers include those which confer resistance to drugs, such as G418, hygromycin and methotrexate. Nucleic acid encoding a selectable marker can be introduced into a host cell on the same vector as that encoding an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide or can be introduced on a separate vector. Cells stably transfected with the introduced nucleic acid can be identified by drug selection (e.g., cells that have incorporated the selectable marker gene will survive, while the other cells die).

[3134] A host cell of the invention, such as a prokaryotic or eukaryotic host cell in culture, can be used to produce (i.e., express) an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide. Accordingly, the invention further provides methods for producing an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide using the host cells of the invention. In one embodiment, the method comprises culturing the host cell of the invention (into which a recombinant expression vector encoding an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide has been introduced) in a suitable medium such that an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide is produced. In another embodiment, the method further comprises isolating an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide from the medium or the host cell.

[3135] The host cells of the invention can also be used to produce non-human transgenic animals. For example, in one embodiment, a host cell of the invention is a fertilized oocyte or an embryonic stem cell into which HST-4- and/or HST-5-coding sequences have been introduced. Such host cells can then be used to create non-human transgenic animals in which exogenous HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequences have been introduced into their genome or homologous recombinant animals in which endogenous HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequences have been altered. Such animals are useful for studying the function and/or activity of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 and for identifying and/or evaluating modulators of HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity. As used herein, a “transgenic animal” is a non-human animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a rodent such as a rat or mouse, in which one or more of the cells of the animal includes a transgene. Other examples of transgenic animals include non-human primates, sheep, dogs, cows, goats, chickens, amphibians, and the like. A transgene is exogenous DNA which is integrated into the genome of a cell from which a transgenic animal develops and which remains in the genome of the mature animal, thereby directing the expression of an encoded gene product in one or more cell types or tissues of the transgenic animal. As used herein, a “homologous recombinant animal” is a non-human animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a mouse, in which an endogenous HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene has been altered by homologous recombination between the endogenous gene and an exogenous DNA molecule introduced into a cell of the animal, e.g., an embryonic cell of the animal, prior to development of the animal.

[3136] A transgenic animal of the invention can be created by introducing an HST-4- and/or an HST-5-encoding nucleic acid into the male pronuclei of a fertilized oocyte, e.g., by microinjection, retroviral infection, and allowing the oocyte to develop in a pseudopregnant female foster animal. The HST-4 and/or HST-5 cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 94 or 97 can be introduced as a transgene into the genome of a non-human animal. Alternatively, a nonhuman homologue of a human HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene, such as a mouse or rat HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene, can be used as a transgene. Alternatively, an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 gene homologue, such as another HST-4 and/or HST-5 family member, can be isolated based on hybridization to the HST-4 and/or HST-5 cDNA sequences of SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______ (described further in subsection I above) and used as a transgene. Intronic sequences and polyadenylation signals can also be included in the transgene to increase the efficiency of expression of the transgene. A tissue-specific regulatory sequence(s) can be operably linked to an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 transgene to direct expression of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide to particular cells. Methods for generating transgenic animals via embryo manipulation and microinjection, particularly animals such as mice, have become conventional in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,736,866 and 4,870,009, both by Leder et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,191 by Wagner et al. and in Hogan, B., Manipulating the Mouse Embryo, (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1986). Similar methods are used for production of other transgenic animals. A transgenic founder animal can be identified based upon the presence of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 transgene in its genome and/or expression of HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNA in tissues or cells of the animals. A transgenic founder animal can then be used to breed additional animals carrying the transgene. Moreover, transgenic animals carrying a transgene encoding an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide can further be bred to other transgenic animals carrying other transgenes.

[3137] To create a homologous recombinant animal, a vector is prepared which contains at least a portion of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 gene into which a deletion, addition or substitution has been introduced to thereby alter, e.g., functionally disrupt, the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 gene. The HST-4 and/or the HST-5 gene can be a human gene (e.g., the cDNA of SEQ ID NO: 96 or 99), but more preferably, is a non-human homologue of a human HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene (e.g., a cDNA isolated by stringent hybridization with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 94 or 97). For example, a mouse HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene can be used to construct a homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule, e.g., a vector, suitable for altering an endogenous HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene in the mouse genome. In a preferred embodiment, the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule is designed such that, upon homologous recombination, the endogenous HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene is functionally disrupted (i.e., no longer encodes a functional protein; also referred to as a “knock out” vector). Alternatively, the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule can be designed such that, upon homologous recombination, the endogenous HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene is mutated or otherwise altered but still encodes functional polypeptide (e.g., the upstream regulatory region can be altered to thereby alter the expression of the endogenous HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide). In the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule, the altered portion of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 gene is flanked at its 5′ and 3′ ends by additional nucleic acid sequence of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 gene to allow for homologous recombination to occur between the exogenous HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene carried by the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule and an endogenous HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene in a cell, e.g., an embryonic stem cell. The additional flanking HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleic acid sequence is of sufficient length for successful homologous recombination with the endogenous gene. Typically, several kilobases of flanking DNA (both at the 5′ and 3′ ends) are included in the homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule (see, e.g., Thomas, K. R. and Capecchi, M. R. (1987) Cell 51:503 for a description of homologous recombination vectors). The homologous recombination nucleic acid molecule is introduced into a cell, e.g., an embryonic stem cell line (e.g., by electroporation) and cells in which the introduced HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene has homologously recombined with the endogenous HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene are selected (see e.g., Li, E. et al. (1992) Cell 69:915). The selected cells can then injected into a blastocyst of an animal (e.g., a mouse) to form aggregation chimeras (see e.g., Bradley, A. in Teratocarcinomas and Embryonic Stem Cells: A Practical Approach, E. J. Robertson, ed. (IRL, Oxford, 1987) pp. 113-152). A chimeric embryo can then be implanted into a suitable pseudopregnant female foster animal and the embryo brought to term. Progeny harboring the homologously recombined DNA in their germ cells can be used to breed animals in which all cells of the animal contain the homologously recombined DNA by germline transmission of the transgene. Methods for constructing homologous recombination nucleic acid molecules, e.g., vectors, or homologous recombinant animals are described further in Bradley, A. (1991) Current Opinion in Biotechnology 2:823-829 and in PCT International Publication Nos.: WO 90/11354 by Le Mouellec et al; WO 91/01140 by Smithies et al.; WO 92/0968 by Zijlstra et al.; and WO 93/04169 by Berns et al.

[3138] In another embodiment, transgenic non-human animals can be produced which contain selected systems which allow for regulated expression of the transgene. One example of such a system is the cre/loxP recombinase system of bacteriophage P1. For a description of the cre/loxP recombinase system, see, e.g., Lakso et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:6232-6236. Another example of a recombinase system is the FLP recombinase system of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (O'Gorman et al. (1991) Science 251:1351-1355. If a cre/loxP recombinase system is used to regulate expression of the transgene, animals containing transgenes encoding both the Cre recombinase and a selected protein are required. Such animals can be provided through the construction of “double” transgenic animals, e.g., by mating two transgenic animals, one containing a transgene encoding a selected protein and the other containing a transgene encoding a recombinase.

[3139] Clones of the non-human transgenic animals described herein can also be produced according to the methods described in Wilmut, I. et al. (1997) Nature 385:810-813 and PCT International Publication Nos. WO 97/07668 and WO 97/07669. In brief, a cell, e.g., a somatic cell, from the transgenic animal can be isolated and induced to exit the growth cycle and enter G_(o) phase. The quiescent cell can then be fused, e.g., through the use of electrical pulses, to an enucleated oocyte from an animal of the same species from which the quiescent cell is isolated. The reconstructed oocyte is then cultured such that it develops to morula or blastocyte and then transferred to pseudopregnant female foster animal. The offspring borne of this female foster animal will be a clone of the animal from which the cell, e.g., the somatic cell, is isolated.

[3140] IV. Pharmaceutical Compositions

[3141] The HST-4 and/or the HST-5 nucleic acid molecules, fragments of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides, anti-HST-4 and/or anti-HST-5 antibodies, and/or HST-4 modulators and/or HST-5 modulators (also referred to herein as “active compounds”) of the invention can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions suitable for administration. Such compositions typically comprise the nucleic acid molecule, polypeptide, or antibody and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. As used herein the language “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” is intended to include any and all solvents, dispersion media, coatings, antibacterial and antifungal agents, isotonic and absorption delaying agents, and the like, compatible with pharmaceutical administration. The use of such media and agents for pharmaceutically active substances is well known in the art. Except insofar as any conventional media or agent is incompatible with the active compound, use thereof in the compositions is contemplated. Supplementary active compounds can also be incorporated into the compositions.

[3142] A pharmaceutical composition of the invention is formulated to be compatible with its intended route of administration. Examples of routes of administration include parenteral, e.g., intravenous, intradermal, subcutaneous, oral (e.g., inhalation), transdermal (topical), transmucosal, and rectal administration. Solutions or suspensions used for parenteral, intradermal, or subcutaneous application can include the following components: a sterile diluent such as water for injection, saline solution, fixed oils, polyethylene glycols, glycerine, propylene glycol or other synthetic solvents; antibacterial agents such as benzyl alcohol or methyl parabens; antioxidants such as ascorbic acid or sodium bisulfite; chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; buffers such as acetates, citrates or phosphates and agents for the adjustment of tonicity such as sodium chloride or dextrose. pH can be adjusted with acids or bases, such as hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide. The parenteral preparation can be enclosed in ampoules, disposable syringes or multiple dose vials made of glass or plastic.

[3143] Pharmaceutical compositions suitable for injectable use include sterile aqueous solutions (where water soluble) or dispersions and sterile powders for the extemporaneous preparation of sterile injectable solutions or dispersion. For intravenous administration, suitable carriers include physiological saline, bacteriostatic water, Cremophor EL™ (BASF, Parsippany, N.J.) or phosphate buffered saline (PBS). In all cases, the composition must be sterile and should be fluid to the extent that easy syringeability exists. It must be stable under the conditions of manufacture and storage and must be preserved against the contaminating action of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. The carrier can be a solvent or dispersion medium containing, for example, water, ethanol, polyol (for example, glycerol, propylene glycol, and liquid polyetheylene glycol, and the like), and suitable mixtures thereof The proper fluidity can be maintained, for example, by the use of a coating such as lecithin, by the maintenance of the required particle size in the case of dispersion and by the use of surfactants. Prevention of the action of microorganisms can be achieved by various antibacterial and antifungal agents, for example, parabens, chlorobutanol, phenol, ascorbic acid, thimerosal, and the like. In many cases, it will be preferable to include isotonic agents, for example, sugars, polyalcohols such as manitol, sorbitol, sodium chloride in the composition. Prolonged absorption of the injectable compositions can be brought about by including in the composition an agent which delays absorption, for example, aluminum monostearate and gelatin.

[3144] Sterile injectable solutions can be prepared by incorporating the active compound (e.g., a fragment of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide or an anti-HST-4 and/or anti-HST-5 antibody) in the required amount in an appropriate solvent with one or a combination of ingredients enumerated above, as required, followed by filtered sterilization. Generally, dispersions are prepared by incorporating the active compound into a sterile vehicle which contains a basic dispersion medium and the required other ingredients from those enumerated above. In the case of sterile powders for the preparation of sterile injectable solutions, the preferred methods of preparation are vacuum drying and freeze-drying which yields a powder of the active ingredient plus any additional desired ingredient from a previously sterile-filtered solution thereof.

[3145] Oral compositions generally include an inert diluent or an edible carrier. They can be enclosed in gelatin capsules or compressed into tablets. For the purpose of oral therapeutic administration, the active compound can be incorporated with excipients and used in the form of tablets, troches, or capsules. Oral compositions can also be prepared using a fluid carrier for use as a mouthwash, wherein the compound in the fluid carrier is applied orally and swished and expectorated or swallowed. Pharmaceutically compatible binding agents, and/or adjuvant materials can be included as part of the composition. The tablets, pills, capsules, troches and the like can contain any of the following ingredients, or compounds of a similar nature: a binder such as microcrystalline cellulose, gum tragacanth or gelatin; an excipient such as starch or lactose, a disintegrating agent such as alginic acid, Primogel, or corn starch; a lubricant such as magnesium stearate or Sterotes; a glidant such as colloidal silicon dioxide; a sweetening agent such as sucrose or saccharin; or a flavoring agent such as peppermint, methyl salicylate, or orange flavoring.

[3146] For administration by inhalation, the compounds are delivered in the form of an aerosol spray from pressured container or dispenser which contains a suitable propellant, e.g., a gas such as carbon dioxide, or a nebulizer.

[3147] Systemic administration can also be by transmucosal or transdermal means. For transmucosal or transdermal administration, penetrants appropriate to the barrier to be permeated are used in the formulation. Such penetrants are generally known in the art, and include, for example, for transmucosal administration, detergents, bile salts, and fusidic acid derivatives. Transmucosal administration can be accomplished through the use of nasal sprays or suppositories. For transdermal administration, the active compounds are formulated into ointments, salves, gels, or creams as generally known in the art.

[3148] The compounds can also be prepared in the form of suppositories (e.g., with conventional suppository bases such as cocoa butter and other glycerides) or retention enemas for rectal delivery.

[3149] In one embodiment, the active compounds are prepared with carriers that will protect the compound against rapid elimination from the body, such as a controlled release formulation, including implants and microencapsulated delivery systems. Biodegradable, biocompatible polymers can be used, such as ethylene vinyl acetate, polyanhydrides, polyglycolic acid, collagen, polyorthoesters, and polylactic acid. Methods for preparation of such formulations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The materials can also be obtained commercially from Alza Corporation and Nova Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Liposomal suspensions (including liposomes targeted to infected cells with monoclonal antibodies to viral antigens) can also be used as pharmaceutically acceptable carriers. These can be prepared according to methods known to those skilled in the art, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,811.

[3150] It is especially advantageous to formulate oral or parenteral compositions in dosage unit form for ease of administration and uniformity of dosage. Dosage unit form as used herein refers to physically discrete units suited as unitary dosages for the subject to be treated; each unit containing a predetermined quantity of active compound calculated to produce the desired therapeutic effect in association with the required pharmaceutical carrier. The specification for the dosage unit forms of the invention are dictated by and directly dependent on the unique characteristics of the active compound and the particular therapeutic effect to be achieved, and the limitations inherent in the art of compounding such an active compound for the treatment of individuals.

[3151] Toxicity and therapeutic efficacy of such compounds can be determined by standard pharmaceutical procedures in cell cultures or experimental animals, e.g., for determining the LD50 (the dose lethal to 50% of the population) and the ED50 (the dose therapeutically effective in 50% of the population). The dose ratio between toxic and therapeutic effects is the therapeutic index and it can be expressed as the ratio LD50/ED50. Compounds which exhibit large therapeutic indices are preferred. While compounds that exhibit toxic side effects may be used, care should be taken to design a delivery system that targets such compounds to the site of affected tissue in order to minimize potential damage to uninfected cells and, thereby, reduce side effects.

[3152] The data obtained from the cell culture assays and animal studies can be used in formulating a range of dosage for use in humans. The dosage of such compounds lies preferably within a range of circulating concentrations that include the ED50 with little or no toxicity. The dosage may vary within this range depending upon the dosage form employed and the route of administration utilized. For any compound used in the method of the invention, the therapeutically effective dose can be estimated initially from cell culture assays. A dose may be formulated in animal models to achieve a circulating plasma concentration range that includes the IC50 (i.e., the concentration of the test compound which achieves a half-maximal inhibition of symptoms) as determined in cell culture. Such information can be used to more accurately determine useful doses in humans. Levels in plasma may be measured, for example, by high performance liquid chromatography.

[3153] As defined herein, a therapeutically effective amount of polypeptide (i.e., an effective dosage) ranges from about 0.001 to 30 mg/kg body weight, preferably about 0.01 to 25 mg/kg body weight, more preferably about 0.1 to 20 mg/kg body weight, and even more preferably about 1 to 10 mg/kg, 2 to 9 mg/kg, 3 to 8 mg/kg, 4 to 7 mg/kg, or 5 to 6 mg/kg body weight. The skilled artisan will appreciate that certain factors may influence the dosage required to effectively treat a subject, including but not limited to the severity of the disease or disorder, previous treatments, the general health and/or age of the subject, and other diseases present. Moreover, treatment of a subject with a therapeutically effective amount of a polypeptide or antibody can include a single treatment or, preferably, can include a series of treatments.

[3154] In a preferred example, a subject is treated with antibody or polypeptide in the range of between about 0.1 to 20 mg/kg body weight, one time per week for between about 1 to 10 weeks, preferably between 2 to 8 weeks, more preferably between about 3 to 7 weeks, and even more preferably for about 4, 5, or 6 weeks. It will also be appreciated that the effective dosage of antibody or polypeptide used for treatment may increase or decrease over the course of a particular treatment. Changes in dosage may result and become apparent from the results of diagnostic assays as described herein.

[3155] The present invention encompasses agents which modulate expression or activity. An agent may, for example, be a small molecule. For example, such small molecules include, but are not limited to, peptides, peptidomimetics, amino acids, amino acid analogs, polynucleotides, polynucleotide analogs, nucleotides, nucleotide analogs, organic or inorganic compounds (i.e.,. including heteroorganic and organometallic compounds) having a molecular weight less than about 10,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 5,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 1,000 grams per mole, organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than about 500 grams per mole, and salts, esters, and other pharmaceutically acceptable forms of such compounds. It is understood that appropriate doses of small molecule agents depends upon a number of factors within the ken of the ordinarily skilled physician, veterinarian, or researcher. The dose(s) of the small molecule will vary, for example, depending upon the identity, size, and condition of the subject or sample being treated, further depending upon the route by which the composition is to be administered, if applicable, and the effect which the practitioner desires the small molecule to have upon the nucleic acid or polypeptide of the invention.

[3156] Exemplary doses include milligram or microgram amounts of the small molecule per kilogram of subject or sample weight (e.g., about 1 microgram per kilogram to about 500 milligrams per kilogram, about 100 micrograms per kilogram to about 5 milligrams per kilogram, or about 1 microgram per kilogram to about 50 micrograms per kilogram. It is furthermore understood that appropriate doses of a small molecule depend upon the potency of the small molecule with respect to the expression or activity to be modulated. Such appropriate doses may be determined using the assays described herein. When one or more of these small molecules is to be administered to an animal (e.g., a human) in order to modulate expression or activity of a polypeptide or nucleic acid of the invention, a physician, veterinarian, or researcher may, for example, prescribe a relatively low dose at first, subsequently increasing the dose until an appropriate response is obtained. In addition, it is understood that the specific dose level for any particular animal subject will depend upon a variety of factors including the activity of the specific compound employed, the age, body weight, general health, gender, and diet of the subject, the time of administration, the route of administration, the rate of excretion, any drug combination, and the degree of expression or activity to be modulated.

[3157] Further, an antibody (or fragment thereof) may be conjugated to a therapeutic moiety such as a cytotoxin, a therapeutic agent or a radioactive metal ion. A cytotoxin or cytotoxic agent includes any agent that is detrimental to cells. Examples include taxol, cytochalasin B, gramicidin D, ethidium bromide, emetine, mitomycin, etoposide, tenoposide, vincristine, vinblastine, colchicin, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, dihydroxy anthracin dione, mitoxantrone, mithramycin, actinomycin D, 1-dehydrotestosterone, glucocorticoids, procaine, tetracaine, lidocaine, propranolol, and puromycin and analogs or homologues thereof. Therapeutic agents include, but are not limited to, antimetabolites (e.g., methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, cytarabine, 5-fluorouracil decarbazine), alkylating agents (e.g., mechlorethamine, thioepa chlorambucil, melphalan, carmustine (BSNU) and lomustine (CCNU), cyclothosphamide, busulfan, dibromomannitol, streptozotocin, mitomycin C, and cis-dichlorodiamine platinum (II) (DDP) cisplatin), anthracyclines (e.g., daunorubicin (formerly daunomycin) and doxorubicin), antibiotics (e.g., dactinomycin (formerly actinomycin), bleomycin, mithramycin, and anthramycin (AMC)), and anti-mitotic agents (e.g., vincristine and vinblastine).

[3158] The conjugates of the invention can be used for modifying a given biological response, the drug moiety is not to be construed as limited to classical chemical therapeutic agents. For example, the drug moiety may be a protein or polypeptide possessing a desired biological activity. Such proteins may include, for example, a toxin such as abrin, ricin A, pseudomonas exotoxin, or diphtheria toxin; a protein such as tumor necrosis factor, alpha-interferon, beta-interferon, nerve growth factor, platelet derived growth factor, tissue plasminogen activator; or, biological response modifiers such as, for example, lymphokines, interleukin-1 (“IL-1”), interleukin-2 (“IL-2”), interleukin-6 (“IL-6”), granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (“GM-CSF”), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (“G-CSF”), or other growth factors.

[3159] Techniques for conjugating such therapeutic moiety to antibodies are well known, see, e.g., Arnon et al., “Monoclonal Antibodies For Immunotargeting Of Drugs In Cancer Therapy”, in Monoclonal Antibodies And Cancer Therapy, Reisfeld et al. (eds.), pp. 243-56 (Alan R. Liss, Inc. 1985); Hellstrom et al., “Antibodies For Drug Delivery”, in Controlled Drug Delivery (2nd Ed.), Robinson et al. (eds.), pp. 623-53 (Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1987); Thorpe, “Antibody Carriers Of Cytotoxic Agents In Cancer Therapy: A Review”, in Monoclonal Antibodies '84: Biological And Clinical Applications, Pinchera et al. (eds.), pp. 475-506 (1985); “Analysis, Results, And Future Prospective Of The Therapeutic Use Of Radiolabeled Antibody In Cancer Therapy”, in Monoclonal Antibodies For Cancer Detection And Therapy, Baldwin et al. (eds.), pp. 303-16 (Academic Press 1985), and Thorpe et al., “The Preparation And Cytotoxic Properties Of Antibody-Toxin Conjugates”, Immunol. Rev., 62:119-58 (1982). Alternatively, an antibody can be conjugated to a second antibody to form an antibody heteroconjugate as described by Segal in U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,980.

[3160] The nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be inserted into vectors and used as gene therapy vectors. Gene therapy vectors can be delivered to a subject by, for example, intravenous injection, local administration (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,470) or by stereotactic injection (see e.g., Chen et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:3054-3057). The pharmaceutical preparation of the gene therapy vector can include the gene therapy vector in an acceptable diluent, or can comprise a slow release matrix in which the gene delivery vehicle is imbedded. Alternatively, where the complete gene delivery vector can be produced intact from recombinant cells, e.g., retroviral vectors, the pharmaceutical preparation can include one or more cells which produce the gene delivery system.

[3161] The pharmaceutical compositions can be included in a container, pack, or dispenser together with instructions for administration.

[3162] V. Uses and Methods of the Invention

[3163] The nucleic acid molecules, proteins, protein homologues, antibodies, and modulators described herein can be used in one or more of the following methods: a) screening assays; b) predictive medicine (e.g., diagnostic assays, prognostic assays, monitoring clinical trials, and pharmacogenetics); and c) methods of treatment (e.g., therapeutic and prophylactic). As described herein, an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide of the invention has one or more of the following activities: (1) bind a monosaccharide, e.g., D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose, and/or mannose; (2) transport monosaccharides across a cell membrane; (3) influence insulin and/or glucagon secretion; (4) maintain sugar homeostasis in a cell; and (5) mediate trans-epithelial movement in a cell.

[3164] The isolated nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be used, for example, to express HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides (e.g., via a recombinant expression vector in a host cell in gene therapy applications), to detect HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNA (e.g., in a biological sample) or a genetic alteration in an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 gene, and to modulate HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity, as described further below. The HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides, or modulators thereof, can be used to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive production of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 substrate or production of HST-4 and/or HST-5 inhibitors. In addition, the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptides can be used to screen for naturally occurring HST-4 and/or HST-5 substrates, to screen for drugs or compounds which modulate HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity, as well as to treat disorders characterized by insufficient or excessive production of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide or production of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide forms which have decreased, aberrant or unwanted activity compared to HST-4 and/or HST-5 wild type polypeptide (e.g., sugar transporter disorders). Moreover, the anti-HST-4 and/or anti-HST-5 antibodies of the invention can be used to detect and isolate HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides, to regulate the bioavailability of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides, and modulate HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity.

[3165] A. Screening Assays

[3166] The invention provides a method (also referred to herein as a “screening assay”) for identifying modulators, i.e., candidate or test compounds or agents (e.g., peptides, peptidomimetics, small molecules or other drugs) which bind to HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides, have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on, for example, HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression or HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity, or have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on, for example, the expression or activity of HST-4 and/or HST-5 substrate.

[3167] In one embodiment, the invention provides assays for screening candidate or test compounds which are substrates of an HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide or polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof. In another embodiment, the invention provides assays for screening candidate or test compounds which bind to or modulate the activity of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide or polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof. The test compounds of the present invention can be obtained using any of the numerous approaches in combinatorial library methods known in the art, including: biological libraries; spatially addressable parallel solid phase or solution phase libraries; synthetic library methods requiring deconvolution; the ‘one-bead one-compound’ library method; and synthetic library methods using affinity chromatography selection. The biological library approach is limited to peptide libraries, while the other four approaches are applicable to peptide, non-peptide oligomer or small molecule libraries of compounds (Lam, K. S. (1997) Anticancer Drug Des. 12:145).

[3168] Examples of methods for the synthesis of molecular libraries can be found in the art, for example in: DeWitt et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90:6909; Erb et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:11422; Zuckermann et al. (1994). J. Med. Chem. 37:2678; Cho et al. (1993) Science 261:1303; Carrell et al. (1994) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 33:2059; Carell et al. (1994) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 33:2061; and in Gallop et al. (1994) J. Med. Chem. 37:1233.

[3169] Libraries of compounds may be presented in solution (e.g., Houghten (1992) Biotechniques 13:412-421), or on beads (Lam (1991) Nature 354:82-84), chips (Fodor (1993) Nature 364:555-556), bacteria (Ladner U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409), spores (Ladner U.S. Pat. No. '409), plasmids (Cull et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:1865-1869) or on phage (Scott and Smith (1990) Science 249:386-390); (Devlin (1990) Science 249:404-406); (Cwirla et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 87:6378-6382); (Felici (1991) J. Mol. Biol. 222:301-310); (Ladner supra.).

[3170] In one embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay in which a cell which expresses an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity is determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity can be accomplished by monitoring, for example, intracellular or extracellular D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose, and/or mannose concentration, or insulin or glucagon secretion. The cell, for example, can be of mammalian origin, e.g., a liver cell, fat cell, muscle cell, or a blood cell, such as an erythrocyte.

[3171] The ability of the test compound to modulate HST-4 and/or HST-5 binding to a substrate or to bind to HST-4 and/or HST-5 can also be determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate HST-4 and/or HST-5 binding to a substrate can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 substrate with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 substrate to HST-4 and/or HST-5 can be determined by detecting the labeled HST-4 and/or HST-5 substrate in a complex. Alternatively, HST-4 and/or HST-5 could be coupled with a radioisotope or enzymatic label to monitor the ability of a test compound to modulate HST-4 and/or HST-5 binding to an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 substrate in a complex. Determining the ability of the test compound to bind HST-4 and/or HST-5 can be accomplished, for example, by coupling the compound with a radioisotope or enzymatic label such that binding of the compound to HST-4 and/or HST-5 can be determined by detecting the labeled HST-4 and/or HST-5 compound in a complex. For example, compounds (e.g., HST-4 and/or HST-5 substrates) can be labeled with ¹²⁵I, ³⁵S, ¹⁴C, or ³H, either directly or indirectly, and the radioisotope detected by direct counting of radioemission or by scintillation counting. Alternatively, compounds can be enzymatically labeled with, for example, horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, or luciferase, and the enzymatic label detected by determination of conversion of an appropriate substrate to product.

[3172] It is also within the scope of this invention to determine the ability of a compound (e.g., an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 substrate) to interact with HST-4 and/or HST-5 without the labeling of any of the interactants. For example, a microphysiometer can be used to detect the interaction of a compound with HST-4 and/or HST-5 without the labeling of either the compound or the HST-4 and/or the HST-5. McConnell, H. M. et al. (1992) Science 257:1906-1912. As used herein, a “microphysiometer” (e.g., Cytosensor) is an analytical instrument that measures the rate at which a cell acidifies its environment using a light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS). Changes in this acidification rate can be used as an indicator of the interaction between a compound and HST-4 and/or HST-5.

[3173] In another embodiment, an assay is a cell-based assay comprising contacting a cell expressing an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 target molecule (e.g., an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 substrate) with a test compound and determining the ability of the test compound to modulate (e.g., stimulate or inhibit) the activity of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 target molecule. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 target molecule can be accomplished, for example, by determining the ability of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide to bind to or interact with the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 target molecule.

[3174] Determining the ability of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide, or a biologically active fragment thereof, to bind to or interact with an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 target molecule can be accomplished by one of the methods described above for determining direct binding. In a preferred embodiment, determining the ability of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide to bind to or interact with an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 target molecule can be accomplished by determining the activity of the target molecule. For example, the activity of the target molecule can be determined by detecting induction of a cellular second messenger of the target, detecting catalytic/enzymatic activity of the target using an appropriate substrate, detecting the induction of a reporter gene (comprising a target-responsive regulatory element operatively linked to a nucleic acid encoding a detectable marker, e.g., luciferase), or detecting a target-regulated cellular response.

[3175] In yet another embodiment, an assay of the present invention is a cell-free assay in which an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to bind to the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is determined. Preferred biologically active portions of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptides to be used in assays of the present invention include fragments which participate in interactions with non-HST-4 and/or non-HST-5 molecules, e.g., fragments with high surface probability scores (see, for example, FIGS. 91 and 92). Binding of the test compound to the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide can be determined either directly or indirectly as described above. In a preferred embodiment, the assay includes contacting the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof with a known compound which binds HST-4 and/or HST-5 to form an assay mixture, contacting the assay mixture with a test compound, and determining the ability of the test compound to interact with an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide, wherein determining the ability of the test compound to interact with an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide comprises determining the ability of the test compound to preferentially bind to HST-4 and/or HST-5 or biologically active portion thereof as compared to the known compound.

[3176] In another embodiment, the assay is a cell-free assay in which an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is contacted with a test compound and the ability of the test compound to modulate (e.g., stimulate or inhibit) the activity of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof is determined. Determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide can be accomplished, for example, by determining the ability of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide to bind to an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 target molecule by one of the methods described above for determining direct binding. Determining the ability of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide to bind to an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 target molecule can also be accomplished using a technology such as real-time Biomolecular Interaction Analysis (BIA). Sjolander, S. and Urbaniczky, C. (1991) Anal. Chem. 63:2338-2345 and Szabo et al. (1995) Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol. 5:699-705. As used herein, “BIA” is a technology for studying biospecific interactions in real time, without labeling any of the interactants (e.g., BIAcore). Changes in the optical phenomenon of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) can be used as an indication of real-time reactions between biological molecules.

[3177] In an alternative embodiment, determining the ability of the test compound to modulate the activity of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide can be accomplished by determining the ability of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide to further modulate the activity of a downstream effector of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 target molecule. For example, the activity of the effector molecule on an appropriate target can be determined or the binding of the effector to an appropriate target can be determined as previously described.

[3178] In yet another embodiment, the cell-free assay involves contacting an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide or biologically active portion thereof with a known compound which binds the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide to form an assay mixture, contacting the assay mixture with a test compound, and determining the ability of the test compound to interact with the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide, wherein determining the ability of the test compound to interact with the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide comprises determining the ability of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide to preferentially bind to or modulate the activity of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 target molecule.

[3179] In more than one embodiment of the above assay methods of the present invention, it may be desirable to immobilize either HST-4 and/or HST-5 or its target molecule to facilitate separation of complexed from uncomplexed forms of one or both of the proteins, as well as to accommodate automation of the assay. Binding of a test compound to an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide, or interaction of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide with a target molecule in the presence and absence of a candidate compound, can be accomplished in any vessel suitable for containing the reactants. Examples of such vessels include microtiter plates, test tubes, and micro-centrifuge tubes. In one embodiment, a fusion protein can be provided which adds a domain that allows one or both of the proteins to be bound to a matrix. For example, glutathione-S-transferase/HST-4 and/or glutathione-S-transferase/HST-5 fusion proteins or glutathione-S-transferase/target fusion proteins can be adsorbed onto glutathione sepharose beads (Sigma Chemical, St. Louis, Mo.) or glutathione derivatized micrometer plates, which are then combined with the test compound or the test compound and either the non-adsorbed target protein or HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptides, and the mixture incubated under conditions conducive to complex formation (e.g., at physiological conditions for salt and pH). Following incubation, the beads or micrometer plate wells are washed to remove any unbound components, the matrix immobilized in the case of beads, complex determined either directly or indirectly, for example, as described above. Alternatively, the complexes can be dissociated from the matrix, and the level of HST-4 and/or an HST-5 binding or activity determined using standard techniques.

[3180] Other techniques for immobilizing proteins on matrices can also be used in the screening assays of the invention. For example, either an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide or an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 target molecule can be immobilized utilizing conjugation of biotin and streptavidin. Biotinylated HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides or target molecules can be prepared from biotin-NHS (N-hydroxy-succinimide) using techniques known in the art (e.g., biotinylation kit, Pierce Chemicals, Rockford, Ill.), and immobilized in the wells of streptavidin-coated 96 well plates (Pierce Chemical). Alternatively, antibodies reactive with HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides or target molecules but which do not interfere with binding of the HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides to its target molecule can be derivatized to the wells of the plate, and unbound target or HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides trapped in the wells by antibody conjugation. Methods for detecting such complexes, in addition to those described above for the GST-immobilized complexes, include immunodetection of complexes using antibodies reactive with the HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides or target molecule, as well as enzyme-linked assays which rely on detecting an enzymatic activity associated with the HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides or target molecule.

[3181] In another embodiment, modulators of HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression are identified in a method wherein a cell is contacted with a candidate compound and the expression of HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNAs or polypeptides in the cell is determined. The level of expression of HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNAs or polypeptides in the presence of the candidate compound is compared to the level of expression of HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNAs or polypeptides in the absence of the candidate compound. The candidate compound can then be identified as a modulator of HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression based on this comparison. For example, when expression of HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNAs or polypeptides is greater (statistically significantly greater) in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as a stimulator of HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNA or polypeptide expression. Alternatively, when expression of HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNAs or polypeptides is less (statistically significantly less) in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as an inhibitor of HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNA or polypeptide expression. The level of HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNA or polypeptide expression in the cells can be determined by methods described herein for detecting HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNAs or polypeptides.

[3182] In yet another aspect of the invention, the HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides can be used as “bait proteins” in a two-hybrid assay or three-hybrid assay (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,317; Zervos et al. (1993) Cell 72:223-232; Madura et al. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268:12046-12054; Bartel et al. (1993) Biotechniques 14:920-924; Iwabuchi et al. (1993) Oncogene 8:1693-1696; and Brent WO94/10300), to identify other proteins, which bind to or interact with HST-4 and/or HST-5 (“HST-4- and/or HST-5-binding proteins” or “HST-4-and/or HST-5-bp”) and are involved in HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity. Such HST-4- and/or HST-5-binding proteins are also likely to be involved in the propagation of signals by the HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides or HST-4 and/or HST-5 targets as, for example, downstream elements of an HST-4- and/or an HST-5-mediated signaling pathway. Alternatively, such HST-4- and/or HST-5-binding proteins are likely to be HST-4 and/or HST-5 inhibitors.

[3183] The two-hybrid system is based on the modular nature of most transcription factors, which consist of separable DNA-binding and activation domains. Briefly, the assay utilizes two different DNA constructs. In one construct, the gene that codes for an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide is fused to a gene encoding the DNA binding domain of a known transcription factor (e.g., GAL-4). In the other construct, a DNA sequence, from a library of DNA sequences, that encodes an unidentified protein (“prey” or “sample”) is fused to a gene that codes for the activation domain of the known transcription factor. If the “bait” and the “prey” proteins are able to interact, in vivo, forming an HST-4- and/or an HST-5-dependent complex, the DNA-binding and activation domains of the transcription factor are brought into close proximity. This proximity allows transcription of a reporter gene (e.g., LacZ) which is operably linked to a transcriptional regulatory site responsive to the transcription factor. Expression of the reporter gene can be detected and cell colonies containing the functional transcription factor can be isolated and used to obtain the cloned gene which encodes the protein which interacts with the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide.

[3184] In another aspect, the invention pertains to a combination of two or more of the assays described herein. For example, a modulating agent can be identified using a cell-based or a cell free assay, and the ability of the agent to modulate the activity of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide can be confirmed in vivo, e.g., in animal models for obesity, anorexia, type-1 diabetes, type-2 diabetes, hypoglycemia, glycogen storage disease (Von Gierke disease), type I glycogenosis, bipolar disorder, seasonal affective disorder, cluster B personality disorders, cellular transformation, and/or tumorigenesis. Examples of animal models which may be used include animals having mutations which lead to syndromes that include obesity symptoms (described in, for example, Friedman, J. M. et al. (1991) Mamm. Gen. 1:130-144; Friedman, J. M. and Liebel, R. L. (1992) Cell 69:217-220; Bray, G. A. (1992) Prog. Brain Res. 93:333-341; and Bray, G. A. (1989) Amer. J. Clin. Nutr. 5:891-902); the animals described in Stubdal H. et al. (2000) Mol. Cell Biol. 20(3):878-82 (the mouse tubby phenotype characterized by maturity-onset obesity); the animals described in Abadie J. M. et al. Lipids (2000) 35(6):613-20 (the obese Zucker rat (ZR), a genetic model of human youth-onset obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus); the animals described in Shauglmessy S. et al. (2000) Diabetes 49(6):904-1 1 (mice null for the adipocyte fatty acid binding protein); or the animals described in Loskutoff D. J. et al. (2000) Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 902:272-81 (the fat mouse).

[3185] This invention further pertains to novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays. Accordingly, it is within the scope of this invention to further use an agent identified as described herein in an appropriate animal model. For example, an agent identified as described herein (e.g., an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 modulating agent, an antisense HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleic acid molecules, an HST-4- and/or an HST-5-specific antibody, or an HST-4- and/or an HST-5-binding partner) can be used in an animal model to determine the efficacy, toxicity, or side effects of treatment with such an agent. Alternatively, an agent identified as described herein can be used in an animal model to determine the mechanism of action of such an agent. Furthermore, this invention pertains to uses of novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays for treatments as described herein.

[3186] B. Detection Assays

[3187] Portions or fragments of the cDNA sequences identified herein (and the corresponding complete gene sequences) can be used in numerous ways as polynucleotide reagents. For example, these sequences can be used to: (i) map their respective genes on a chromosome; and, thus, locate gene regions associated with genetic disease; (ii) identify an individual from a minute biological sample (tissue typing); and (iii) aid in forensic identification of a biological sample. These applications are described in the subsections below.

[3188] 1. Chromosome Mapping

[3189] Once the sequence (or a portion of the sequence) of a gene has been isolated, this sequence can be used to map the location of the gene on a chromosome. This process is called chromosome mapping. Accordingly, portions or fragments of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 nucleotide sequences, described herein, can be used to map the location of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 genes on a chromosome. The mapping of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 sequences to chromosomes is an important first step in correlating these sequences with genes associated with disease.

[3190] Briefly, HST-4 and/or HST-5 genes can be mapped to chromosomes by preparing PCR primers (preferably 15-25 bp in length) from the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 nucleotide sequences. Computer analysis of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 sequences can be used to predict primers that do not span more than one exon in the genomic DNA, thus complicating the amplification process. These primers can then be used for PCR screening of somatic cell hybrids containing individual human chromosomes. Only those hybrids containing the human gene corresponding to the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 sequences will yield an amplified fragment.

[3191] Somatic cell hybrids are prepared by fusing somatic cells from different mammals (e.g., human and mouse cells). As hybrids of human and mouse cells grow and divide, they gradually lose human chromosomes in random order, but retain the mouse chromosomes. By using media in which mouse cells cannot grow, because they lack a particular enzyme, but human cells can, the one human chromosome that contains the gene encoding the needed enzyme, will be retained. By using various media, panels of hybrid cell lines can be established. Each cell line in a panel contains either a single human chromosome or a small number of human chromosomes, and a full set of mouse chromosomes, allowing easy mapping of individual genes to specific human chromosomes. (D'Eustachio P. et al. (1983) Science 220:919-924). Somatic cell hybrids containing only fragments of human chromosomes can also be produced by using human chromosomes with translocations and deletions.

[3192] PCR mapping of somatic cell hybrids is a rapid procedure for assigning a particular sequence to a particular chromosome. Three or more sequences can be assigned per day using a single thermal cycler. Using the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 nucleotide sequences to design oligonucleotide primers, sublocalization can be achieved with panels of fragments from specific chromosomes. Other mapping strategies which can similarly be used to map an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 sequence to its chromosome include in situ hybridization (described in Fan, Y. et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 87:6223-27), pre-screening with labeled flow-sorted chromosomes, and pre-selection by hybridization to chromosome specific cDNA libraries.

[3193] Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of a DNA sequence to a metaphase chromosomal spread can further be used to provide a precise chromosomal location in one step. Chromosome spreads can be made using cells whose division has been blocked in metaphase by a chemical such as colcemid that disrupts the mitotic spindle. The chromosomes can be treated briefly with trypsin, and then stained with Giemsa. A pattern of light and dark bands develops on each chromosome, so that the chromosomes can be identified individually. The FISH technique can be used with a DNA sequence as short as 500 or 600 bases. However, clones larger than 1,000 bases have a higher likelihood of binding to a unique chromosomal location with sufficient signal intensity for simple detection. Preferably 1,000 bases, and more preferably 2,000 bases will suffice to get good results at a reasonable amount of time. For a review of this technique, see Verma et al., Human Chromosomes: A Manual of Basic Techniques (Pergamon Press, New York 1988).

[3194] Reagents for chromosome mapping can be used individually to mark a single chromosome or a single site on that chromosome, or panels of reagents can be used for marking multiple sites and/or multiple chromosomes. Reagents corresponding to noncoding regions of the genes actually are preferred for mapping purposes. Coding sequences are more likely to be conserved within gene families, thus increasing the chance of cross hybridizations during chromosomal mapping.

[3195] Once a sequence has been mapped to a precise chromosomal location, the physical position of the sequence on the chromosome can be correlated with genetic map data. (Such data are found, for example, in V. McKusick, Mendelian Inheritance in Man, available on-line through Johns Hopkins University Welch Medical Library). The relationship between a gene and a disease, mapped to the same chromosomal region, can then be identified through linkage analysis (co-inheritance of physically adjacent genes), described in, for example, Egeland, J. et al. (1987) Nature, 325:783-787.

[3196] Moreover, differences in the DNA sequences between individuals affected and unaffected with a disease associated with the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 gene, can be determined. If a mutation is observed in some or all of the affected individuals but not in any unaffected individuals, then the mutation is likely to be the causative agent of the particular disease. Comparison of affected and unaffected individuals generally involves first looking for structural alterations in the chromosomes, such as deletions or translocations that are visible from chromosome spreads or detectable using PCR based on that DNA sequence. Ultimately, complete sequencing of genes from several individuals can be performed to confirm the presence of a mutation and to distinguish mutations from polymorphisms.

[3197] 2. Tissue Typing

[3198] The HST-4 and/or the HST-5 sequences of the present invention can also be used to identify individuals from minute biological samples. The United States military, for example, is considering the use of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) for identification of its personnel. In this technique, an individual's genomic DNA is digested with one or more restriction enzymes, and probed on a Southern blot to yield unique bands for identification. This method does not suffer from the current limitations of “Dog Tags” which can be lost, switched, or stolen, making positive identification difficult. The sequences of the present invention are useful as additional DNA markers for RFLP (described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,057).

[3199] Furthermore, the sequences of the present invention can be used to provide an alternative technique which determines the actual base-by-base DNA sequence of selected portions of an individual's genome. Thus, the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 nucleotide sequences described herein can be used to prepare two PCR primers from the 5′ and 3′ ends of the sequences. These primers can then be used to amplify an individual's DNA and subsequently sequence it.

[3200] Panels of corresponding DNA sequences from individuals, prepared in this manner, can provide unique individual identifications, as each individual will have a unique set of such DNA sequences due to allelic differences. The sequences of the present invention can be used to obtain such identification sequences from individuals and from tissue. The HST-4 and/or the HST-5 nucleotide sequences of the invention uniquely represent portions of the human genome. Allelic variation occurs to some degree in the coding regions of these sequences, and to a greater degree in the noncoding regions. It is estimated that allelic variation between individual humans occurs with a frequency of about once per each 500 bases. Each of the sequences described herein can, to some degree, be used as a standard against which DNA from an individual can be compared for identification purposes. Because greater numbers of polymorphisms occur in the noncoding regions, fewer sequences are necessary to differentiate individuals. The noncoding sequences of SEQ ID NO: 94 or 97 can comfortably provide positive individual identification with a panel of perhaps 10 to 1,000 primers which each yield a noncoding amplified sequence of 100 bases. If predicted coding sequences, such as those in SEQ ID NO: 96 or 99 are used, a more appropriate number of primers for positive individual identification would be 500-2,000.

[3201] If a panel of reagents from HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleotide sequences described herein is used to generate a unique identification database for an individual, those same reagents can later be used to identify tissue from that individual. Using the unique identification database, positive identification of the individual, living or dead, can be made from extremely small tissue samples.

[3202] 3. Use of HST-4 and HST-5 Sequences in Forensic Biology

[3203] DNA-based identification techniques can also be used in forensic biology. Forensic biology is a scientific field employing genetic typing of biological evidence found at a crime scene as a means for positively identifying, for example, a perpetrator of a crime. To make such an identification, PCR technology can be used to amplify DNA sequences taken from very small biological samples such as tissues, e.g., hair or skin, or body fluids, e.g., blood, saliva, or semen found at a crime scene. The amplified sequence can then be compared to a standard, thereby allowing identification of the origin of the biological sample.

[3204] The sequences of the present invention can be used to provide polynucleotide reagents, e.g., PCR primers, targeted to specific loci in the human genome, which can enhance the reliability of DNA-based forensic identifications by, for example, providing another “identification marker” (i.e. another DNA sequence that is unique to a particular individual). As mentioned above, actual base sequence information can be used for identification as an accurate alternative to patterns formed by restriction enzyme generated fragments. Sequences targeted to noncoding regions of SEQ ID NO: 94 or 97 are particularly appropriate for this use as greater numbers of polymorphisms occur in the noncoding regions, making it easier to differentiate individuals using this technique. Examples of polynucleotide reagents include the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 nucleotide sequences or portions thereof, e.g., fragments derived from the noncoding regions of SEQ ID NO: 94 or 97 having a length of at least 20 bases, preferably at least 30 bases.

[3205] The HST-4 and/or the HST-5 nucleotide sequences described herein can further be used to provide polynucleotide reagents, e.g., labeled or labelable probes which can be used in, for example, an in situ hybridization technique, to identify a specific tissue, e.g., brain tissue. This can be very useful in cases where a forensic pathologist is presented with a tissue of unknown origin. Panels of such HST-4 and/or HST-5 probes can be used to identify tissue by species and/or by organ type.

[3206] In a similar fashion, these reagents, e.g., HST-4 and/or HST-5 primers or probes can be used to screen tissue culture for contamination (i.e. screen for the presence of a mixture of different types of cells in a culture).

[3207] C. Predictive Medicine:

[3208] The present invention also pertains to the field of predictive medicine in which diagnostic assays, prognostic assays, and monitoring clinical trials are used for prognostic (predictive) purposes to thereby treat an individual prophylactically. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention relates to diagnostic assays for determining HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide and/or nucleic acid expression as well as HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity, in the context of a biological sample (e.g., blood, serum, cells, tissue) to thereby determine whether an individual is afflicted with a disease or disorder, or is at risk of developing a disorder, associated with aberrant or unwanted HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression or activity. The invention also provides for prognostic (or predictive) assays for determining whether an individual is at risk of developing a disorder associated with HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides, nucleic acid expression or activity. For example, mutations in an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 gene can be assayed in a biological sample. Such assays can be used for prognostic or predictive purpose to thereby prophylactically treat an individual prior to the onset of a disorder characterized by or associated with HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides, nucleic acid expression or activity.

[3209] Another aspect of the invention pertains to monitoring the influence of agents (e.g., drugs, compounds) on the expression or activity of HST-4 and/or HST-5 in clinical trials.

[3210] These and other agents are described in further detail in the following sections.

[3211] 1 Diagnostic Assays

[3212] An exemplary method for detecting the presence or absence of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides or nucleic acids in a biological sample involves obtaining a biological sample from a test subject and contacting the biological sample with a compound or an agent capable of detecting HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides or nucleic acids (e.g., mRNA, or genomic DNA) that encodes HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides such that the presence of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides or nucleic acids is detected in the biological sample. In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for detecting the presence of HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity in a biological sample by contacting the biological sample with an agent capable of detecting an indicator of HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity such that the presence of HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity is detected in the biological sample. A preferred agent for detecting HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNA or genomic DNA is a labeled nucleic acid probe capable of hybridizing to HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNA or genomic DNA. The nucleic acid probe can be, for example, the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 nucleic acid set forth in SEQ ID NO: 94, 96, 97, 99, or the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC as Accession Number ______ or ______, or a portion thereof, such as an oligonucleotide of at least 15, 30, 50, 100, 250 or 500 nucleotides in length and sufficient to specifically hybridize under stringent conditions to HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNA or genomic DNA. Other suitable probes for use in the diagnostic assays of the invention are described herein.

[3213] A preferred agent for detecting HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides is an antibody capable of binding to HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides, preferably an antibody with a detectable label. Antibodies can be polyclonal, or more preferably, monoclonal. An intact antibody, or a fragment thereof (e.g., Fab or F(ab′)2) can be used. The term “labeled”, with regard to the probe or antibody, is intended to encompass direct labeling of the probe or antibody by coupling (i.e., physically linking) a detectable substance to the probe or antibody, as well as indirect labeling of the probe or antibody by reactivity with another reagent that is directly labeled. Examples of indirect labeling include detection of a primary antibody using a fluorescently labeled secondary antibody and end-labeling of a DNA probe with biotin such that it can be detected with fluorescently labeled streptavidin. The term “biological sample” is intended to include tissues, cells and biological fluids isolated from a subject, as well as tissues, cells and fluids present within a subject. That is, the detection method of the invention can be used to detect HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNA, polypeptides, or genomic DNA in a biological sample in vitro as well as in vivo. For example, in vitro techniques for detection of HST-4 and/or HST-5 mRNA include Northern hybridizations and in situ hybridizations. In vitro techniques for detection of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides include enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), Western blots, immunoprecipitations and immunofluorescence. In vitro techniques for detection of HST-4 and/or HST-5 genomic DNA include Southern hybridizations. Furthermore, in vivo techniques for detection of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides include introducing into a subject a labeled anti-HST-4 and/or anti-HST-5 antibody. For example, the antibody can be labeled with a radioactive marker whose presence and location in a subject can be detected by standard imaging techniques.

[3214] The present invention also provides diagnostic assays for identifying the presence or absence of a genetic alteration characterized by at least one of (i) aberrant modification or mutation of a gene encoding an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide; (ii) aberrant expression of a gene encoding an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide; (iii) mis-regulation of the gene; and (iv) aberrant post-translational modification of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide, wherein a wild-type form of the gene encodes a polypeptide with an HST-4 and/or HST-5 an activity. “Misexpression or aberrant expression”, as used herein, refers to a non-wild type pattern of gene expression, at the RNA or protein level. It includes, but is not limited to, expression at non-wild type levels (e.g., over or under expression); a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the time or stage at which the gene is expressed (e.g., increased or decreased expression (as compared with wild type) at a predetermined developmental period or stage); a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of decreased expression (as compared with wild type) in a predetermined cell type or tissue type; a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the splicing size, amino acid sequence, post-transitional modification, or biological activity of the expressed polypeptide; a pattern of expression that differs from wild type in terms of the effect of an environmental stimulus or extracellular stimulus on expression of the gene (e.g., a pattern of increased or decreased expression (as compared with wild type) in the presence of an increase or decrease in the strength of the stimulus).

[3215] In one embodiment, the biological sample contains protein molecules from the test subject. Alternatively, the biological sample can contain mRNA molecules from the test subject or genomic DNA molecules from the test subject. A preferred biological sample is a serum sample isolated by conventional means from a subject.

[3216] In another embodiment, the methods further involve obtaining a control biological sample from a control subject, contacting the control sample with a compound or agent capable of detecting HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides, mRNA, or genomic DNA, such that the presence of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides, mRNA or genomic DNA is detected in the biological sample, and comparing the presence of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides, mRNA or genomic DNA in the control sample with the presence of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides, mRNA or genomic DNA in the test sample.

[3217] The invention also encompasses kits for detecting the presence of HST-4 and/or HST-5 in a biological sample. For example, the kit can comprise a labeled compound or agent capable of detecting HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides or mRNA in a biological sample; means for determining the amount of HST-4 and/or HST-5 in the sample; and means for comparing the amount of HST-4 and/or HST-5 in the sample with a standard. The compound or agent can be packaged in a suitable container. The kit can further comprise instructions for using the kit to detect HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides or nucleic acid.

[3218] 2. Prognostic Assays

[3219] The diagnostic methods described herein can furthermore be utilized to identify subjects having or at risk of developing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression or activity. As used herein, the term “aberrant” includes an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 expression or activity which deviates from the wild type HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression or activity. Aberrant expression or activity includes increased or decreased expression or activity, as well as expression or activity which does not follow the wild type developmental pattern of expression or the subcellular pattern of expression. For example, aberrant HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression or activity is intended to include the cases in which a mutation in the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 gene causes the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 gene to be under-expressed or over-expressed and situations in which such mutations result in a non-functional HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides or polypeptides which do not function in a wild-type fashion, e.g., polypeptides which do not interact with an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 substrate, e.g., a sugar transporter subunit or ligand, or one which interacts with a non-HST-4 and/or a non-HST-5 substrate, e.g. a non-sugar transporter subunit or ligand. As used herein, the term “unwanted” includes an unwanted phenomenon involved in a biological response, such as cellular proliferation. For example, the term unwanted includes an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 expression or activity which is undesirable in a subject.

[3220] The assays described herein, such as the preceding diagnostic assays or the following assays, can be utilized to identify a subject having or at risk of developing a disorder associated with a misregulation in HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a sugar transporter disorder. Alternatively, the prognostic assays can be utilized to identify a subject having or at risk for developing a disorder associated with a misregulation in HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a sugar transporter disorder. Thus, the present invention provides a method for identifying a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression or activity in which a test sample is obtained from a subject and HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides or nucleic acids (e.g., mRNA or genomic DNA) are detected, wherein the presence of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides or nucleic acids are diagnostic for a subject having or at risk of developing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression or activity. As used herein, a “test sample” refers to a biological sample obtained from a subject of interest. For example, a test sample can be a biological fluid (e.g., serum), cell sample, or tissue.

[3221] Furthermore, the prognostic assays described herein can be used to determine whether a subject can be administered an agent (e.g., an agonist, antagonist, peptidomimetic, protein, peptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or other drug candidate) to treat a disease or disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression or activity. For example, such methods can be used to determine whether a subject can be effectively treated with an agent for a sugar transporter disorder. Thus, the present invention provides methods for determining whether a subject can be effectively treated with an agent for a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression or activity in which a test sample is obtained and HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide or nucleic acid expression or activity is detected (e.g., wherein the abundance of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide or nucleic acid expression or activity is diagnostic for a subject that can be administered the agent to treat a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression or activity).

[3222] The methods of the invention can also be used to detect genetic alterations in an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 gene, thereby determining if a subject with the altered gene is at risk for a disorder characterized by misregulation in HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide activity or nucleic acid expression, such as a sugar transporter disorder, a sugar homeostasis disorder, or a disorder of cellular growth, differentiation, or migration. In preferred embodiments, the methods include detecting, in a sample of cells from the subject, the presence or absence of a genetic alteration characterized by at least one of an alteration affecting the integrity of a gene encoding an HST-4-polypeptide and/or an HST-5-polypeptide, or the mis-expression of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 gene. For example, such genetic alterations can be detected by ascertaining the existence of at least one of 1) a deletion of one or more nucleotides from an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 gene; 2) an addition of one or more nucleotides to an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 gene; 3) a substitution of one or more nucleotides of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 gene, 4) a chromosomal rearrangement of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 gene; 5) an alteration in the level of a messenger RNA transcript of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 gene, 6) aberrant modification of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 gene, such as of the methylation pattern of the genomic DNA, 7) the presence of a non-wild type splicing pattern of a messenger RNA transcript of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 gene, 8) a non-wild type level of an HST-4-polypeptide and/or an HST-5-polypeptide, 9) allelic loss of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 gene, and 10) inappropriate post-translational modification of an HST-4-polypeptide and/or an HST-5-polypeptide. As described herein, there are a large number of assays known in the art which can be used for detecting alterations in an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 gene. A preferred biological sample is a tissue or serum sample isolated by conventional means from a subject.

[3223] In certain embodiments, detection of the alteration involves the use of a probe/primer in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195 and 4,683,202), such as anchor PCR or RACE PCR, or, alternatively, in a ligation chain reaction (LCR) (see, e.g., Landegran et al. (1988) Science 241:1077-1080; and Nakazawa et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:360-364), the latter of which can be particularly useful for detecting point mutations in the HST-4-gene and/or the HST-5-gene (see Abravaya et al. (1995) Nucleic Acids Res. 23:675-682). This method can include the steps of collecting a sample of cells from a subject, isolating nucleic acid (e.g., genomic, mRNA or both) from the cells of the sample, contacting the nucleic acid sample with one or more primers which specifically hybridize to an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 gene under conditions such that hybridization and amplification of the HST-4-gene and/or the HST-5-gene (if present) occurs, and detecting the presence or absence of an amplification product, or detecting the size of the amplification product and comparing the length to a control sample. It is anticipated that PCR and/or LCR may be desirable to use as a preliminary amplification step in conjunction with any of the techniques used for detecting mutations described herein.

[3224] Alternative amplification methods include: self sustained sequence replication (Guatelli, J. C. et al., (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:1874-1878), transcriptional amplification system (Kwoh, D. Y. et al., (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:1173-1177), Q-Beta Replicase (Lizardi, P. M. et al. (1988) Bio-Technology 6:1197), or any other nucleic acid amplification method, followed by the detection of the amplified molecules using techniques well known to those of skill in the art. These detection schemes are especially useful for the detection of nucleic acid molecules if such molecules are present in very low numbers.

[3225] In an alternative embodiment, mutations in an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 gene from a sample cell can be identified by alterations in restriction enzyme cleavage patterns. For example, sample and control DNA is isolated, amplified (optionally), digested with one or more restriction endonucleases, and fragment length sizes are determined by gel electrophoresis and compared. Differences in fragment length sizes between sample and control DNA indicates mutations in the sample DNA. Moreover, the use of sequence specific ribozymes (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,531) can be used to score for the presence of specific mutations by development or loss of a ribozyme cleavage site.

[3226] In other embodiments, genetic mutations in HST-4 and/or HST-5 can be identified by hybridizing a sample and control nucleic acids, e.g., DNA or RNA, to high density arrays containing hundreds or thousands of oligonucleotides probes (Cronin, M. T. et al. (1996) Human Mutation 7: 244-255; Kozal, M. J. et al. (1996) Nature Medicine 2: 753-759). For example, genetic mutations in HST-4 and/or HST-5 can be identified in two dimensional arrays containing light-generated DNA probes as described in Cronin, M. T. et al. supra. Briefly, a first hybridization array of probes can be used to scan through long stretches of DNA in a sample and control to identify base changes between the sequences by making linear arrays of sequential overlapping probes. This step allows the identification of point mutations. This step is followed by a second hybridization array that allows the characterization of specific mutations by using smaller, specialized probe arrays complementary to all variants or mutations detected. Each mutation array is composed of parallel probe sets, one complementary to the wild-type gene and the other complementary to the mutant gene.

[3227] In yet another embodiment, any of a variety of sequencing reactions known in the art can be used to directly sequence the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 gene and detect mutations by comparing the sequence of the sample HST-4 and/or HST-5 with the corresponding wild-type (control) sequence. Examples of sequencing reactions include those based on techniques developed by Maxam and Gilbert ((1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:560) or Sanger ((1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:5463). It is also contemplated that any of a variety of automated sequencing procedures can be utilized when performing the diagnostic assays ((1995) Biotechniques 19:448), including sequencing by mass spectrometry (see, e.g., PCT International Publication No. WO 94/16101; Cohen et al. (1996) Adv. Chromatogr. 36:127-162; and Griffin et al. (1993) Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 38:147-159).

[3228] Other methods for detecting mutations in the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 gene include methods in which protection from cleavage agents is used to detect mismatched bases in RNA/RNA or RNA/DNA heteroduplexes (Myers et al. (1985) Science 230:1242). In general, the art technique of “mismatch cleavage” starts by providing heteroduplexes of formed by hybridizing (labeled) RNA or DNA containing the wild-type HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequence with potentially mutant RNA or DNA obtained from a tissue sample. The double-stranded duplexes are treated with an agent which cleaves single-stranded regions of the duplex such as which will exist due to basepair mismatches between the control and sample strands. For instance, RNA/DNA duplexes can be treated with RNase and DNA/DNA hybrids treated with S1 nuclease to enzymatically digesting the mismatched regions. In other embodiments, either DNA/DNA or RNA/DNA duplexes can be treated with hydroxylamine or osmium tetroxide and with piperidine in order to digest mismatched regions. After digestion of the mismatched regions, the resulting material is then separated by size on denaturing polyacrylamide gels to determine the site of mutation. See, for example, Cotton et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:4397; Saleeba et al. (1992) Methods Enzymol. 217:286-295. In a preferred embodiment, the control DNA or RNA can be labeled for detection.

[3229] In still another embodiment, the mismatch cleavage reaction employs one or more proteins that recognize mismatched base pairs in double-stranded DNA (so called “DNA mismatch repair” enzymes) in defined systems for detecting and mapping point mutations in HST-4 and/or HST-5 cDNAs obtained from samples of cells. For example, the mutY enzyme of E. coli cleaves A at G/A mismatches and the thymidine DNA glycosylase from HeLa cells cleaves T at G/T mismatches (Hsu et al. (1994) Carcinogenesis 15:1657-1662). According to an exemplary embodiment, a probe based on an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 sequence, e.g., a wild-type HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequence, is hybridized to a cDNA or other DNA product from a test cell(s). The duplex is treated with a DNA mismatch repair enzyme, and the cleavage products, if any, can be detected from electrophoresis protocols or the like. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,039.

[3230] In other embodiments, alterations in electrophoretic mobility will be used to identify mutations in HST-4 and/or HST-5 genes. For example, single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) may be used to detect differences in electrophoretic mobility between mutant and wild type nucleic acids (Orita et al. (1989) Proc Natl. Acad. Sci USA: 86:2766, see also Cotton (1993) Mutat. Res. 285:125-144; and Hayashi (1992) Genet. Anal. Tech. Appl. 9:73-79). Single-stranded DNA fragments of sample and control HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleic acids will be denatured and allowed to renature. The secondary structure of single-stranded nucleic acids varies according to sequence, the resulting alteration in electrophoretic mobility enables the detection of even a single base change. The DNA fragments may be labeled or detected with labeled probes. The sensitivity of the assay may be enhanced by using RNA (rather than DNA), in which the secondary structure is more sensitive to a change in sequence. In a preferred embodiment, the subject method utilizes heteroduplex analysis to separate double stranded heteroduplex molecules on the basis of changes in electrophoretic mobility (Keen et al. (1991) Trends Genet 7:5).

[3231] In yet another embodiment the movement of mutant or wild-type fragments in polyacrylamide gels containing a gradient of denaturant is assayed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) (Myers et al. (1985) Nature 313:495). When DGGE is used as the method of analysis, DNA will be modified to insure that it does not completely denature, for example by adding a GC clamp of approximately 40 bp of high-melting GC-rich DNA by PCR. In a further embodiment, a temperature gradient is used in place of a denaturing gradient to identify differences in the mobility of control and sample DNA (Rosenbaum and Reissner (1987) Biophys Chem 265:12753).

[3232] Examples of other techniques for detecting point mutations include, but are not limited to, selective oligonucleotide hybridization, selective amplification, or selective primer extension. For example, oligonucleotide primers may be prepared in which the known mutation is placed centrally and then hybridized to target DNA under conditions which permit hybridization only if a perfect match is found (Saiki et al. (1986) Nature 35 324:163); Saiki et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6230). Such allele specific oligonucleotides are hybridized to PCR amplified target DNA or a number of different mutations when the oligonucleotides are attached to the hybridizing membrane and hybridized with labeled target DNA.

[3233] Alternatively, allele specific amplification technology which depends on selective PCR amplification may be used in conjunction with the instant invention. Oligonucleotides used as primers for specific amplification may carry the mutation of interest in the center of the molecule (so that amplification depends on differential hybridization) (Gibbs et al. (1989) Nucleic Acids Res. 17:2437-2448) or at the extreme 3′ end of one primer where, under appropriate conditions, mismatch can prevent, or reduce polymerase extension (Prossner (1993) Tibtech 11:238). In addition it may be desirable to introduce a novel restriction site in the region of the mutation to create cleavage-based detection (Gasparini et al. (1992) Mol. Cell Probes 6:1). It is anticipated that in certain embodiments amplification may also be performed using Taq ligase for amplification (Barany (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 88:189). In such cases, ligation will occur only if there is a perfect match at the 3′ end of the 5′ sequence making it possible to detect the presence of a known mutation at a specific site by looking for the presence or absence of amplification.

[3234] The methods described herein may be performed, for example, by utilizing pre-packaged diagnostic kits comprising at least one probe nucleic acid or antibody reagent described herein, which may be conveniently used, e.g., in clinical settings to diagnose patients exhibiting symptoms or family history of a disease or illness involving an HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene.

[3235] Furthermore, any cell type or tissue in which HST-4 and/or HST-5 is expressed may be utilized in the prognostic assays described herein.

[3236] 3. Monitoring of Effects During Clinical Trials

[3237] Monitoring the influence of agents (e.g., drugs) on the expression or activity of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide (e.g., the modulation of sugar transport) can be applied not only in basic drug screening, but also in clinical trials. For example, the effectiveness of an agent determined by a screening assay as described herein to increase HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene expression, polypeptide levels, or upregulate HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity, can be monitored in clinical trials of subjects exhibiting decreased HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene expression, polypeptide levels, or downregulated HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity. Alternatively, the effectiveness of an agent determined by a screening assay to decrease HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene expression, polypeptide levels, or downregulate HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity, can be monitored in clinical trials of subjects exhibiting increased HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene expression, polypeptide levels, or upregulated HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity. In such clinical trials, the expression or activity of an HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene, and preferably, other genes that have been implicated in, for example, an HST-4- and/or an HST-5-associated disorder can be used as a “read out” or markers of the phenotype of a particular cell.

[3238] For example, and not by way of limitation, genes, including HST-4 and/or HST-5, that are modulated in cells by treatment with an agent (e.g., compound, drug or small molecule) which modulates HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity (e.g., identified in a screening assay as described herein) can be identified. Thus, to study the effect of agents on HST-4- and/or HST-5-associated disorders (e.g., disorders characterized by deregulated signaling or sugar transport), for example, in a clinical trial, cells can be isolated and RNA prepared and analyzed for the levels of expression of HST-4 and/or HST-5 and other genes implicated in the HST-4- and/or the HST-5-associated disorder, respectively. The levels of gene expression (e.g., a gene expression pattern) can be quantified by northern blot analysis or RT-PCR, as described herein, or alternatively by measuring the amount of polypeptide produced, by one of the methods as described herein, or by measuring the levels of activity of HST-4 and/or HST-5 or other genes. In this way, the gene expression pattern can serve as a marker, indicative of the physiological response of the cells to the agent. Accordingly, this response state may be determined before, and at various points during treatment of the individual with the agent.

[3239] In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method for monitoring the effectiveness of treatment of a subject with an agent (e.g., an agonist, antagonist, peptidomimetic, protein, peptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or other drug candidate identified by the screening assays described herein) including the steps of (i) obtaining a pre-administration sample from a subject prior to administration of the agent; (ii) detecting the level of expression of an HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the preadministration sample; (iii) obtaining one or more post-administration samples from the subject; (iv) detecting the level of expression or activity of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the post-administration samples; (v) comparing the level of expression or activity of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the pre-administration sample with the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide, mRNA, or genomic DNA in the post administration sample or samples; and (vi) altering the administration of the agent to the subject accordingly. For example, increased administration of the agent may be desirable to increase the expression or activity of HST-4 and/or HST-5 to higher levels than detected, i.e., to increase the effectiveness of the agent. Alternatively, decreased administration of the agent may be desirable to decrease expression or activity of HST-4 and/or HST-5 to lower levels than detected, i.e. to decrease the effectiveness of the agent. According to such an embodiment, HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression or activity may be used as an indicator of the effectiveness of an agent, even in the absence of an observable phenotypic response.

[3240] D. Methods of Treatment:

[3241] The present invention provides for both prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treating a subject at risk of (or susceptible to) a disorder or having a disorder associated with aberrant or unwanted HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression or activity, e.g. a sugar transporter disorder. With regards to both prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treatment, such treatments may be specifically tailored or modified, based on knowledge obtained from the field of pharmacogenomics. “Pharmacogenomics”, as used herein, refers to the application of genomics technologies such as gene sequencing, statistical genetics, and gene expression analysis to drugs in clinical development and on the market. More specifically, the term refers the study of how a patient's genes determine his or her response to a drug (e.g., a patient's “drug response phenotype”, or “drug response genotype”). Thus, another aspect of the invention provides methods for tailoring an individual's prophylactic or therapeutic treatment with either the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 molecules of the present invention or HST-4 and/or HST-5 modulators according to that individual's drug response genotype. Pharmacogenomics allows a clinician or physician to target prophylactic or therapeutic treatments to patients who will most benefit from the treatment and to avoid treatment of patients who will experience toxic drug-related side effects.

[3242] Treatment is defined as the application or administration of a therapeutic agent to a patient, or the application or administration of a therapeutic agent to an isolated tissue or cell line from a patient, who has a disease, a symptom of disease or a predisposition toward a disease, with the purpose of curing, healing, alleviating, relieving, altering, remedying, ameliorating, improving or affecting the disease, the symptoms of disease or the predisposition toward disease as described herein.

[3243] A therapeutic agent includes, but is not limited to, small molecules, peptides, antibodies, ribozymes and antisense oligonucleotides.

[3244] 1. Prophylactic Methods

[3245] In one aspect, the invention provides a method for preventing in a subject, a disease or condition associated with an aberrant or unwanted HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression or activity, by administering to the subject an HST-4 and/or HST-5 or an agent which modulates HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression or at least one HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity. Subjects at risk for a disease which is caused or contributed to by aberrant or unwanted HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression or activity can be identified by, for example, any or a combination of diagnostic or prognostic assays as described herein. Administration of a prophylactic agent can occur prior to the manifestation of symptoms characteristic of the HST-4 and/or HST-5 aberrancy, such that a disease or disorder is prevented or, alternatively, delayed in its progression. Depending on the type of HST-4 and/or HST-5 aberrancy, for example, an HST-4 and/or HST-5, HST-4 and/or HST-5 agonist or HST-4 and/or HST-5 antagonist agent can be used for treating the subject. The appropriate agent can be determined based on screening assays described herein.

[3246] 2. Therapeutic Methods

[3247] Another aspect of the invention pertains to methods of modulating HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression or activity for therapeutic purposes. Accordingly, in an exemplary embodiment, the modulatory method of the invention involves contacting a cell capable of expressing HST-4 and/or HST-5 with an agent that modulates one or more of the activities of HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide activity associated with the cell, such that HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity in the cell is modulated. An agent that modulates HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide activity can be an agent as described herein, such as a nucleic acid or a polypeptide, a naturally-occurring target molecule of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide (e.g., an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 substrate), an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 antibody, an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 agonist or antagonist, a peptidomimetic of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 agonist or antagonist, or other small molecule. In one embodiment, the agent stimulates one or more HST-4 and/or HST-5 activities. Examples of such stimulatory agents include active HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides and nucleic acid molecules encoding HST-4 and/or HST-5 that have been introduced into the cell. In another embodiment, the agent inhibits one or more HST-4 and/or HST-5 activities. Examples of such inhibitory agents include antisense HST-4 and/or HST-5 nucleic acid molecules, anti-HST4 and/or -HST-5 antibodies, and HST-4 and/or HST-5 inhibitors. These modulatory methods can be performed in vitro (e.g., by culturing the cell with the agent) or, alternatively, in vivo (e.g., by administering the agent to a subject). As such, the present invention provides methods of treating an individual afflicted with a disease or disorder characterized by aberrant or unwanted expression or activity of an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule. In one embodiment, the method involves administering an agent (e.g., an agent identified by a screening assay described herein), or combination of agents that modulates (e.g., upregulates or downregulates) HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression or activity. In another embodiment, the method involves administering an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule as therapy to compensate for reduced, aberrant, or unwanted HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression or activity.

[3248] Stimulation of HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity is desirable in situations in which HST-4 and/or HST-5 is abnormally downregulated and/or in which increased HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity is likely to have a beneficial effect. Likewise, inhibition of HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity is desirable in situations in which HST-4 and/or HST-5 is abnormally upregulated and/or in which decreased HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity is likely to have a beneficial effect.

[3249] 3. Pharmacogenomics

[3250] The HST-4 and/or HST-5 molecules of the present invention, as well as agents, or modulators which have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity (e.g., HST-4 and/or HST-5 gene expression) as identified by a screening assay described herein can be administered to individuals to treat (prophylactically or therapeutically) HST-4- and/or HST-5-associated disorders (e.g., proliferative disorders) associated with aberrant or unwanted HST-4 and/or HST-5 activity. In conjunction with such treatment, pharmacogenomics (i.e., the study of the relationship between an individual's genotype and that individual's response to a foreign compound or drug) may be considered. Differences in metabolism of therapeutics can lead to severe toxicity or therapeutic failure by altering the relation between dose and blood concentration of the pharmacologically active drug. Thus, a physician or clinician may consider applying knowledge obtained in relevant pharmacogenomics studies in determining whether to administer an HST-4 molecule and/or an HST-5 molecule or an HST-4 modulator and/or an HST-5 modulator as well as tailoring the dosage and/or therapeutic regimen of treatment with an HST-4 molecule and/or an HST-5 molecule or an HST-4 modulator and/or an HST-5 modulator.

[3251] Pharmacogenomics deals with clinically significant hereditary variations in the response to drugs due to altered drug disposition and abnormal action in affected persons. See, for example, Eichelbaum, M. et al. (1996) Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol. 23(10-11): 983-985 and Linder, M. W. et al. (1997) Clin. Chem. 43(2):254-266. In general, two types of pharmacogenetic conditions can be differentiated. Genetic conditions transmitted as a single factor altering the way drugs act on the body (altered drug action) or genetic conditions transmitted as single factors altering the way the body acts on drugs (altered drug metabolism). These pharmacogenetic conditions can occur either as rare genetic defects or as naturally-occurring polymorphisms. For example, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD) is a common inherited enzymopathy in which the main clinical complication is haemolysis after ingestion of oxidant drugs (anti-malarials, sulfonamides, analgesics, nitrofurans) and consumption of fava beans.

[3252] One pharmacogenomics approach to identifying genes that predict drug response, known as “a genome-wide association”, relies primarily on a high-resolution map of the human genome consisting of already known gene-related markers (e.g., a “bi-allelic” gene marker map which consists of 60,000-100,000 polymorphic or variable sites on the human genome, each of which has two variants.) Such a high-resolution genetic map can be compared to a map of the genome of each of a statistically significant number of patients taking part in a Phase II/III drug trial to identify markers associated with a particular observed drug response or side effect. Alternatively, such a high resolution map can be generated from a combination of some ten-million known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human genome. As used herein, a “SNP” is a common alteration that occurs in a single nucleotide base in a stretch of DNA. For example, a SNP may occur once per every 1000 bases of DNA. A SNP may be involved in a disease process, however, the vast majority may not be disease-associated. Given a genetic map based on the occurrence of such SNPs, individuals can be grouped into genetic categories depending on a particular pattern of SNPs in their individual genome. In such a manner, treatment regimens can be tailored to groups of genetically similar individuals, taking into account traits that may be common among such genetically similar individuals.

[3253] Alternatively, a method termed the “candidate gene approach”, can be utilized to identify genes that predict drug response. According to this method, if a gene that encodes a drugs target is known (e.g., an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide of the present invention), all common variants of that gene can be fairly easily identified in the population and it can be determined if having one version of the gene versus another is associated with a particular drug response.

[3254] As an illustrative embodiment, the activity of drug metabolizing enzymes is a major determinant of both the intensity and duration of drug action. The discovery of genetic polymorphisms of drug metabolizing enzymes (e.g., N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT 2) and cytochrome P450 enzymes CYP2D6 and CYP2C19) has provided an explanation as to why some patients do not obtain the expected drug effects or show exaggerated drug response and serious toxicity after taking the standard and safe dose of a drug. These polymorphisms are expressed in two phenotypes in the population, the extensive metabolizer (EM) and poor metabolizer (PM). The prevalence of PM is different among different populations. For example, the gene coding for CYP2D6 is highly polymorphic and several mutations have been identified in PM, which all lead to the absence of functional CYP2D6. Poor metabolizers of CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 quite frequently experience exaggerated drug response and side effects when they receive standard doses. If a metabolite is the active therapeutic moiety, PM show no therapeutic response, as demonstrated for the analgesic effect of codeine mediated by its CYP2D6-formed metabolite morphine. The other extreme are the so called ultra-rapid metabolizers who do not respond to standard doses. Recently, the molecular basis of ultra-rapid metabolism has been identified to be due to CYP2D6 gene amplification.

[3255] Alternatively, a method termed the “gene expression profiling”, can be utilized to identify genes that predict drug response. For example, the gene expression of an animal dosed with a drug (e.g., an HST-4 molecule and/or an HST-5 molecule or an HST-4 modulator and/or an HST-5 modulator of the present invention) can give an indication whether gene pathways related to toxicity have been turned on.

[3256] Information generated from more than one of the above pharmacogenomics approaches can be used to determine appropriate dosage and treatment regimens for prophylactic or therapeutic treatment an individual. This knowledge, when applied to dosing or drug selection, can avoid adverse reactions or therapeutic failure and thus enhance therapeutic or prophylactic efficiency when treating a subject with an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 molecule or an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 modulator, such as a modulator identified by one of the exemplary screening assays described herein.

[3257] 4. Use of HST-4 and HST-5 Molecules as Surrogate Markers

[3258] The HST-4 and HST-5 molecules of the invention are also useful as markers of disorders or disease states, as markers for precursors of disease states, as markers for predisposition of disease states, as markers of drug activity, or as markers of the pharmacogenomic profile of a subject. Using the methods described herein, the presence, absence and/or quantity of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 molecules of the invention may be detected, and may be correlated with one or more biological states in vivo. For example, the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 molecules of the invention may serve as surrogate markers for one or more disorders or disease states or for conditions leading up to disease states. As used herein, a “surrogate marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates with the absence or presence of a disease or disorder, or with the progression of a disease or disorder (e.g., with the presence or absence of a tumor). The presence or quantity of such markers is independent of the disease. Therefore, these markers may serve to indicate whether a particular course of treatment is effective in lessening a disease state or disorder. Surrogate markers are of particular use when the presence or extent of a disease state or disorder is difficult to assess through standard methodologies (e.g., early stage tumors), or when an assessment of disease progression is desired before a potentially dangerous clinical endpoint is reached (e.g., an assessment of cardiovascular disease may be made using cholesterol levels as a surrogate marker, and an analysis of HIV infection may be made using HIV RNA levels as a surrogate marker, well in advance of the undesirable clinical outcomes of myocardial infarction or fully-developed AIDS). Examples of the use of surrogate markers in the art include: Koomen et al. (2000) J. Mass. Spectrom. 35: 258-264; and James (1994) AIDS Treatment News Archive 209.

[3259] The HST-4 and/or the HST-5 molecules of the invention are also useful as pharmacodynamic markers. As used herein, a “pharmacodynamic marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates specifically with drug effects. The presence or quantity of a pharmacodynamic marker is not related to the disease state or disorder for which the drug is being administered; therefore, the presence or quantity of the marker is indicative of the presence or activity of the drug in a subject. For example, a pharmacodynamic marker may be indicative of the concentration of the drug in a biological tissue, in that the marker is either expressed or transcribed or not expressed or transcribed in that tissue in relationship to the level of the drug. In this fashion, the distribution or uptake of the drug may be monitored by the pharmacodynamic marker. Similarly, the presence or quantity of the pharmacodynamic marker may be related to the presence or quantity of the metabolic product of a drug, such that the presence or quantity of the marker is indicative of the relative breakdown rate of the drug in vivo. Pharmacodynamic markers are of particular use in increasing the sensitivity of detection of drug effects, particularly when the drug is administered in low doses. Since even a small amount of a drug may be sufficient to activate multiple rounds of marker (e.g., an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 marker) transcription or expression, the amplified marker may be in a quantity which is more readily detectable than the drug itself. Also, the marker may be more easily detected due to the nature of the marker itself; for example, using the methods described herein, anti-HST-4 and/or anti-HST-5 antibodies may be employed in an immune-based detection system for an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 polypeptide marker, or HST-4- and/or HST-5-specific radiolabeled probes may be used to detect an HST-4 and/or an HST-5 mRNA marker. Furthermore, the use of a pharmacodynamic marker may offer mechanism-based prediction of risk due to drug treatment beyond the range of possible direct observations. Examples of the use of pharmacodynamic markers in the art include: Matsuda et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,862; Hattis et al. (1991) Env. Health Perspect. 90: 229-238; Schentag (1999) Am. J. Health-Syst. Pharm. 56 Suppl. 3: S21-S24; and Nicolau (1999) Am, J. Health-Syst. Pharm. 56 Suppl. 3: S16-S20.

[3260] The HST-4 and/or the HST-5 molecules of the invention are also useful as pharmacogenomic markers. As used herein, a “pharmacogenomic marker” is an objective biochemical marker which correlates with a specific clinical drug response or susceptibility in a subject (see, e.g., McLeod et al. (1999) Eur. J. Cancer 35(12): 1650-1652). The presence or quantity of the pharmacogenomic marker is related to the predicted response of the subject to a specific drug or class of drugs prior to administration of the drug. By assessing the presence or quantity of one or more pharmacogenomic markers in a subject, a drug therapy which is most appropriate for the subject, or which is predicted to have a greater degree of success, may be selected. For example, based on the presence or quantity of RNA, or polypeptide (e.g., HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptides or RNAs) for specific tumor markers in a subject, a drug or course of treatment may be selected that is optimized for the treatment of the specific tumor likely to be present in the subject. Similarly, the presence or absence of a specific sequence mutation in HST-4 and/or HST-5 DNA may correlate HST-4 and/or HST-5 drug response. The use of pharmacogenomic markers therefore permits the application of the most appropriate treatment for each subject without having to administer the therapy.

[3261] E. Electronic Apparatus Readable Media and Arrays

[3262] Electronic apparatus readable media comprising HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequence information is also provided. As used herein, “HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequence information” refers to any nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence information particular to the HST-4 and/or HST-5 molecules of the present invention, including but not limited to full-length nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, partial nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, polymorphic sequences including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), epitope sequences, and the like. Moreover, information “related to” said HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequence information includes detection of the presence or absence of a sequence (e.g., detection of expression of a sequence, fragment, polymorphism, etc.), determination of the level of a sequence (e.g., detection of a level of expression, for example, a quantitative detection), detection of a reactivity to a sequence (e.g., detection of protein expression and/or levels, for example, using a sequence-specific antibody), and the like. As used herein, “electronic apparatus readable media” refers to any suitable medium for storing, holding or containing data or information that can be read and accessed directly by an electronic apparatus. Such media can include, but are not limited to: magnetic storage media, such as floppy discs, hard disc storage medium, and magnetic tape; optical storage media such as compact disc; electronic storage media such as RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM and the like; general hard disks and hybrids of these categories such as magnetic/optical storage media. The medium is adapted or configured for having recorded thereon a sequence of the present invention.

[3263] As used herein, the term “electronic apparatus” is intended to include any suitable computing or processing apparatus or other device configured or adapted for storing data or information. Examples of electronic apparatus suitable for use with the present invention include stand-alone computing apparatus; networks, including a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) Internet, Intranet, and Extranet; electronic appliances such as a personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular phone, pager and the like; and local and distributed processing systems.

[3264] As used herein, “recorded” refers to a process for storing or encoding information on the electronic apparatus readable medium. Those skilled in the art can readily adopt any of the presently known methods for recording information on known media to generate manufactures comprising the HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequence information.

[3265] A variety of software programs and formats can be used to store the sequence information on the electronic apparatus readable medium. For example, the sequence information can be represented in a word processing text file, formatted in commercially-available software such as WordPerfect and Microsoft Word, or represented in the form of an ASCII file, stored in a database application, such as DB2, Sybase, Oracle, or the like, as well as in other forms. Any number of dataprocessor structuring formats (e.g., text file or database) may be employed in order to obtain or create a medium having recorded thereon the HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequence information.

[3266] By providing HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequence information in readable form, one can routinely access the sequence information for a variety of purposes. For example, one skilled in the art can use the sequence information in readable form to compare a target sequence or target structural motif with the sequence information stored within the data storage means. Search means are used to identify fragments or regions of the sequences of the invention which match a particular target sequence or target motif.

[3267] The present invention therefore provides a medium for holding instructions for performing a method for determining whether a subject has a HST-4 and/or HST-5-associated disease or disorder (e.g., a blood sugar or metabolic disorder) or a pre-disposition to a HST-4 and/or HST-5-associated disease or disorder, wherein the method comprises the steps of determining HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequence information associated with the subject and based on the HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequence information, determining whether the subject has a HST-4 and/or HST-5-associated disease or disorder (e.g., a blood sugar or metabolic disorder) or a pre-disposition to a HST-4 and/or HST-5-associated disease or disorder and/or recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[3268] The present invention further provides in an electronic system and/or in a network, a method for determining whether a subject has a HST-4 and/or HST-5-associated disease or disorder (e.g., a blood sugar or metabolic disorder) or a pre-disposition to a disease associated with a HST-4 and/or HST-5 wherein the method comprises the steps of determining HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequence information associated with the subject, and based on the HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequence information, determining whether the subject has a HST-4 and/or HST-5-associated disease or disorder (e.g., a blood sugar or metabolic disorder) or a pre-disposition to a HST-4 and/or HST-5-associated disease or disorder, and/or recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition. The method may further comprise the step of receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject and/or acquiring from a network phenotypic information associated with the subject.

[3269] The present invention also provides in a network, a method for determining whether a subject has a HST-4 and/or HST-5-associated disease or disorder (e.g., a blood sugar or metabolic disorder) or a pre-disposition to a HST-4 and/or HST-5-associated disease or disorder associated with HST-4 and/or HST-5, said method comprising the steps of receiving HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequence information from the subject and/or information related thereto, receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject, acquiring information from the network corresponding to HST-4 and/or HST-5 and/or a HST-4 and/or corresponding to a HST-5-associated disease or disorder (e.g., a blood sugar or metabolic disorder), and based on one or more of the phenotypic information, the HST-4 and/or HST-5 information (e.g., sequence information and/or information related thereto), and the acquired information, determining whether the subject has a HST-4 and/or HST-5-associated disease or disorder (e.g., a blood sugar or metabolic disorder) or a pre-disposition to a HST-4 and/or HST-5-associated disease or disorder. The method may further comprise the step of recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[3270] The present invention also provides a business method for determining whether a subject has a HST-4 and/or HST-5-associated disease or disorder (e.g., a blood sugar or metabolic disorder) or a pre-disposition to a HST-4 and/or HST-5-associated disease or disorder, said method comprising the steps of receiving information related to HST-4 and/or HST-5 (e.g., sequence information and/or information related thereto), receiving phenotypic information associated with the subject, acquiring information from the network related to HST-4 and/or HST-5 and/or related to a HST-4 and/or HST-5-associated disease or disorder (e.g., a blood sugar or metabolic disorder), and based on one or more of the phenotypic information, the HST-4 and/or HST-5 information, and the acquired information, determining whether the subject has a HST-4 and/or HST-5-associated disease or disorder (e.g., a blood sugar or metabolic disorder) or a pre-disposition to a HST-4 and/or HST-5-associated disease or disorder. The method may further comprise the step of recommending a particular treatment for the disease, disorder or pre-disease condition.

[3271] The invention also includes an array comprising a HST-4 and/or HST-5 sequence of the present invention. The array can be used to assay expression of one or more genes in the array. In one embodiment, the array can be used to assay gene expression in a tissue to ascertain tissue specificity of genes in the array. In this manner, up to about 7600 genes can be simultaneously assayed for expression, one of which can be HST-4 and/or HST-5. This allows a profile to be developed showing a battery of genes specifically expressed in one or more tissues.

[3272] In addition to such qualitative determination, the invention allows the quantitation of gene expression. Thus, not only tissue specificity, but also the level of expression of a battery of genes in the tissue is ascertainable. Thus, genes can be grouped on the basis of their tissue expression per se and level of expression in that tissue. This is useful, for example, in ascertaining the relationship of gene expression between or among tissues. Thus, one tissue can be perturbed and the effect on gene expression in a second tissue can be determined. In this context, the effect of one cell type on another cell type in response to a biological stimulus can be determined. Such a determination is useful, for example, to know the effect of cell-cell interaction at the level of gene expression. If an agent is administered therapeutically to treat one cell type but has an undesirable effect on another cell type, the invention provides an assay to determine the molecular basis of the undesirable effect and thus provides the opportunity to co-administer a counteracting agent or otherwise treat the undesired effect. Similarly, even within a single cell type, undesirable biological effects can be determined at the molecular level. Thus, the effects of an agent on expression of other than the target gene can be ascertained and counteracted.

[3273] In another embodiment, the array can be used to monitor the time course of expression of one or more genes in the array. This can occur in various biological contexts, as disclosed herein, for example development of a HST-4 and/or HST-5-associated disease or disorder (e.g., a blood sugar or metabolic disorder), progression of HST-4 and/or HST-5-associated disease or disorder (e.g., a blood sugar or metabolic disorder), and processes, such a cellular transformation associated with the HST-4 and/or HST-5-associated disease or disorder.

[3274] The array is also useful for ascertaining the effect of the expression of a gene on the expression of other genes in the same cell or in different cells (e.g., ascertaining the effect of HST-4 and/or HST-5 expression on the expression of other genes). This provides, for example, for a selection of alternate molecular targets for therapeutic intervention if the ultimate or downstream target cannot be regulated.

[3275] The array is also useful for ascertaining differential expression patterns of one or more genes in normal and abnormal cells. This provides a battery of genes (e.g., including HST-4 and/or HST-5) that could serve as a molecular target for diagnosis or therapeutic intervention.

[3276] This invention is further illustrated by the following examples which should not be construed as limiting. The contents of all references, patents and published patent applications cited throughout this application, as well as the Figures and the Sequence Listing, are incorporated herein by reference.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Identification and Characterization of Human HST-4 and HST-5 cDNAs

[3277] In this example, the identification and characterization of the gene encoding human HST-4 (clone 57255FL) and HST-5 (clone 57255alt) is described.

[3278] Isolation of the Human HST-4 and HST-5 cDNAs

[3279] The invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery of a human gene encoding a novel polypeptide, referred to herein as human HST-4. The entire sequence of the human clone 57255FL was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “HST-4.” The nucleotide sequence of the human HST-4 gene is set forth in FIGS. 89A-B and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 94. The amino acid sequence of the human HST-4 expression product is set forth in FIGS. 89A-B and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 95. The HST-4 polypeptide comprises 438 amino acids. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 94 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 96. Clone 57255FL, comprising the coding region of human HST-4, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______, and assigned Accession No. ______. The HST-4 protein is predicted to contain a signal peptide of 43 residues in the amino-terminal end, which would be cleaved off to result in a mature peptide comprising amino acid residues 44-438 of SEQ ID NO: 95.

[3280] The invention is further based, at least in part, on the discovery of a human gene encoding a novel polypeptide, referred to herein as human HST-5. The entire sequence of the human clone 57255alt was determined and found to contain an open reading frame termed human “HST-5.” The nucleotide sequence of the human HST-5 gene is set forth in FIGS. 90A-B and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 97. The amino acid sequence of the human HST-5 expression product is set forth in FIGS. 90A-B and in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 98. The HST-5 polypeptide comprises 436 amino acids. The coding region (open reading frame) of SEQ ID NO: 97 is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 99. Clone 57255alt, comprising the coding region of human HST-5, was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC®), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, on ______, and assigned Accession No. ______. The HST-5 protein is predicted to contain a signal peptide of 43 residues in the amino-terminal end, which would be cleaved off to result in a mature peptide comprising amino acid residues 44-436 of SEQ ID NO: 98.

[3281] HST-4 and HST-5 are splice variants. Splice variants are variants which result from alternative splicing of the same gene.

[3282] Analysis of the Human HST-4 and HST-5 Molecules HST-4

[3283] The amino acid sequence of human HST-4 (SEQ ID NO: 95) was analyzed using the program PSORT (www.psort.nibb.ac.jp) to predict the localization of the proteins within the cell. This program assesses the presence of different targeting and localization amino acid sequences within the query sequence. The results of this analysis show that human HST-4 may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria.

[3284] A search using the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 95 was performed against the HMM database in PFAM (FIGS. 93A-C) resulting in the identification of a sugar transporter family domain in the amino acid sequence of human HST-4 at about residues 25-418 of SEQ ID NO: 95 (score=−210.9), and a monocarboxylate transporter family domain in the amino acid sequence of human HST-4 at about residues 23-431 of SEQ ID NO: 95 (score=−144.9).

[3285] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human HST-4 were further performed against the Prosite database. These searches resulted in the identification in the amino acid sequence of human HST-4 of a potential N-glycosylation site, a number of potential protein kinase C phosphorylation sites, a number of potential casein kinase II phosphorylation sites, a number of potential N-myristoylation sites, and a potential sugar transport protein signature 2.

[3286] A MEMSAT analysis of the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 95 was also performed, predicting ten transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human HST-4 (SEQ ID NO: 95) at about amino acid residues 25-49, 62-80, 92-113, 126-143, 154-178, 186-202, 278-298, 318-337, 372-395, and 402-423. This protein was also predicted to contain a signal peptide of 43 residues in the amino-terminal end, which would be cleaved off to result in a mature peptide comprising amino acid residues 44-438 of SEQ ID NO: 95. A MEMSAT analysis of the presumed mature polypeptide sequence was also performed, predicting nine transmembrane domains in the mature amino acid sequence of HST-4 at about amino acid residues 63-81, 93-114, 127-144, 155-179, 187-203, 279-299, 319-338, 373-396, and 403-424 of SEQ ID NO: 95.

[3287] A search of SEQ ID NO: 95 was also performed against the ProDom database. The results of this search identified matches against protein domains described as “Polyphosphate IPP Inositol 1-Phosphatase”, “Related Permease Transport Membrane”, “NPT 1(3) Transport Phosphate Cotransporter Renal Na-Dependent Inorganic Glycoprotein Transmembrane”, “GUDP (2) Transmembrane Transport Transporter Permease” and the like.

[3288] HST-5

[3289] The amino acid sequence of human HST-5 (SEQ ID NO: 98) was analyzed using the program PSORT (www.psort.nibb.ac.jp) to predict the localization of the proteins within the cell. The results of this analysis show that human HST-5 may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, vacuoles, mitochondria, Golgi, and cytoplasm.

[3290] Searches of the amino acid sequence of human HST-5 (SEQ ID NO: 98) were performed against the Prosite database. These searches resulted in the identification in the amino acid sequence of human HST-5 of a potential N-glycosylation site, a potential cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinase C phosphorylation site, a number of potential protein kinase C phosphorylation sites, a number of potential casein kinase II phosphorylation sites, a number of potential N-myristoylation sites, a prokaryotic membrane lipoprotein lipid attachment site, and a sugar transport protein signature 2.

[3291] A search using the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 98 was performed against the HMM database in PFAM resulting in the identification of a sugar transporter family domain in the amino acid sequence of human HST-5 at about residues 23-429 of SEQ ID NO: 98 (score=−139.4), and a monocarboxylate transporter family domain in the amino acid sequence of human HST-5 at about residues 25-416 of SEQ ID NO: 98 (score=−200.0) (FIG. 94A-C).

[3292] A MEMSAT analysis of the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 98 was also performed, predicting eleven transmembrane domains in the amino acid sequence of human HST-5 (SEQ ID NO: 98) at about amino acid residues 30-51, 62-84, 92-111, 126-143, 154-178, 186-202, 240-260, 276-296, 316-335, 370-393, and 400-421. This protein was also predicted to contain a signal peptide of 43 residues in the amino-terminal end, which would be cleaved off to result in a mature peptide comprising amino acid residues 44-436 of SEQ ID NO: 98. A MEMSAT analysis of the presumed mature polypeptide sequence was also performed, predicting ten transmembrane domains in the mature amino acid sequence of HST-5 at about residues 63-85, 93-112, 127-144, 155-179, 187-203, 241-261, 277-297, 317-336, 371-394 and 401-422 of SEQ ID NO: 98.

[3293] A search of SEQ ID NO: 98 was also performed against the ProDom database. The results of this search identified matches against protein domains described as “Polyphosphate IPP Inositol 1-Phosphatase”, “Related Permease Transport Membrane”, “NPT 1(3) Transport Phosphate Cotransporter Renal Na-Dependent Inorganic Glycoprotein Transmembrane”, “GUDP (2) Transmembrane Transport Transporter Permease” and the like.

Example 2 Expression of Recombinant HST-4 and HST-5 Polypeptides in Bacterial Cells

[3294] In this example, human HST-4 and/or HST-5 is expressed as a recombinant glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion polypeptide in E. coli and the fusion polypeptide is isolated and characterized. Specifically, HST-4 and/or HST-5 is fused to GST and this fusion polypeptide is expressed in E. coli, e.g., strain PEB199. Expression of the GST-HST-4 and/or the GST-HST-5 fusion polypeptide in PEB199 is induced with IPTG. The recombinant fusion polypeptide is purified from crude bacterial lysates of the induced PEB199 strain by affinity chromatography on glutathione beads. Using polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis of the polypeptide purified from the bacterial lysates, the molecular weight of the resultant fusion polypeptide is determined.

Example 3 Expression of Recombinant HST-4 and HST-5 Polypeptides in COS Cells

[3295] To express the human HST-4 and/or HST-5 genes in COS cells, the pcDNA/Amp vector by Invitrogen Corporation (San Diego, Calif.) is used. This vector contains an SV40 origin of replication, an ampicillin resistance gene, an E. coli replication origin, a CMV promoter followed by a polylinker region, and an SV40 intron and polyadenylation site. A DNA fragment encoding the entire HST-4 and/or HST-5 polypeptide and an HA tag (Wilson et al. (1984) Cell 37:767) or a FLAG tag fused in-frame to its 3′ end of the fragment is cloned into the polylinker region of the vector, thereby placing the expression of the recombinant polypeptide under the control of the CMV promoter.

[3296] To construct the plasmid, the human HST-4 and/or the human HST-5 DNA sequence is amplified by PCR using two primers. The 5′ primer contains the restriction site of interest followed by approximately twenty nucleotides of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 coding sequence starting from the initiation codon; the 3′ end sequence contains complementary sequences to the other restriction site of interest, a translation stop codon, the HA tag or FLAG tag and the last 20 nucleotides of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 coding sequence. The PCR amplified fragment and the pCDNA/Amp vector are digested with the appropriate restriction enzymes and the vector is dephosphorylated using the CIAP enzyme (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.). Preferably the two restriction sites chosen are different so that the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 gene is inserted in the correct orientation. The ligation mixture is transformed into E. coli cells (strains HB101, DH5α, SURE, available from Stratagene Cloning Systems, La Jolla, Calif., can be used), the transformed culture is plated on ampicillin media plates, and resistant colonies are selected. Plasmid DNA is isolated from transformants and examined by restriction analysis for the presence of the correct fragment.

[3297] COS cells are subsequently transfected with the human HST-4- and/or HST-5-pcDNA/Amp plasmid DNA using the calcium phosphate or calcium chloride co-precipitation methods, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, lipofection, or electroporation. Other suitable methods for transfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989. The expression of the IC54420 polypeptide is detected by radiolabeling (³⁵S-methionine or ³⁵S-cysteine available from NEN, Boston, Mass., can be used) and immunoprecipitation (Harlow, E. and Lane, D. Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1988) using an HA specific monoclonal antibody. Briefly, the cells are labeled for 8 hours with ³⁵S-methionine (or ³⁵S-cysteine). The culture media are then collected and the cells are lysed using detergents (RIPA buffer, 150 mM NaCl, 1% NP-40, 0.1% SDS, 0.5% DOC, 50 mM Tris, pH 7.5). Both the cell lysate and the culture media are precipitated with an HA specific monoclonal antibody. Precipitated polypeptides are then analyzed by SDS-PAGE.

[3298] Alternatively, DNA containing the human HST-4 and/or the HST-5 coding sequence is cloned directly into the polylinker of the pCDNA/Amp vector using the appropriate restriction sites. The resulting plasmid is transfected into COS cells in the manner described above, and the expression of the HST-4 and/or the HST-5 polypeptide is detected by radiolabeling and immunoprecipitation using an HST-4- and/or an HST-5-specific monoclonal antibody.

[3299] Equivalents

[3300] Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. Such equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the following claims.

0 SEQUENCE LISTING The patent application contains a lengthy “Sequence Listing” section. A copy of the “Sequence Listing” is available in electronic form from the USPTO web site (http://seqdata.uspto.gov/sequence.html?DocID=20030143675). An electronic copy of the “Sequence Listing” will also be available from the USPTO upon request and payment of the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.19(b)(3). 

What is claimed:
 1. An isolated nucleic acid molecule selected from the group consisting of: (a) a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, 4, 7, 12, 15, 19, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, 51, 54, 63, 66, 69, 72, 75, 91, 94,or97, or a complement thereof; and (b) a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3, 6, 9, 14, 17, 21, 29, 32, 35, 38, 41, 53, 56, 65, 68, 71, 74, 77, 93, 96, or 99, or a complement thereof.
 2. An isolated nucleic acid molecule which encodes a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 5, 8, 13, 16, 20, 28, 31, 34, 37, 40, 52, 55, 64, 67, 70, 73, 76, 92, 95, or 98, or a complement thereof.
 3. An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence contained in the insert of the plasmid deposited with ATCC® as Accession Number ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, ______, or ______.
 4. An isolated nucleic acid molecule which encodes a naturally-occurring allelic variant polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 5, 8, 13, 16, 20, 28, 31, 34, 37, 40, 52, 55, 64, 67, 70, 73, 76, 92, 95, or 98, or a complement thereof.
 5. An isolated nucleic acid molecule selected from the group consisting of: (a) a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence which is at least 60% identical to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, 41, 51, 53, 54, 56, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, 91, 93, 94, 96, 97, or 99, or a complement thereof; (b) a nucleic acid molecule comprising a fragment of at least 30 nucleotides of a nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, 41, 51, 53, 54, 56, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, 91, 93, 94, 96, 97, or 99, or a complement thereof; (c) a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 60% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, 5, 8, 13, 16, 20, 28, 31, 34, 37, 40, 52, 55, 64, 67, 70, 73, 76, 92, 95, or 98, or a complement thereof; and (d) a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a fragment of a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, 5, 8, 13, 16, 20, 28, 31, 34, 37, 40, 52, 55, 64, 67, 70, 73, 76, 92, 95, or 98, wherein the fragment comprises at least 10 contiguous amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, 5, 8, 13, 16, 20, 28, 31, 34, 37, 40, 52, 55, 64, 67, 70, 73, 76, 92, 95, or 98, or a complement thereof.
 6. An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleic acid molecule of any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, and a nucleotide sequence encoding a heterologous polypeptide.
 7. A vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule of any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, or
 5. 8. The vector of claim 7, which is an expression vector.
 9. A host cell transfected with the expression vector of claim
 8. 10. A method of producing a polypeptide comprising culturing the host cell of claim 9 in an appropriate culture medium to, thereby, produce the polypeptide.
 11. An isolated polypeptide selected from the group consisting of: a) a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, 5, 8, 13, 16, 20, 28, 31, 34, 37, 40, 52, 55, 64, 67, 70, 73, 76, 92, 95, or 98; b) a polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, 5, 8, 13, 16, 20, 28, 31, 34, 37, 40, 52, 55, 64, 67, 70, 73, 76, 92, 95, or 98; c) a fragment of a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, 5, 8, 13, 16, 20, 28, 31, 34, 37, 40, 52, 55, 64, 67, 70, 73, 76, 92, 95, or 98, wherein the fragment comprises at least 10 contiguous amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 2, 5, 8, 13, 16, 20, 28, 31, 34, 37, 40, 52, 55, 64, 67, 70, 73, 76, 92, 95, or 98; d) a naturally occurring allelic variant of a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, 5, 8, 13, 16, 20, 28, 31, 34, 37, 40, 52, 55, 64, 67, 70, 73, 76, 92, 95, or 98, wherein the polypeptide is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule which hybridizes to complement of a nucleic acid molecule consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, 41, 51, 53, 54, 56, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, 91, 93, 94, 96, 97, or 99 under stringent conditions; e) a polypeptide which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence which is at least 60% identical to a nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, 41, 51, 53, 54, 56, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, 91, 93, 94, 96, 97, or 99; and f) a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence which is at least 60% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, 5, 8, 13, 16, 20, 28, 31, 34, 37, 40, 52, 55, 64, 67, 70, 73, 76, 92, 95, or
 98. 12. The polypeptide of claim 11, further comprising heterologous amino acid sequences.
 13. An antibody which selectively binds to a polypeptide of claim
 11. 14. A method for detecting the presence of a polypeptide of claim 11 in a sample comprising: a) contacting the sample with a compound which selectively binds to the polypeptide; and b) determining whether the compound binds to the polypeptide in the sample to thereby detect the presence of a polypeptide of claim 11 in the sample.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the compound which binds to the polypeptide is an antibody.
 16. A kit comprising a compound which selectively binds to a polypeptide of claim 13 and instructions for use.
 17. A method for detecting the presence of a nucleic acid molecule of any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 in a sample comprising: a) contacting the sample with a nucleic acid probe or primer which selectively hybridizes to the nucleic acid molecule; and b) determining whether the nucleic acid probe or primer binds to a nucleic acid molecule in the sample to thereby detect the presence of a nucleic acid molecule of any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 in the sample.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the sample comprises mRNA molecules and is contacted with a nucleic acid probe.
 19. A kit comprising a compound which selectively hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 and instructions for use.
 20. A method for identifying a compound which binds to a polypeptide of claim 13 comprising: a) contacting the polypeptide, or a cell expressing the polypeptide with a test compound; and b) determining whether the polypeptide binds to the test compound.
 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the binding of the test compound to the polypeptide is detected by a method selected from the group consisting of: a) detection of binding by direct detection of test compound/polypeptide binding; b) detection of binding using a competition binding assay; and c) detection of binding using an assay for 38594, 57312, 53659, 57250, 63760, 49938, 32146, 57259, 67118, 67067, 62092, 8099, 46455, 54414, 53763, 67076, 67102, 44181, 67084FL, 67084ALT, FBH58295FL, 57255, or 57255alt activity.
 22. A method for modulating the activity of a polypeptide of claim 13 comprising contacting the polypeptide or a cell expressing the polypeptide with a compound which binds to the polypeptide in a sufficient concentration to modulate the activity of the polypeptide.
 23. A method for identifying a compound which modulates the activity of a polypeptide of claim 11 comprising: a) contacting a polypeptide of claim 11 with a test compound; and b) determining the effect of the test compound on the activity of the polypeptide to thereby identify a compound which modulates the activity of the polypeptide. 